Methane Emissions Mitigation Research and Development Act
Bill: H.R.8993 | Sponsor: Rep. Casten, Sean (D-IL)
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
Methane Emissions Mitigation Research and Development Act
This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish a research consortium and a technical assistance program for states, localities, or for-profit entities to develop technologies, methods, and strategies to detect and mitigate methane emissions.

To provide for methane emission detection and mitigation, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Methane Emissions Mitigation 
Research and Development Act''.

SEC. 2. METHANE EMISSION DETECTION AND MITIGATION.

    (a) In General.--Subtitle F of title IX of the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16291 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``SEC. 969D. METHANE LEAK DETECTION AND MITIGATION.

    ``(a) Technical Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the 
        heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, shall carry out a 
        program of methane emissions detection and mitigation research, 
        development, and demonstration for technologies and methods 
        that significantly detect, quantify, and mitigate methane 
        emissions. In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) enter into cooperative agreements with State 
                or local governments or for-profit entities to provide 
                technical assistance to--
                            ``(i) prevent or respond to methane 
                        releases, including prediction, detection, 
                        mitigation, quantification, and identification 
                        of leaks, vents, and other outflows throughout 
                        the natural gas infrastructure (including 
                        natural gas storage, pipelines, and natural gas 
                        production sites); and
                            ``(ii) protect public health in the event 
                        of a major methane release;
                    ``(B) promote demonstration and adoption of 
                effective methane emissions-reduction technologies in 
                the private sector;
                    ``(C) in coordination with representatives from 
                private sector entities, State and local governments, 
                and institutions of higher education, establish a 
                publicly accessible resource for best practices in the 
                design, construction, maintenance, performance, 
                monitoring, and incident response for--
                            ``(i) pipeline systems, including 
                        compressor stations;
                            ``(ii) production wells;
                            ``(iii) storage facilities; and
                            ``(iv) other vulnerable infrastructure;
                    ``(D) in coordination with representatives from 
                private sector entities, State and local governments, 
                and institutions of higher education, establish a 
                publicly accessible resource for best practices in 
                evaluation and incorporation of emission reduction 
                technologies, including--
                            ``(i) metrics for performance evaluation; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) principles for selection and 
                        integration that are best suited for the 
                        project or entity concerned;
                    ``(E) research technologies to more accurately 
                quantify emissions, including--
                            ``(i) the ability to accurately 
                        characterize and measure methane emissions 
                        through various atmospheric conditions such as 
                        wind, rain, fog, and dust;
                            ``(ii) improvements to data analytics and 
                        machine learning platforms; and
                            ``(iii) the ability to characterize 
                        temporal patterns in emissions, such as through 
                        continuous monitoring or multitiered system 
                        practices;
                    ``(F) identify high-risk characteristics of 
                pipelines, wells, storage facilities, and materials, 
                geologic risk factors, or other key factors that 
                increase the likelihood or intensity of methane 
                emissions leaks;
                    ``(G) identify methane mitigation methods and 
                technologies in coal mines; and
                    ``(H) in collaboration with private sector entities 
                and institutions of higher education, quantify and map 
                significant geologic methane seeps and other sources of 
                natural emissions across the United States.
            ``(2) Considerations.--In carrying out the program under 
        this section, the Secretary shall consider the following:
                    ``(A) Historical data of methane emissions.
                    ``(B) Public health consequences.
                    ``(C) Public safety.
                    ``(D) Novel materials and designs for pipelines, 
                compressor stations, components, and wells (including 
                casing, cement, and wellhead).
                    ``(E) Regional geologic traits.
                    ``(F) Induced and natural seismicity.
    ``(b) Methane Leak Detection Consortium.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date 
        of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish 
        and operate a Methane Emissions Measurement and Mitigation 
        Research Consortium (in this section referred to as the 
        `Consortium') for the purpose of supporting, to the maximum 
        extent practicable, data sharing, research prioritization, and 
        researching cooperative leak detection and repair strategies 
        pertaining to methane emissions detection, quantification, and 
        mitigation.
            ``(2) Membership.--The members of the Consortium shall be 
        representatives from relevant Federal agencies, National 
        Laboratories, oil and gas operators and industry groups, 
        vendors of methane detection and quantification technologies, 
        institutions of higher education, community organizations, 
        relevant nongovernmental organizations, and other appropriate 
        entities.
            ``(3) Responsibilities.--The Consortium shall develop and 
        implement a multiyear plan that--
                    ``(A) identifies technical goals and milestones for 
                the Consortium; and
                    ``(B) facilitates data sharing for the purposes 
                of--
                            ``(i) bettering the understanding of 
                        methane emissions from the oil and gas sector;
                            ``(ii) improving emissions detection, 
                        measurement, and mitigation capabilities; and
                            ``(iii) improving the understanding of 
                        methane quantification data analytics and 
                        machine learning platforms, including for 
                        calibration of measurements.
            ``(4) Reporting.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall report on 
                the Consortium's activities to the appropriate 
                congressional committees.
                    ``(B) Initial report.--Not later than 18 months 
                after the date of the enactment of this section, the 
                Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
                committees a report summarizing the activities, 
                findings, and progress of the program. The report shall 
                include--
                            ``(i) a review of LDAR technologies 
                        available to the oil and gas sector for the 
                        purpose of methane emissions measurement and 
                        mitigation;
                            ``(ii) a summary of research gaps and 
                        priorities related to methane emissions 
                        detection, measurement, and mitigation 
                        capabilities; and
                            ``(iii) a description of the data sharing 
                        and cooperative activities that have been 
                        initiated pursuant to paragraph (3)(B).
                    ``(C) Annual report.--Not later than one year after 
                the date on which the report under subparagraph (B) is 
                submitted and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall 
                submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
                report summarizing the activities, findings, and 
                progress of the program. The report shall include--
                            ``(i) an updated review of LDAR 
                        technologies available to oil and gas operators 
                        for the purpose of methane emissions 
                        measurement and mitigation;
                            ``(ii) a description of the state of 
                        methane emissions detection and measurement 
                        capabilities;
                            ``(iii) a summary of research priorities 
                        relating to methane emissions detection, 
                        measurement, and mitigation; and
                            ``(iv) an update on the data sharing and 
                        cooperative activities undertaken by members of 
                        the Consortium.
            ``(5) Sunset; termination.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may provide 
                support to the Consortium for a period of not more than 
                ten years, subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    ``(B) Merit review.--Not later than five years 
                after the date on which the Consortium is established, 
                the Secretary shall conduct a review to determine 
                whether the Consortium has achieved the technical goals 
                and milestones identified under paragraph (3)(A).
            ``(6) Definitions.--In this section:
                    ``(A) Appropriate congressional committees.--The 
                term `appropriate congressional committees' means the 
                Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
                House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
                and Natural Resources of the Senate.
                    ``(B) LDAR.--The term `LDAR' means a technology, 
                program, or activity that is intended to monitor, 
                detect, measure, or repair methane leaks.
                    ``(C) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the 
                Secretary of Energy.
            ``(7) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out 
        this section--
                    ``(A) $33,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;
                    ``(B) $34,650,000 for fiscal year 2024;
                    ``(C) $36,382,500 for fiscal year 2025;
                    ``(D) $38,201,625 for fiscal year 2026; and
                    ``(E) $40,111,706 for fiscal year 2027.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended by adding at the end of the 
items relating to subtitle F of title IX of such Act the following new 
item:

``Sec. 969D. Methane leak detection and mitigation.''.
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