[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5964 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5964

To reduce methane emissions from flaring and venting natural gas during 
   oil and natural gas production activities, and for other purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 17, 2023

                Mr. Curtis introduced the following bill

                            October 25, 2023

 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
  the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

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                                 A BILL


 
To reduce methane emissions from flaring and venting natural gas during 
   oil and natural gas production activities, 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 Reduction Act''.

SEC. 2. METHANE EMISSIONS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall carry out a 
comprehensive program to reduce methane emissions from flaring and 
venting natural gas during oil and natural gas production activities, 
recognizing that States are the primary regulators of oil and natural 
gas production activities and emissions on State and private lands, 
including by--
            (1) providing technical assistance to State and public 
        utility commissioners and officials, representatives from the 
        energy industry, and other stakeholders from State, local, and 
        Tribal organizations;
            (2) accelerating the development and application of 
        technologies and practices to reduce flaring and venting of 
        natural gas;
            (3) maintaining a database that summarizes the relevant 
        flaring and venting regulations in each of the oil and gas 
        producing States; and
            (4) informing the States and other stakeholders of 
        potential options available to economically capture and utilize 
        natural gas.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report 
describing--
            (1) Federal, State, and local policies and regulations 
        relating to natural gas flaring and venting;
            (2) initiatives to accelerate technology solutions to 
        reduce natural gas flaring and venting;
            (3) barriers to the development and commercial application 
        of technologies to capture natural gas that would otherwise be 
        flared or vented; and
            (4) recommendations to reduce barriers described in 
        paragraph (3).
    (c) Technical Conference.--In preparing the report under subsection 
(b), the Secretary of Energy shall solicit input from States and local 
governments and representatives of the energy industry, including by 
convening a technical conference and providing an opportunity for 
submission of written comments on a draft report.
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