Methane Emissions Mitigation Research and Development Act
Sponsored By: Representative Casten
Introduced
Summary
A nationwide methane leak detection and mitigation program would fund research, testing, and cooperative technical assistance to find and fix methane releases across pipelines, wells, and storage. It would also create a research consortium and national testing facilities to improve measurement standards and data sharing.
Show full summary
- Families and communities: Would fund technical assistance and public-facing best-practice resources to prevent or respond to major methane releases, aiming to protect public health near production sites, pipelines, and storage.
- Oil and gas operators and technology vendors: Would require cooperative data sharing and pilot testing to identify high-risk infrastructure, evaluate emission-reduction technologies, and improve leak detection and repair practices.
- Researchers, national labs, and governments: Would establish a Methane Emissions Measurement and Mitigation Research Consortium and national intercalibration facilities, require an initial report within 18 months, annual reports afterward, and a merit review by year five.
*Would authorize about $200 million for the consortium and $95 million for national testing facilities over FY2026–FY2030, with the facilities program set at $23 million per year thereafter, all subject to appropriation.*
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
New national methane research consortium
If enacted, the Energy Department would set up a national methane research consortium within one year. The group would include federal labs, industry, universities, community groups, and NIST. Congress could fund it about $36 million to $44 million per year for FY2026–FY2030. The Secretary could support the Consortium for up to ten years if funds are available. The Secretary must give an initial report within 18 months and annual reports thereafter and do a five-year merit review.
DOE methane detection research program
If enacted, the Energy Department would run a methane detection and mitigation research program with EPA and Commerce. The program would fund work on sensors, data analytics and machine learning, continuous monitoring, isotope source attribution, and Lidar. The Secretary could make cooperative agreements with states, universities, and companies to provide technical assistance to prevent or respond to large methane releases across storage, pipelines, and production. The program must publish best practices for design, monitoring, and incident response and consider public health, geology, and seismic risks.
National methane measurement facilities at NIST
If enacted, the Commerce Department (through NIST) would establish national methane measurement facilities within one year, subject to funding. The facilities would create high‑resolution spectroscopic reference data and methods to link concentration observations to emission rates. They would also enable rapid testing of measurement technologies across many conditions and sources. Commerce must report to Congress within two years and then annually. The bill authorizes $15 million in FY2026, rising to $23 million by FY2030 and ongoing after that if appropriated.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Casten
IL • D
Cosponsors
Salinas
OR • D
Sponsored 2/25/2026
Lieu
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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