Methane Pollution Accountability Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10065 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10065

To require certain royalties paid for gas produced from Federal land and on the outer Continental Shelf to be assessed on all gas produced, and for other purposes.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 6, 2026

Ms. Rivas (for herself, Mr. Huffman, and Ms. Norton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

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A BILL

To require certain royalties paid for gas produced from Federal land and on the outer Continental Shelf to be assessed on all gas produced, 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 Pollution Accountability Act''.

SEC. 2. ROYALTIES ON ALL EXTRACTED METHANE.

(a) In General.--For all leases issued after the date of enactment of this Act, except as provided in subsection (b), royalties paid for gas produced from Federal land and on the outer Continental Shelf shall be assessed on all gas produced, including all gas that is consumed or lost by venting, flaring, or negligent releases through any equipment during upstream operations. (b) Exception.--Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to-- (1) gas vented or flared for not longer than 48 hours in an emergency situation that poses a danger to human health, safety, or the environment; (2) gas used or consumed within the area of the lease, unit, or communitized area for the benefit of the lease, unit, or communitized area; or (3) gas that is unavoidably lost.

SEC. 3. WASTE PREVENTION, PRODUCTION SUBJECT TO ROYALTIES, AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION.

The Director of the Bureau of Land Management shall enforce the final rule entitled ``Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation'' and published on April 10, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 25378), and may not finalize-- (1) the proposed rule entitled ``Royalty for Oil and Gas Lost From Onshore Federal and Indian Leases'' and published on June 24, 2026 (91 Fed. Reg. 37906); or (2) any other rule that revises the final rule entitled ``Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation'' and published on April 10, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 25378), unless the Director publishes a certification that the other rule will further minimize the waste of natural gas from oil and gas leases administered by the Director or improve air quality and public health. <all>