Sponsors (6)
The bill reduces specific federal spending and simplifies some administrative burdens, but does so by rescinding funding and tools that support methane monitoring, well remediation, and clean-air programs—shifting risks onto local communities, states, and public health.
Taxpayers: the bill rescinds a $1.55B authorization and unobligated federal balances, reducing near-term federal outlays and lowering the likelihood of those specific future discretionary expenditures.
Federal agency operations: the EPA will have fewer unused/unobligated balances to manage, simplifying budget accounting and reducing some unspent-authority reporting burdens for agency staff.
Some energy companies/operators: by removing or reducing grant/loan requirements tied to the methane program, certain operators face fewer administrative obligations related to those federal programs.
Communities (especially rural and environmental-justice populations): loss of funding for methane monitoring, well plugging, and community mitigation will reduce local protections and likely increase exposure to air and safety hazards.
States, utilities, and the public: rescinding authorizations and unobligated balances will reduce funding and tools for clean-air and methane-reduction programs, limiting the EPA’s and states’ capacity to detect, respond to, and prevent emissions from oil and gas systems.
Consumers and public health: removing emissions-reduction incentives, monitoring, and grant support increases the risk of additional methane venting/leaks, worsening air quality and climate impacts that raise health and economic costs over time.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Repeals the federal methane incentive program for oil and gas, eliminates its authorities and funding authorizations, and rescinds any unobligated program funds.
Introduced January 9, 2025 by August Pfluger · Last progress January 9, 2025
Repeals the federal methane emissions and waste reduction incentive program for petroleum and natural gas systems that had been established in the Clean Air Act and removes its prior funding authorizations. It also rescinds any unobligated balances of amounts previously made available for that program, making those remaining funds unavailable upon enactment.