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H.R. 2059House115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

BREATHE Act

Sponsored by Jared PolisRep. Jared Polis (D-CO)
Introduced April 6, 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 2:46 PM UTC

The BREATHE Act would change the Clean Air Act by removing a loophole that lets oil and gas companies combine (aggregate) their emissions to avoid stricter limits. It also directs the EPA to officially list hydrogen sulfide as a hazardous air pollutant and to define which types of facilities must control it. The changes target the oil and gas industry and aim to improve air quality and public health.

Key Provisions

  • Deletes the exemption that allows oil and gas sources to aggregate emissions under Clean Air Act section 112(n), meaning each source must be regulated individually.
  • Orders the EPA, within 180 days, to add hydrogen sulfide to the list of hazardous air pollutants.
  • Requires the EPA, within a year after that rule, to update the list of source categories (major and area sources) that must control hydrogen sulfide, including oil and gas wells.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment.

Environment Subcommittee

April 7, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

April 6, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

April 6, 2017

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment.

Environment Subcommittee

April 7, 2017

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued April 6, 2017

I

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2059

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 6, 2017

Mr. Polis (for himself, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Capuano, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Mr. Connolly, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Ellison, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Keating, Mr. Langevin, Ms. Lee, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Lowenthal, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Ms. McCollum, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Meng, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. Norton, Mr. Perlmutter, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Sarbanes, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Soto, Ms. Speier, Mr. Takano, Mr. Tonko, Ms. Tsongas, and Ms. Maxine Waters of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To amend the Clean Air Act to eliminate the exemption for aggregation of emissions from oil and gas sources, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Bringing Reductions to Energy’s Airborne Toxic Health Effects Act or the BREATHE Act.

2.

Repeal of exemption for aggregation of emissions from oil and gas sources

Section 112(n) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7412(n)) is amended by striking paragraph (4).

3.

Hydrogen sulfide as a hazardous air pollutant

The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall—

(1)

not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, issue a final rule adding hydrogen sulfide to the list of hazardous air pollutants under section 112(b) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7412(b)); and

(2)

not later than 365 days after a final rule under paragraph (1) is issued, revise the list under section 112(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 7412(c)) to include categories and subcategories of major sources and area sources of hydrogen sulfide, including oil and gas wells.