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H.R. 4126House115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Transparency in Energy Production Act of 2017

Sponsored by Alan S. LowenthalRep. Alan S. Lowenthal (D-CA)
Introduced October 25, 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 6:45 PM UTC

The Transparency in Energy Production Act of 2017 requires the Interior Department to publicly post detailed data on fossil‑fuel production and greenhouse‑gas emissions from operations on federal lands. It also mandates accurate measurement and reporting of methane releases and a biennial report to Congress on emission‑reduction efforts. The bill affects all companies and entities that hold federal leases for oil, gas, coal, and renewable energy projects.

Key Provisions

  • The Secretary of the Interior must publish, online and free of charge, annual data on the amount of each fossil fuel produced on federal leases, broken down by type, state, and the portions released through venting, flaring, and fugitive emissions.
  • The published data must be presented in metric tons of CO₂‑equivalent using both 20‑year and 100‑year global warming potential values, and include comparable emissions estimates for renewable energy generation.
  • Within one year, the Interior Secretary must issue rules requiring leaseholders to accurately measure and report all methane produced, including vented, flared, and fugitive releases.
  • Every two years the Secretary must submit a report to Congress describing actions taken, future plans, and observed reductions in greenhouse‑gas emissions from federal land operations.
  • The bill defines key terms such as "covered operations," "flaring," "venting," and "fugitive release" to clarify reporting requirements.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee

October 27, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 25, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

October 25, 2017

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee

October 27, 2017

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued October 25, 2017

I

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4126

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 25, 2017

Mr. Lowenthal (for himself, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Curbelo of Florida, and Ms. Tsongas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To provide for the accurate reporting of fossil fuel production and emissions from public lands, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Transparency in Energy Production Act of 2017.

2.

Online publication of carbon emissions

(a)

In general

The Secretary of the Interior shall make available to the public through the internet—

(1)

information that describes for all covered operations—

(A)

the aggregate amount of each fossil fuel, by type and by State, produced under Federal leases; and

(B)

for gas reported, the portion and source of such amount that was released by each of venting, flaring, and fugitive release;

(2)

information that accurately describes the estimated amounts of existing fossil fuel resources on Federal lands under lease for the production of fossil fuels, and of Federal lands that have potential for such leasing; and

(3)

information that describes the amount and sources of energy, in megawatts, produced from operating solar, wind, and geothermal projects on Federal lands under lease for the production of renewable energy.

(b)

Format

Information made available under this section shall be presented in a format that—

(1)

translates such amounts and portions into emissions of metric tons of greenhouse gases expressed in carbon-dioxide equivalent using both the 20-year and 100-year Global Warming Potential-weighted emission values;

(2)

for energy produced from solar, wind, and geothermal projects, includes an estimate of the greenhouse gas emissions that would result from production of the same amount of energy from fossil fuel resources; and

(3)

allows—

(A)

downloading in a machine readable format; and

(B)

accessing the information without payment of any fee or other charge.

(c)

Data publication frequency

The data made available under this section shall be updated at least annually.

3.

Accurate measurement and reporting of methane emissions from Federal lands

(a)

In general

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, if the Secretary of the Interior determines that revisions or promulgation of rules are needed to implement section 2 with regard to methane emissions, the Secretary shall initiate a process under the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 (30 U.S.C. 1711 et seq.), the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), or other applicable law to promulgate regulations to require accurate measuring and reporting to the Secretary, by each holder of a lease for the production of fossil fuels on Federal land, of the actual amount of methane gas produced under such lease, including all such gas not sold by or on behalf of the lessee.

(b)

Reporting of gases

The rules shall include requirements for reporting by holders of leases, to the maximum extent possible, the amount and source of all vented, flared, and fugitive releases of gas resulting from the production of fossil fuels from Federal lands.

4.

Report to Congress

Every 2 years, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that includes—

(1)

efforts underway by the Department of the Interior to decrease greenhouse gas emissions from covered operations on Federal lands and waters;

(2)

plans for future reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from covered operations on Federal lands and waters; and

(3)

the amount of greenhouse gas emissions reductions resulting from such efforts and plans that have been observed during the period covered by the report, and the amount of such reductions that are expected in the future.

5.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Covered operations

The term covered operations means all fossil fuel operations that are subject to the mineral leasing laws or title V of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (30 U.S.C. 1761 et seq.), regardless of size, including production, storage, gathering, processing, transportation, and handling operations.

(2)

Flaring

The term flaring means the intentional and controlled burning of gas that occurs in the course of oil and gas or coal operations.

(3)

Fossil fuel

The term fossil fuel means all natural fuels, including oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and coal.

(4)

Fugitive release

The term fugitive release means the unintentional and uncontrolled release of gas into the atmosphere in the course of oil and gas or coal operations.

(5)

Global Warming Potential-weighted emission

The term Global Warming Potential-weighted emission means the ratio of the time-integrated radiative forcing from the instantaneous release of 1 kilogram of a trace substance relative to that of 1 kilogram of carbon dioxide, measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent for each greenhouse gas according to the most recent, and any subsequent, decisions by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change regarding global warming potentials.

(6)

Resources

The term resources means oil, gas, and coal resources, both identified and inferred, that are both technically recoverable and economically recoverable using the range of past, and predicted future, commodity prices.

(7)

Venting

The term venting means the intentional and controlled release of gas into the atmosphere in the course of oil and gas operations.

(8)

Produced and production

The terms produced and production mean extracted, mined, withdrawn, sold, stored, released (including release by venting, flaring, or fugitive release), flared, used for beneficial purposes, or otherwise emitted during production.