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H.R. 10065House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Methane Pollution Accountability Act

Sponsored by Luz M. RivasRep. Luz M. Rivas (D-CA)
Introduced August 6, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated August 8, 2026 at 7:41 AM UTC

The Methane Pollution Accountability Act would make companies pay royalties on all methane produced from federal lands and the outer continental shelf, including gas that is vented, flared, or unintentionally released. It allows exceptions for short‑term emergency venting or flaring, on‑site use, and unavoidable losses. The bill also directs the BLM to keep enforcing a 2024 waste‑prevention rule and blocks it from adopting newer royalty rules unless they demonstrably reduce gas waste and improve air quality.

Key Provisions

  • For any new lease on federal land or the outer continental shelf, royalties must be paid on every unit of natural gas produced, even if the gas is vented, flared, or accidentally released during extraction.
  • The royalty rule does not apply when gas is vented or flared for up to 48 hours in an emergency that threatens health, safety, or the environment, when the gas is used on‑site for the benefit of the lease, or when the loss of gas cannot be avoided.
  • The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) must enforce an existing 2024 rule that treats waste prevention and resource conservation as part of royalty calculations, and it may not adopt a newer proposed rule on royalties for lost gas or any other rule that changes the 2024 rule unless the BLM certifies that the change will further cut natural‑gas waste and improve air quality.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

August 6, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

August 6, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

August 6, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued August 6, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10065

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

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.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Methane Pollution Accountability Act.

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.

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.