Skip to main content
H.R. 1492 117th Congress House

Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2021

Official title: To prevent methane waste and pollution from oil and gas operations, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 2, 2021 Introduced by: Diana DeGette Democratic · Colorado See on congress.gov
Energy Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAir qualityBusiness recordsCivil actions and liability
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Climate change and greenhouse gasesCongressional oversightEnergy efficiency and conservationEnvironmental assessment, monitoring, researchEnvironmental regulatory proceduresGovernment information and archivesOil and gasPerformance measurement
This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 11 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 30, 2022
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 491.
Dec 30, 2022
Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
Dec 30, 2022
Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 117-672, Part I.
Apr 28, 2021
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Apr 28, 2021
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 20.
Apr 28, 2021
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Discharged.
Mar 9, 2021
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Mar 8, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Mar 3, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change.
Mar 2, 2021
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Mar 2, 2021
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action December 30, 2022

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 491.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2021

This bill establishes requirements to reduce methane emissions from the oil and natural gas sector. Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil.

Specifically, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must issue regulations that require the sector to reduce methane emissions over time. By 2025, methane emissions must be at least 65% below 2012 emissions. By 2030, the emissions must be at least 90% below 2012 emissions.

The Department of the Interior must also establish regulations to reduce and prevent the waste of natural gas on federal land and Indian lands, including waste from venting, flaring, and fugitive releases. The regulations must include consistent enforcement mechanisms for any oil or gas operations that are not in compliance.

 Bill text 2 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
 Lobbying activity 3

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

Bodies those filers lobbied

A filing lists the bills it worked on and the parts of government it contacted in separate sections, so these are the bodies those filers named anywhere in the filing, not a per-bill breakdown.

Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1492: Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2021. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-1492/
MLA
"H.R. 1492: Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2021." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-1492/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1492, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-1492/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1492: Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2021](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-1492/)
Report a problem