H.R. 1492: Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2021

117th Congress · introduced 2021-03-02 · Energy · Latest: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 491.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-03-02 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 491. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2021

Plain summary

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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House, Part I), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2021

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House, Part I)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1] · 21 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jared Huffman (D-CA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Mike Levin (D-CA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Sean Casten (D-IL), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Veronica Escobar (D-TX)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1] reported raising $1.7 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House, Part I)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117hr1492.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>

Record fed-us-cong117-hr1492 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117