,,ii #aaf? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #debc ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,augu/ #ab1 #bjbj,mr4 ,m>key introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,natural ,res\rces ,a ,,bill ,to regulate l>ge-scale emissions ( me?ane & natural gas1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,natural ,gas ,bl[\t ,prev5tion1 ,ov]sight1 & ,liability ,act ( #bjbj4 #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds t-- 7#a7 pa/ oil & gas well bl[\ts1 z well z leaks t h releas$ natural gas1 h _h damag+ consequ5ces1 includ+-- 7,a7 ! ,cali=nia ,aliso ,canyon gas leak 9 #bjae1 :i*-- 7i7 releas$ #ig1jjj tons ( me?ane 7! prim>y compon5t ( natural gas72 & 7ii7 0 ! l>ge/ leak ( uncombu/$ natural gas 9 ! hi/ory ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 ) a c>bon footpr9t l>g] ?an ! ,deepwat] ,horizon spill 9 ! ,gulf ( ,mexico2 7,b7 ! ,ohio ,s*negg ,c-#g;,h gas bl[\t 9 #bjah1 :i* releas$ #fj1jjj tons ( me?ane2 & 7,c7 ! ,oklahoma ,pryor ,tru/ gas bl[\t 9 #bjah1 :i* kill$ #e work]s2 7#b7 an e/imat$ #dj well bl[\ts occur ea* ye> 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 caus+-- 7,a7 environm5tal pollution2 7,b7 damag+ releases ( me?ane1 an extremely pot5t gre5h\se gas t contributes to ! w>m+ climate2 & 7,c7 occasional work] dea?s & injuries2 7#c7 p]mitt+ & safety rules exi/ to prev5t bl[\ts & mo/ bl[\ts are prev5table1 yet !re are /ill major incid5ts ( natural gas well bl[\ts2 7#d7 taxpay] money goes to pay+ = em]g5cy responses to natural gas well bl[\ts2 7#e7 !re is no ,f$]al record ( oil & gas well bl[\ts or ( ! causes ( ^? bl[\ts1 :i* inhibits measures to prev5t future bl[\ts2 & 7#f7 !re is no me*anism at ! ,f$]al level to det] well bl[\ts or to ensure t companies are held responsible = ^? bl[\ts4 #c4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,adm9i/rator ,! t]m ,adm9i/rator means ! ,adm9i/rator ( ! ,environm5tal ,protection ,ag5cy4 7#b7 ,bl[\t ,! t]m bl[\t means ! loss ( control ( any well t leads to ! release ( combu/$ or uncombu/$ natural gas into ! atmosph]e4 7#c7 ,natural gas 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! t]m natural gas means a naturally occurr+ mixture ( hydroc>bon & nonhydroc>bon gases f\nd 9 geologic =mations b5ea? ! surface ( ! ,e>?1 ( :i* ! pr9cipal con/itu5t is me?ane4 7,b7 ,inclusions ,! t]m natural gas includes-- 7i7 field natural gas & pipel9e quality natural gas2 & 7ii7 simil>ly con/itut$ fuels1 su* z field gas1 ref9]y gas1 & syngas4 7#d7 ,op]ator 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! t]m op]ator means-- 7i7 if a p]mit is issu$ = ! well or ! well is regi/]$ = ! purpose ( ! extraction ( oil or gas1 ! p]son or entity designat$ z ! well own] or op]ator1 z applicable1 on ! application = ! p]mit or ! regi/ration1 z applicable2 & 7ii7 if no p]mit is issu$ = ! well or ! well is n regi/]$1 ! p]son or entity t-- 7,i7 locates1 drills1 op]ates1 alt]s1 or plugs ! well2 or 7,,ii7 reconditions a well ) ! purpose ( production ( oil or gas f t well4 7,b7 ,inclusion ,! t]m op]ator includes a /orage op]ator = a well1 if ! well is us$ 9 connection ) ! und]gr\nd /orage ( gas4 7#e7 ,well ,! t]m well means any production well1 /orage well1 or injection well t is us$ 9 ! oil & gas indu/ry4 #d4 ,bl[\t report+ & f9es 7a7 ,report+ 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,subject to p>agraph 7#b71 n lat] ?an #gb h\rs aft] a bl[\t occurs1 ! op]ator ( ! well t und]goes ! bl[\t %all submit to ! ,adm9i/rator a report describ+ ! bl[\t1 includ+ ! s\rce ( ! bl[\t4 7#b7 ,additional report+ 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,adm9i/rator may require a foll[-up report aft] ! conclusion ( a bl[\t = :i* a report is requir$ to be submitt$ "u p>agraph 7#a74 7,b7 ,inclusions ,9 requir+ a foll[-up report "u subp>agraph 7,a71 ! ,adm9i/rator may require ! inclusion ( in=mation 9 t report1 includ+-- 7i7 ! cause ( ! bl[\t2 & 7ii7 me?ods by :i* ! bl[\t may h be5 prev5t$4 7#c7 ,database 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,adm9i/rator %all e/abli% & ma9ta9 a publicly accessible database (-- 7i7 ea* bl[\t report$ "u p>agraph 7#a72 & 7ii7 any foll[-up reports submitt$ to ! ,adm9i/rator "u p>agraph 7#b74 7,b7 ,updates ,! ,adm9i/rator %all update ! database "u subp>agraph 7,a7 n less frequ5tly ?an once e #ahj days4 7b7 ,f9es 7#a7 ,bl[\t 7,a7 ,base f9e am\nts 7i7 ,uncombu/$ natural gas ,subject to subp>agraphs 7,b77i71 7,c71 & 7,d71 9 ! case ( a bl[\t consi/+ ( uncombu/$ natural gas1 ! ,adm9i/rator %all f9e ! op]ator ( ! well t und]goes ! bl[\t #e1ijj = ea* #ajj1jjj /&>d cubic feet ( uncombu/$ natural gas t 0 releas$ z a result ( ! bl[\t4 7ii7 ,combu/$ natural gas ,subject to subp>agraphs 7,b77ii71 7,c71 & 7,d71 9 ! case ( a bl[\t ( combu/$ natural gas dur+ :i* ! natural gas 0 fl>$1 ! ,adm9i/rator %all f9e ! op]ator ( ! well t und]goes ! bl[\t #dej = ea* #ajj1jjj /&>d cubic feet ( natural gas t 0 fl>$ z a result ( ! bl[\t4 7,b7 ,adju/m5t 7i7 ,uncombu/$ natural gas ,! ,adm9i/rator may increase ! am\nt describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a77i7 to n m ?an #ei1jjj = ea* #ajj1jjj /&>d cubic feet ( uncombu/$ natural gas t 0 releas$ z a result ( ! bl[\t4 7ii7 ,combu/$ natural gas ,! ,adm9i/rator may increase ! am\nt describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a77ii7 to n m ?an #d1ejj = ea* #ajj1jjj /&>d cubic feet ( natural gas t 0 fl>$ z a result ( ! bl[\t4 7,c7 ,gross neglig5ce & willful misconduct ,if ! ,adm9i/rator det]m9es t a bl[\t ( a well 0 a result ( gross neglig5ce or willful misconduct on ! "p ( ! op]ator ( ! well1 ! ,adm9i/rator %all1 z applicable-- 7i7 increase ! am\nt describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a77i7 to n less ?an #ei1jjj = ea* #ajj1jjj /&>d cubic feet ( uncombu/$ natural gas t 0 releas$ z a result ( ! bl[\t2 & 7ii7 increase ! am\nt describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a77ii7 to n less ?an #d1ejj = ea* #ajj1jjj /&>d cubic feet ( natural gas t 0 fl>$ z a result ( ! bl[\t4 7,d7 ,det]m9ation ( volume 7i7 ,9 g5]al ,= purposes ( assess+ a f9e "u subp>agraph 7,a71 ! ,adm9i/rator %all obta9 an e/imate ( ! volume ( uncombu/$ natural gas t 0 releas$ or ! volume ( combu/$ natural gas t 0 fl>$1 z applicable1 z a result ( a bl[\t4 7ii7 ,s\rce ( e/imates ,! ,adm9i/rator may obta9 an e/imate describ$ 9 clause 7i7 f a relevant ,/ate regulatory ag5cy or ! op]ator ( ! well = :i* ! f9e is be+ assess$ "u subp>agraph 7,a74 7#b7 ,failure to file report ,if an op]ator fails to submit a report requir$ "u subsection 7a71 9 addition to ! f9e requir$ "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,adm9i/rator %all f9e ! op]ator #ajj1jjj4 #e4 ,bl[\t prev5tion & response prep>ation grant program 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,adm9i/rator %all e/abli% a grant program = ! purpose ( provid+ grants to eligible entities 7:i* may include ,/ates1 ,indian ,tribes1 & units ( local gov]nm5t7 =-- 7#a7 r$uc+ ! scale & regul>ity ( bl[\ts2 & 7#b7 r$uc+ ! burd5 to ,/ates & units ( local gov]nm5t ) respect to em]g5cy responses to bl[\ts4 7b7 ,use ( funds ,a grant receiv$ "u subsection 7a7 may be us$ =-- 7#a7 em]g5cy response plann+ ) respect to bl[\ts2 7#b7 en=cem5t ( well p]mitt+ requirem5ts1 requirem5ts = well lic5ses1 & o!r well regulations2 7#c7 inspection ( wells2 & 7#d7 c>ry+ out o!r activities to r$uce ! regul>ity ( bl[\ts4 7c7 ,fund+ 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,on ,octob] #a1 #bjba1 & on ea* ,octob] #a !reaft]1 out ( any funds 9 ! ,treasury n o!rwise appropriat$1 ! ,secret>y ( ! ,treasury %all transf] to ! ,adm9i/rator to c>ry out ?is section an am\nt equal to ! sum ( all f9es collect$ "u section #d7;b7 dur+ ! prior fiscal ye>4 7#b7 ,receipt & acceptance ,! ,adm9i/rator %all be entitl$ to receive1 %all accept1 & %all use to c>ry out ?is section ! funds transf]r$ "u p>agraph 7#a71 )\t fur!r appropriation4 #f4 ,report ,n lat] ?an #b ye>s aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,*emical ,safety & ,haz>d ,inve/igation ,bo>d %all submit to ! ,committee on ,environm5t & ,public ,works ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report-- 7#a7 describ+ ea* bl[\t dur+ ! #aj-ye> p]iod end+ on ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act2 & 7#b7 t includes recomm5dations = ! r$uction 9 ! numb] ( bl[\ts1 includ+ recomm5dations = protective well control practices4