Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4619
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Environmental Protection
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-21: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-29T15:57:12Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation amends the Clean Air Act to exempt low-production ("marginal") oil and natural gas wells from certain federal emissions standards and related requirements, aiming to reduce regulatory burdens on small domestic energy producers.
Key Provisions
- Definitions: A "marginal well" is defined as an oil well site producing 15 barrels of oil (or oil equivalent) per day or less, or a natural gas well site producing 90,000 cubic feet or less per day. "Associated equipment" includes separators, tanks, compressors, and other on-site items. A "well site" covers the well and its equipment up to the custody transfer point.
- Exemptions: No Clean Air Act Section 111 standards of performance, monitoring, reporting, leak detection, or emission measurement rules apply to marginal wells or their owners/operators.
- State Plans: The EPA cannot require states to include standards for marginal wells in their Clean Air Act plans.
- Expedited Review: States revising plans to exempt marginal wells receive EPA action within 180 days; inaction results in automatic approval.
- Implementation: The EPA must update regulations within 180 days of enactment, and any pending enforcement actions against marginal wells must end.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill adds a new subsection (k) to Section 111 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7411), carving out marginal wells from the EPA's authority to set performance standards and related rules under subsections (b) and (d). This overrides prior regulatory application to these wells and streamlines state plan approvals.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The EPA faces new deadlines to revise rules and must expedite state plan reviews, potentially reducing its oversight workload for these wells.
- Citizens and Industry: Small oil and gas operators gain relief from compliance costs, while broader air quality monitoring and controls for these sites may decrease.
- International Relations: No direct effects are specified, though reduced domestic production costs could indirectly influence U.S. energy exports or trade dynamics.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Owners and operators of marginal wells (primarily small businesses).
- The Environmental Protection Agency.
- State environmental agencies responsible for Clean Air Act plans.
- The domestic oil and natural gas industry, especially smaller producers.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The measure limits federal regulatory reach under the Clean Air Act for a defined class of wells, potentially shifting more authority to states. It terminates ongoing enforcement actions, which could raise questions about retroactive application of exemptions. The expedited approval process for state plans may affect the balance of federal-state authority in environmental regulation.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]
Cosponsors (7)
Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY], Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND], Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT], Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS], Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE], Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT], Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-21: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 2026-05-21: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act of 2026 — issued 2026-05-21 — PDF (5 pages)