Sec. 607. Greenhouse gas emission measurements
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It is the sense of Congress that— observation and measurement of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane are of critical importance to understand the sources of these emissions; additional tools can improve the precise detection of methane leaks from natural gas lines and production facilities to reduce economic losses and to reduce unintentional release of this potent greenhouse gas; observation of such gases can be conducted with a combination of space-based, airborne, and ground-based instruments; in 2022, NASA cancelled the Geostationary Carbon Cycle Observatory, a competitively-selected, Principal Investigator-led instrument under development that is designed to make space-based observations of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane, as well as vegetation health over the western hemisphere from geosynchronous orbit; and in 2023, the Geostationary Carbon Cycle Observatory PI-led project team delivered an unvalidated instrument assembly and flight spares to NASA as part of the project closeout activities.
The Administrator shall assess the hardware and, to the maximum extent practicable, seek to validate the instrument assembly delivered to the Administration under the contract for the development of GeoCarb, which shall include an assessment of scientific capabilities of the delivered hardware, including potential repurposed uses or science contributions. The Administrator, within 6 months of the date of the enactment of this Act, shall provide a report to the appropriate committees of Congress regarding the results of the assessment conducted pursuant to paragraph
(1)and if appropriate based on the assessment, a list of potential launch opportunities, including cost and schedule associated with such opportunities. Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and other relevant agencies, shall enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to develop a science-based strategy to assess and evaluate the use of present and future greenhouse gas monitoring and detection capabilities, including ground-based, airborne, and space-based sensors and integration of data relating to such monitoring and detection from other indicators, to detect large methane emission events (commonly referred to as methane super-emitters ). The strategy described in subsection
(a)shall include the following elements: Development of a proposed definition for the term methane super-emitter . Examination of whether and how current and planned Federal greenhouse gas monitoring and detection capabilities may be leveraged to monitor and detect methane super-emitters, and identify key gaps in such capabilities. Examination of the effectiveness of the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center and Greenhouse Gas Monitoring and Measurement Interagency Working Group in facilitating interagency collaboration for greenhouse gas monitoring and detection, data standards, stewardship, and data integration, including activities related to monitoring and detecting methane super-emitters. Examination of actions taken by Federal agencies and departments in response to the National Strategy to Advance an Integrated U.S. Greenhouse Gas Measurement, Monitoring, and Information System, including progress towards pathways to enhance the scientific and operational value of information regarding methane super-emitters. Consideration of options for the Federal Government to partner with nongovernmental entities, including State and local governments, academia, nonprofit organizations, commercial industry, and international organizations, to effectively leverage greenhouse gas monitoring and detection capabilities to monitor and detect methane super-emitters. Consideration of options for the Federal Government to validate and verify technologies and data developed or collects by nongovernmental entities, academia, nonprofit organizations, commercial industry, and international organizations related to monitoring and detecting methane super-emitters. Recommendations regarding the activities under subparagraphs
(A)through (F), as appropriate. The Administrator may use the strategy described in subsection
(a)to inform the planning of research and development activities regarding greenhouse gas monitoring and detection, including methane super-emitters. Not later than 18 months after the date of the execution of the agreement between the Administrator and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under subsection (a), the National Academies shall submit to the Administrator, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the strategy described in subsection (a). In this section: The term greenhouse gas monitoring and detection means the direct observation, from space or in-situ, or collection of measurement data pertaining to, greenhouse gas emissions and levels. The term GeoCarb shall mean the Geostationary Carbon Cycle Observatory.