Washington, D.C. – Following UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ call for an international reduction in methane emissions, Representatives Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), and Carol Miller (WV-01) introduced the bipartisan Methane Removal and Innovation Act, legislation to accelerate the development of technologies that capture methane directly from the atmosphere and ensure American leadership in this emerging field.

Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and is responsible for nearly 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution. Yet current efforts focus largely on preventing new emissions rather than addressing methane already in the atmosphere. The Methane Removal and Innovation Act would establish a Department of Energy (DOE) program to accelerate the development and deployment of methane removal technologies.

“Cutting methane emissions is essential, but we also need innovative solutions to address methane that is already in our atmosphere,” said Rep. Mullin. “This critical legislation will help accelerate next-generation technologies that capture and repurpose methane while strengthening American leadership in a growing industry. By investing in research and innovation today, we can support public-private partnerships that advance practical solutions to meet the urgency of the climate crisis.”

“Methane is a powerful driver of climate change, but stopping leaks from pipelines and energy facilities is only half the battle. We also need new technology that pulls methane straight out of the atmosphere,” said Rep. Salinas. “This bill directs the Department of Energy to invest in research, development, and commercialization so American companies can lead the way with the next generation of methane capture technology. Because Oregon is a leader in climate technology, this legislation will protect our climate while supporting good jobs in clean energy innovation right here at home.”

“Methane reduction is about strengthening American energy security and making sure our resources are used responsibly and efficiently. In the past, I have worked on efforts to address methane emissions and support responsible energy production, and I am happy to be a part of this legislation that builds on that foundation. This bill ensures the Department of Energy invests in innovative technologies that can capture methane both at the source and directly from the atmosphere,” said Rep. Miller.

To secure American leadership, the Methane Removal Research and Innovation Act directs the DOE to establish a research, development, and commercialization program for methane capture technologies. Specifically, it would:

• Accelerate the development of methane removal technologies to be brought to the marketplace
• Streamline resources by coordinating efforts at federal agencies to support research and commercialization
• Authorize $25 million annually through 2030 for the program

“Methane has driven roughly 30% of global warming since preindustrial times, which is why we need to pursue every credible tool to address it,” said Megan Melamed, Program Director for Methane Removal at Spark Climate Solutions. “Aggressive emission reductions are essential and will result in near-term benefits. But hard-to-abate sources, warming-induced emissions, and other possible feedbacks will persist. This means we must assess every potential tool—including atmospheric methane removal. This bill would mobilize American science and innovation to do exactly that. We thank Representatives Mullin, Salinas, and Miller for their leadership.”

“The Methane Removal Research and Innovation Act (MRRIA) is an important step toward a robust, publicly funded research environment that explores a variety of climate response strategies,” said Sikina Jinnah, Professor of Environmental Studies and Associate Director of the Center for Reimagining Leadership at UC Santa Cruz. “As the 2024 National Academies report on methane removal stated, and as MRRIA champions, a useful knowledge base must consider technology and humans in concert.’ By integrating ethics and social science into research now, MRRIA will help align innovation with public priorities while methane removal technologies are still nascent.”

“The Methane Removal Research and Innovation Act is a critical step toward advancing industries harnessing nature’s ability to capture methane and transform it into valuable resources,” said Josh Silverman, CEO of Windfall Bio. “By accelerating innovation in methane capture technologies and specifically highlighting biological capture, this legislation provides a practical path to reducing emissions while strengthening our agricultural and industrial economies. We thank Representatives Mullin, Salinas, and Miller for their leadership on this important issue.”

“Methane pollution is a major contributor to near-term warming, and the Methane Removal Research and Innovation Act offers a practical way to better understand possible solutions,” said Will Sawyer, Founder and CEO of Resolute Methane. “This bill would support the science and technology needed to evaluate methane removal approaches carefully and transparently. We are grateful to Representatives Mullin, Salinas, and Miller for championing this legislation.”

“Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, and removing it represents a largely untapped opportunity,” said Rachel Smith, Policy Director at Cascade Climate. “The Methane Removal Research and Innovation Act takes an important step forward by directing the Department of Energy to coordinate rigorous research on this emerging technology. We commend Rep. Mullin, Rep. Salinas, and Rep. Miller for championing this commonsense investment in American science and competitiveness.”

“While reducing greenhouse gas emissions should be our number-one priority, we need more research into removals as a solution for residual emissions, including rising natural sources,” said Noah Deich, Co-Founder and Senior Advisor at Carbon180. “MRRIA accelerates essential research into methane—a super-pollutant that has been largely overlooked in the removals conversation. If enacted, this legislation would make important strides in broadening the removals framework to be inclusive of innovation around greenhouse gases—giving us the knowledge to ensure our policy strategy is as scientifically robust as possible.”

“Methane removal is a critical emerging technology, and one where the United States has a potent opportunity to establish itself as a global leader” said Dr. Hannah Safford, Associate Director of Climate and Environment at the Federation of American Scientists. “The Methane Removal Research and Innovation Act will push the frontier of U.S. scientific discovery, protect American agriculture and human health from dangerous ground-level ozone, and tackle an underappreciated but escalating driver of climate threats. The Federation of American Scientists applauds Representatives Mullin, Salinas, and Miller for their work on this important issue.”

“The Methane Removal Research and Innovation Act is an important policy measure to confront the serious threat posed by rising levels of atmospheric methane,” said Wil Burns, Co-Director of the Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal. “The proposed legislation can move forward critical research and innovation.”

“Methane is responsible for roughly a third of current anthropogenic warming, yet the science of actively removing it from the atmosphere remains in its infancy,” said Alex Turner, Assistant Professor of Atmospheric and Climate Science at the University of Washington. “The Methane Removal Research and Innovation Act directly addresses this gap by funding the research needed to determine whether these approaches can be scaled responsibly.”

“By advancing the Methane Removal Research and Innovation Act, Congress is taking an important step to implement the National Academies’ recommendations on methane removal and organize the multidisciplinary research needed to advance this emerging field,” said Mingyi Wang, Assistant Professor of Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago. “Methane is a powerful driver of near-term climate change, but evaluating removal approaches requires careful, evidence-based research. This legislation will support the laboratory studies, field observations, and numerical modeling needed to evaluate feasibility, risks and benefits, and inform responsible decision-making. We thank Representatives Mullin, Salinas, and Miller for their leadership on this important issue.”

“The USA and global populations need alternative technologies to manage and transform atmospheric methane for health stewardship (through reduced air pollution), for atmospheric chemical stability, for protection against the effects of atmospheric warming, and for converting low-level methane into a resource for productive uses,” said Hinsby Cadillo-Quiroz, Professor at the School of Life Sciences and the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. “This bill is timely and urgently needed.”

Read the full bill text here.

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