Bill Overview
Title: Methane Emissions Research Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a methane research pilot study to quantify methane emissions from infrastructure used for the production, gathering and boosting, processing, transmission, and storage of oil and natural gas in the United States.
Sponsors: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Target Audience
Population: Global population potentially impacted by climate policy changes
Estimated Size: 334000000
- Methane emissions contribute significantly to climate change, which impacts global weather patterns and agricultural practices, affecting food and water security worldwide.
- All individuals globally may be impacted by the research and subsequent policy adjustments if methane emissions are better quantified and controlled.
- The act specifically targets infrastructure related to oil and natural gas, which are significant sectors worldwide, potentially affecting the global energy market's operations and regulatory requirements.
Reasoning
- The population distribution for the interviews should include a range of stakeholders directly or indirectly impacted by the bill. This can include energy industry employees, environmental scientists, policy makers, residents near affected infrastructure, and general citizens concerned about climate change.
- Budget constraints imply that the immediate and significant effects might be felt by those directly involved in the industry, with more indirect, widespread effects manifesting over the long term. This anticipation is because the bill is primarily a research initiative in its early years.
Simulated Interviews
Oil Rig Operator (Houston, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might initially threaten our job security, but it could lead to improvements in industry practices and safety in the long run.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Environmental Scientist (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a crucial step in addressing climate change, and the data collected could lead to informed decision-making.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 7 |
Retired Coal Miner (Charleston, WV)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm skeptical about any policy affecting energy jobs, but cleaner air would benefit health.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
College Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill is overdue. I'm hopeful it will spur more action on climate change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 8 |
Rancher (Cheyenne, WY)
Age: 38 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Concerns about potential changes in land use that could affect ranching operations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Local Government Official (Bismarck, ND)
Age: 54 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This can inform better regulations for the protection of residents while supporting industry growth.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Activist (New York, NY)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a critical research step, but actual emission reductions are necessary to feel the impact.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Petroleum Engineer (Tulsa, OK)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could improve environmental safety standards, which might lead to increased operational costs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Policy Analyst (Philadelphia, PA)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Comprehensive data on emissions is crucial for effective policy formulation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 8 |
Retired (Gulfport, MS)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Better understanding of methane emissions is good, but real changes are needed to improve health.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $80000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $100000000)
Year 2: $90000000 (Low: $70000000, High: $110000000)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The act focuses on research, so immediate impacts on regulated entities will be minimal.
- Findings from the research could lead to future regulatory changes, impacting the energy sector significantly.
- High variability in methane emissions across different geographic and operational settings may affect research outcomes.