119-S-4619 Journalist Public Summary
119 · S 4619 Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act of 2026
S. 4619 would exempt low‑producing (“marginal”) oil and gas wells and their on‑site equipment from certain Clean Air Act standards such as leak detection, monitoring, reporting, and related requirements; it also bars EPA from forcing states to include such wells in Section 111 plans, sets 180‑day decision clocks, and ends pending enforcement for those wells. Supporters frame it as relief for small producers; critics warn it could weaken pollution controls and increase emissions; as of May 21, 2026, it sits in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Public Summary: S. 4619 — Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act of 2026
Headline summary: Exempts low‑producing (“marginal”) oil and gas wells from certain Clean Air Act standards and related leak‑detection, monitoring, and reporting rules.
What it does: The bill defines a “marginal well” as a low‑output oil or gas well and then excludes those wells—and typical on‑site equipment like tanks, separators, and compressors—from standards of performance and related requirements under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act. It also bars EPA from requiring states to apply those standards to marginal wells in state plans, puts a 180‑day deadline on EPA to act on state plan revisions that remove such standards (with automatic approval if EPA misses the deadline), requires EPA to update its regulations within 180 days of enactment, and terminates any pending enforcement actions against marginal wells for these specific requirements.
- Who’s for it: Sponsored by Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R‑WY) and co‑sponsored at introduction by Sens. John Barrasso (R‑WY), Kevin Cramer (R‑ND), Steve Daines (R‑MT), Jerry Moran (R‑KS), Pete Ricketts (R‑NE), and Mike Lee (R‑UT). Supporters say it lowers compliance costs and paperwork for small, low‑producing operations, consistent with the bill’s small‑business framing.
- Who’s against it: Opponents argue that carving out exemptions for marginal wells could weaken air‑pollution and methane‑control efforts by reducing leak detection, monitoring, and repair at many dispersed sites; some also object to the “deemed approved” provision if EPA does not act within 180 days.
What’s next: As of May 21, 2026, the bill has been read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. It would need committee approval, passage by the full Senate and House, and the President’s signature to become law.
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