US Bill Proposes $125M for Methane Removal Research

Three US Representatives introduced a bill that would allocate $125 million over five years to research methane removal technologies. The “Methane Removal and Innovation Act of 2026” aims to establish a research initiative within the Department of Energy focused on understanding and developing methods to reduce atmospheric methane. Methane traps 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, making reductions a potentially fast way to curb warming.

The bill recognizes the need for multidisciplinary research, including social science, to address potential legal and ethical considerations surrounding methane removal. While technologies exist to reduce methane from some sources, addressing diffuse emissions from agriculture and natural sources proves more challenging.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a report in 2024 identifying five approaches to methane removal, which would inform the research funded by this bill. Passing the bill would position the US as a leader in this emerging field and ensure transparency in research through public funding.