Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill would stop the EPA from applying certain air pollution rules to small oil and gas wells. These are wells that produce 15 barrels of oil or 90,000 cubic feet of gas or less per day. It also covers equipment used at these sites like storage tanks and pumps.
• Owners of these small wells would no longer have to follow federal rules for finding and fixing leaks. They would also be exempt from reporting their emissions or keeping detailed records for the government. This is intended to reduce costs for small energy businesses.
• The bill prevents the EPA from forcing states to include these small wells in their local air quality plans. If a state wants to remove these wells from their current plans, the EPA must approve the change within 180 days or it happens automatically.
• Any current legal actions or fines against these small wells for not following these specific air rules would be canceled. Supporters say this helps small businesses stay open, while critics may worry about increased methane leaks and air pollution.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.