Methane Emissions: A Primer

Methane is the world’s simplest hydrocarbon, with a chemical formula of CH4 (one atom of carbon and four atoms of hydrogen). Methane is also the primary component of natural gas.

On November 2, 2021, the Biden Administration released the “U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan,” a set of policies to increase efforts across the federal government to reduce methane emissions. This report covers the policies from this plan as well as current issues Congress is facing.