Methane Reduction and Economic Growth Act

This bill, titled the Methane Reduction and Economic Growth Act, amends Section 45Q of the Internal Revenue Code to introduce a new mine methane capture incentive credit . This credit adapts the existing tax incentive for carbon capture and sequestration to specifically target methane emissions from mining operations. It aims to encourage the capture and beneficial use of methane that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The credit applies to qualified methane captured after December 31, 2024. To qualify, methane must be captured from mining activities—including underground, abandoned, or surface mines—by methane capture equipment at a qualified facility . A qualified facility is defined as an individual source like a borehole or vent shaft at a mining site, with construction beginning before January 1, 2036, and capturing at least 2,500 metric tons of CO2e methane annually. The captured methane must either be injected into compliant pipelines or gathering systems, or used for producing heat or other energy with minimal atmospheric release.