Lummis, Pfluger Work to Protect Small Energy Producers

May 21, 2026

Washington D.C. - Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) today introduced The Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act, legislation designed to safeguard small, independent energy producers from burdensome federal methane reporting and emissions control requirements. Congressman August Pfluger (R-TX) has introduced the legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Small, independent operators of low-producing "stripper" wells - which account for roughly 6% of total U.S. onshore oil production - are struggling to keep up with federal methane reporting and emissions control requirements under the Clean Air Act, costs that could force many to shut down and put jobs, state revenues, and domestic energy supply at risk. The Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act would write a clear exclusion for these wells directly into law, giving operators the long-term certainty that EPA rulemaking alone simply cannot guarantee.

"Wyoming's small oil and gas operators should not be subject to blanket federal regulations that were never designed for businesses their size," said Senator Cynthia Lummis. "The Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act protects hundreds of small businesses and supports good-paying jobs by ensuring durable protection against shifting regulatory priorities across administrations."

"America's energy security depends on the strength of our domestic production, and small producers are a critical part of that equation," said Representative August Pfluger. "Too often, these operators are disadvantaged by costly, one-size-fits-all regulations that were never designed with their operations in mind. Through targeted, commonsense reforms to the Clean Air Act, this bill will help keep small producers in business, protect American jobs, and preserve the stable domestic energy supply our economy depends on."

"The Petroleum Association of Wyoming thanks Senator Cynthia Lummis for her leadership on the Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act of 2026," said Pete Obermueller, Petroleum Association of Wyoming. "This commonsense legislation protects Wyoming's more than 400 small oil and natural gas operators from burdensome regulations while allowing the EPA to focus its resources on the largest emissions sources under the Clean Air Act. Nationally, stripper wells account for approximately 7% of domestic oil production while producing less than one-half of one percent of annual methane emissions. Senator Lummis' bill appropriately excludes wells producing little or no methane from Section 111 regulations intended for large emissions sources, allowing the agency to better prioritize enforcement and regulatory resources."

"The National Stripper Well Association (NSWA) would like to thank Senator Lummis for introducing the 'Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act of 2026," said Patrick Montalban, Chairman, National Stripper Well Association. "This legislation corrects a misapplication of EPA resources by carving out a right-sized regulatory path for marginal production, without stripping the EPA of its broader industry authority. It's the kind of common-sense solution NSWA strongly supports. It is in our national interest to support American energy, American jobs, and the small businesses that produce ~1 million-barrels-per-day and ~166 million-cubic-feet-per-day out of ~900,000 wells in 36 states."

"IPAA strongly supports this bicameral legislation introduced by Congressman Pfluger (R-TX-11) and Senator Lummis (R-WY) to bring regulatory clarity to small producers on the management of their air emissions," said Dan Naatz, EVP and Chief Policy Officer, Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA). "Historically, the EPA has regulated the industry with a top down, one-size-fits-all approach. This leaves small producers continually fighting through regulatory uncertainties that EPA cannot anticipate. Operating costs continue to rise, market conditions for oil and natural gas can be volatile, and changing presidential administrations create additional uncertainty. This bill allows states to manage emissions from low production wells efficiently and effectively. IPAA has worked on this issue with various state and national industry partners for many years and will keep supporting small producers and work with other industry advocates to advance their interests."

Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Steve Daines (R-MT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE) have cosponsored this legislation.

Read the entire bill here.