SenateS. 4571119th Congress
Tropospheric Ozone Research Act of 2026
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4571 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4571
To require the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a
tropospheric ozone research program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 19, 2026
Mr. Whitehouse (for himself and Mr. Schatz) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment
and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a
tropospheric ozone research program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Tropospheric Ozone Research Act of
2026''.
SEC. 2. TROPOSPHERIC OZONE RESEARCH PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) Program.--The term ``program'' means the grant program
established under subsection (b).
(3) Tropospheric ozone.--The term ``tropospheric ozone''
means ozone found within the Earth's troposphere.
(4) Tropospheric ozone precursor.--The term ``tropospheric
ozone precursor'' means any of methane, nitrogen oxides, carbon
monoxide, nonmethane volatile organic compounds, and other
compounds that react to form tropospheric ozone.
(b) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which
amounts are appropriated to carry out this Act, the Administrator shall
establish a competitive grant program to award grants to eligible
entities to carry out research with respect to the climate impacts of
tropospheric ozone.
(c) Research Topics.--
(1) In general.--The research carried out using grants
under the program shall include research with respect to--
(A) improving understanding of the impact of
tropospheric ozone concentrations and mitigation on
global temperatures, including--
(i) the role of regional or localized
tropospheric ozone concentrations;
(ii) the role of emission or mitigation of
specific tropospheric ozone precursors; and
(iii) interactions with other atmospheric
pollutants (such as particulate matter);
(B) improving understanding of the impact of
tropospheric ozone concentrations and mitigation on
regional, localized, and seasonal temperatures and heat
stress, including--
(i) the role of regional or localized
tropospheric ozone concentrations;
(ii) the role of emission or mitigation of
specific tropospheric ozone precursors; and
(iii) interactions with other atmospheric
pollutants (such as particulate matter);
(C) improving understanding of natural interactions
affecting tropospheric ozone concentrations and
mitigation, such as nonanthropogenic tropospheric ozone
precursor emissions, stratospheric ozone, and
lightning;
(D) improving understanding of crop loss impacts
from elevated levels of tropospheric ozone, including
regional and local impacts and potential measures to
reduce crop loss impacts;
(E) improving understanding of forest and ecosystem
productivity impacts from elevated levels of
tropospheric ozone, including regional and local
impacts;
(F) developing or updating existing regional and
global climate models or other relevant models to
better incorporate the radiative forcing and
temperature impacts of tropospheric ozone and the
interactions between tropospheric ozone and other
greenhouse gases and air pollutants; and
(G) subject to paragraph (3), strengthening and
expanding tropospheric ozone and tropospheric ozone
precursor monitoring and observational infrastructure,
including--
(i) enhancement of ground-based monitoring
networks (with increased coverage in rural,
agricultural, and other understudied regions);
(ii) integration of surface observations
with satellite remote sensing and chemical
transport model outputs;
(iii) expanded vertical profiling through
ozonesondes and aircraft measurements,
particularly in understudied regions; and
(iv) development of standardized data
assimilation frameworks to support climate and
air quality monitoring.
(2) Current and future modeling.--
(A) In general.--In seeking to carry out the
research described in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of
paragraph (1), the Administrator shall seek to include
research that--
(i) assesses tropospheric ozone impacts and
interactions at concentrations present on the
date the program is established; and
(ii) models future tropospheric ozone
concentrations, impacts, and interactions.
(B) Future tropospheric ozone.--In seeking to carry
out research with respect to the future tropospheric
ozone concentrations, impacts, and interactions
described in subparagraph (A)(ii), the Administrator
shall seek to carry out research that--
(i) models a range of scenarios, including
scenarios that assume that trends in emissions
of tropospheric ozone precursors, other
atmospheric pollutants, and greenhouse gases in
effect on the date on which the program is
established continue and scenarios that assume
reductions in such emissions; and
(ii) includes an assessment of how climate
impacts (such as increased wildfires, increased
temperatures, altered atmospheric circulation
patterns, and changes in humidity, stagnation
frequency, and lightning frequency) or changes
in other atmospheric pollutants across the
modeled range of scenarios affect tropospheric
ozone concentrations, and related impacts.
(3) Public availability of data.--The Administrator shall
ensure that any data collected pursuant to paragraph (1)(G) is
made publicly available.
(d) Eligible Entities.--An entity eligible to receive a grant under
the program is--
(1) an institution of higher education;
(2) a National Laboratory (as defined in section 2 of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801)); or
(3) any other nonprofit research entity with demonstrated
expertise in atmospheric chemistry, weather modeling, climate
modeling, or air quality monitoring.
(e) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under the
program shall submit to the Administrator an application at such time,
in such manner, and containing such information as the Administrator
may require.
(f) Timing.--The Administrator shall select recipients of grants
under the program not later than 180 days after the date on which the
program is established.
(g) Collaboration.--In carrying out the program, the Administrator
shall collaborate with the international scientific community on
science, research, and data-sharing with respect to the research topics
described in subsection (c)(1), including through multilateral forums.
(h) Reports.--
(1) Reports to administrator.--
(A) In general.--The recipient of a grant under the
program shall annually submit to the Administrator a
report describing the findings of the recipient with
respect to the research for which the grant was
provided.
(B) Public availability.--A report submitted under
subparagraph (A) shall be made publicly available.
(2) EPA report.--Not later than 4 years after the date on
which the program is established, the Administrator shall
submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the
Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives and make publicly available a report that
describes the findings and recommendations of the Administrator
with respect to the program and tropospheric ozone, which shall
include--
(A) a description of the contributions of
tropospheric ozone at concentrations in effect on the
date the report is submitted to--
(i) global temperature rise;
(ii) regional, localized, and seasonal
warming and heat stress;
(iii) crop losses and forest and ecosystem
productivity impacts; and
(iv) health effects;
(B) the forecasted future contributions, under a
range of scenarios, including scenarios that assume
trends in emissions of tropospheric ozone precursors,
other atmospheric pollutants, and greenhouses gases in
effect on the date the report is submitted continue and
scenarios that assume reductions in such emissions, of
tropospheric ozone to--
(i) global temperature rise;
(ii) regional, localized, and seasonal
warming and heat stress;
(iii) crop losses and forest and ecosystem
productivity impacts; and
(iv) health effects;
(C) a description of the national or, as
appropriate, regional, local, or seasonal options to
mitigate specific tropospheric ozone precursors--
(i) to maximize global and localized
warming reductions;
(ii) to minimize adverse impacts to health,
forests, or ecosystems; and
(iii) to minimize crop loss impacts;
(D) a high-level assessment of the costs and
benefits of tropospheric ozone precursor mitigation
options identified under subparagraph (C); and
(E) policy recommendations for--
(i) mitigation strategies for specific
tropospheric precursors to minimize the
negative impacts of tropospheric ozone, based
on the findings described subparagraphs (C) and
(D);
(ii) improvements in data collection and
reporting for tropospheric ozone and
tropospheric ozone precursors; and
(iii) further research needs.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Administrator to carry out the program--
(A) $10,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2027
through 2029; and
(B) $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2030.
(2) Requirements.--Of the amounts made available under
paragraph (1)--
(A) with respect to the amounts made available
under subparagraph (A) of that paragraph--
(i) $10,000,000 shall be used to make
grants under the program; and
(ii) $500,000 shall be used to implement
and oversee the program; and
(B) the amounts made available under subparagraph
(B) of that paragraph shall be used to prepare the
report required under subsection (h)(2).
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