S. 4571

[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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