Tropospheric Ozone Research Act

Full Title:
Tropospheric Ozone Research Act of 2026

Summary#

This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to start a competitive grant program to fund research about tropospheric ozone and its climate impacts. The program must be set up within 90 days after money is appropriated. Research topics include how tropospheric ozone and its precursors affect global and regional temperatures, heat stress, interactions with other air pollutants, natural sources, crop and forest impacts, and improvements to climate and air quality models. The program may also fund expanded monitoring, including ground networks, satellite integration, vertical profiling, and standardized data systems. Data collected under the program must be made publicly available.

Eligible recipients are institutions of higher education, National Laboratories, and qualified nonprofit research organizations. Grant recipients must file annual public reports. The EPA must select grant recipients within 180 days after the program is established, collaborate with the international scientific community, and deliver a public report to Congress within 4 years describing findings, forecasts under a range of scenarios, mitigation options, a high-level costs and benefits assessment, and policy recommendations.

What it means for you#

  • If you work at an eligible university, National Lab, or nonprofit research group, your organization could apply for research grants under this program.
  • The program will fund research, monitoring, and model development; it does not itself set emissions limits or regulatory requirements.
  • The program will increase publicly available data and analysis on ozone, ozone precursors, and related climate and crop or ecosystem impacts.
  • The EPA will provide a public, multi-year report to Congress with findings and recommendations.

Expenses#

  • Authorized amounts: $10,500,000 for each fiscal year 2027, 2028, and 2029; and $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2030.
  • Of each $10,500,000 annual amount for 2027–2029: $10,000,000 is for grants and $500,000 is for program implementation and oversight.
  • The $1,000,000 for 2030 is designated to prepare the EPA report required by the bill.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.