---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 18932"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "18932"
heading: "Greenhouse gas measurement research"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/18932"
units:
  - "Chapter 163 — Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter II — National Institute of Standards and Technology for the Future"
  - "Part A — Measurement Research"
---

# §18932. Greenhouse gas measurement research

- (a) **In general—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1), in consultation with the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) of the National Science [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11), the [Secretary](/usc/42/18921.md?p=6) of Energy, and the heads of other Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), as appropriate, shall carry out a measurement research program to inform the development or improvement of best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19), benchmarks, methodologies, procedures, and [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) for the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions and to assess and improve the performance of greenhouse gas emissions measurement systems placed in situ and on space-based platforms.
- (b) **Activities—** In carrying out such a program, the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) may—
  - (1) conduct research and testing to improve the accuracy, efficacy, and reliability of the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions at a range of scales that covers direct measurement at the component or process level through atmospheric observations;
  - (2) conduct research to create novel measurement technologies and techniques for the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions;
  - (3) convene and engage with relevant Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) and stakeholders to establish common definitions and characterizations for the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions, taking into account any existing United States and international [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) and guidance;
  - (4) conduct outreach and coordination to share technical expertise with relevant industry and nonindustry stakeholders and standards development organizations to—
    - (A) assist such entities in the development and adoption of best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) and [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) for greenhouse gas emissions measurements; and
    - (B) promote consistency and traceability in international reference standards and central calibration laboratories;
  - (5) in coordination with the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and the [Secretary](/usc/42/18921.md?p=6) of Energy, develop such standard reference materials as the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) determines is necessary to further the development of such [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29), taking into account any existing United States or international standards;
  - (6) coordinate with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to ensure data are managed, stewarded, and archived at all levels and promote full and open exchange at Federal and [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) levels, and with academia, industry, and other users; and
  - (7) coordinate with international partners, including [international standards organizations](/usc/42/18921.md?p=5), to maintain global greenhouse gas measurement [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29).
- (c) **Testbeds—** In coordination with the private sector, institutions of higher education, [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) and local governments, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), the [Department](/usc/42/19291.md?p=2) of Energy, and other Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), as appropriate, the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) may continue to develop and manage testbeds to advance research and standards development for greenhouse gas emissions measurements from in situ and space-based platforms.
- (d) **Center for Greenhouse Gas Measurements, Standards, and Information—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1), in collaboration with the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and the heads of other Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), as appropriate, shall establish a [Center](/usc/42/18901.md?p=17) for Greenhouse Gas Measurements, Standards, and Information (in this subsection referred to as the “[Center](/usc/42/18901.md?p=17)”).
  - (2) **Collaborations—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall require that the activities of the [Center](/usc/42/18901.md?p=17) include collaboration among public and private organizations, including institutions of higher education, [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations, private sector entities, and [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), Tribal, territorial, and local officials.
  - (3) **Purpose—** The purpose of the [Center](/usc/42/18901.md?p=17) shall be to—
    - (A) advance measurement science, data analytics, and modeling at a range of scales that covers direct measurement and estimation at the component or process level through atmospheric observations and at the analysis level to improve the accuracy of spatially and temporally resolved greenhouse gas emissions measurement, validation, and attribution to specific underlying activities and processes;
    - (B) test and evaluate the performance of existing capabilities, and inform and improve best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19), benchmarks, methodologies, procedures, and [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29), for the measurement and validation of greenhouse gas emissions at scales noted in [subparagraph (A)](#d-3-A);
    - (C) educate and train students in measurement science, computational science, and systems engineering research relevant to greenhouse gas emissions measurements;
    - (D) foster collaboration among academic researchers, private sector stakeholders, and [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), Tribal, territorial, and local officials in the use of [Institute](/usc/42/18921.md?p=4) testbeds as described in [subsection (c)](#c);
    - (E) conduct activities with research institutions, industry partners, and [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) and local officials to identify research, testing, and [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) needs relevant to greenhouse gas emissions; and
    - (F) collaborate with other Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) to conduct outreach and coordination to share and promote technical data, tools, and expertise with relevant public and private sector stakeholders, including [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), Tribal, territorial, and local officials, to assist such in the accurate measurement of greenhouse gas emissions.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title II, § 10222, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1475.)