Sen. James Lankford is backing a Republican proposal that would wipe out the federal petroleum “Superfund” excise tax, a dedicated pot of money used to clean up toxic sites around the country. That move could land close to home in Oklahoma, where dozens of contaminated properties - especially the long-running Tar Creek cleanup in Ottawa County - lean heavily on federal Superfund dollars to keep work going.
What the bill would do
The Pay Less at the Pump Act of 2026 was filed in the Senate on Feb. 12. The proposal would terminate the excise rate on crude oil and imported petroleum products and end the authority for Treasury advances to the Hazardous Substance Superfund, according to the bill text. Congress.gov shows the measure was read twice and sent to the Senate Committee on Finance.
Why supporters say it will help
The bicameral push is led by Sen. John Barrasso and Rep. Mike Carey, with Lankford listed among the Senate cosponsors. Barrasso’s office is pitching repeal as a way to lower gas prices and encourage new investment, and it highlighted backing from several major industry trade groups. Sen. John Barrasso's office
A funding gap and what's at stake
The petroleum excise tax was brought back in 2022 through the Inflation Reduction Act and was expected to raise about $11.7 billion over 10 years, according to an industry analysis. Babst Calland The U.S. Government Accountability Office has found that appropriations for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund program have generally slipped since fiscal 1999, a pattern the watchdog says has limited EPA’s capacity to take on and complete cleanups. GAO
Local impact: Tar Creek and other Oklahoma sites
The EPA currently lists 18 locations in Oklahoma on the National Priorities List, the roster of Superfund sites that get top attention for cleanup. The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality describes Tar Creek in Ottawa County as one of the state’s largest and most challenging Superfund projects, noting that the area still contains roughly 30 million tons of mine waste known as “chat” and that cleanup efforts that began decades ago are still underway. Oklahoma DEQ
What repeal would mean in practice
Under the bill, the hazardous substance financing rate would end after Dec. 31, 2025, along with the authority for Treasury advances. In practical terms, that would strip away a predictable, dedicated stream of cash for Superfund and push more of the burden onto annual congressional appropriations and money recovered through enforcement. Federal auditors have warned that those broader funding trends and mechanisms can slow or stretch out cleanup timelines. GAO
Next steps and local response
For now, the Pay Less at the Pump Act is parked at the Senate Finance Committee, where its fate will hinge on whether leaders choose to move it and how it fits into a crowded election-year calendar. The Oklahoman reported that Lankford’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on his support for the bill and what it could mean for Oklahoma’s contaminated sites.
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