Resolving Environmental and Grid Reliability Conflicts Act of 2015

1/11/2023, 1:28 PM

Resolving Environmental and Grid Reliability Conflicts Act of 2015

This bill amends the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to ensure that any emergency order that may result in conflict with federal, state, or local environmental law or regulations:

  • requires generation, delivery, interchange, or transmission of electricity only during hours necessary to meet the emergency and serve the public interest;
  • be consistent with applicable environmental law; and
  • minimizes any adverse environmental impacts to the maximum extent practical.

Any necessary action or omission in such an emergency that does not comply with federal, state, or local environmental law or regulation shall not be considered a violation of it, or subject the party involved to any related requirement, civil or criminal liability, or a citizen suit.

Such emergency orders must expire within 90 days. FERC may renew or reissue an order for subsequent periods of no more than 90 days each as necessary to meet the emergency and serve the public interest.

During an emergency, a municipality engaged in the transmission or sale of electricity, and not otherwise subject to FERC jurisdiction, may make temporary connections with public utilities that are subject to FERC jurisdiction, and construct necessary or appropriate temporary electricity transmission facilities, without becoming subject to FERC jurisdiction by reason of that temporary connection or construction.

Congress
114

Number
HR - 1558

Introduced on
2015-03-24

# Amendments
0

Sponsors
+5

Cosponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

3/24/2015

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Resolving Environmental and Grid Reliability Conflicts Act of 2015

This bill amends the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to ensure that any emergency order that may result in conflict with federal, state, or local environmental law or regulations:

  • requires generation, delivery, interchange, or transmission of electricity only during hours necessary to meet the emergency and serve the public interest;
  • be consistent with applicable environmental law; and
  • minimizes any adverse environmental impacts to the maximum extent practical.

Any necessary action or omission in such an emergency that does not comply with federal, state, or local environmental law or regulation shall not be considered a violation of it, or subject the party involved to any related requirement, civil or criminal liability, or a citizen suit.

Such emergency orders must expire within 90 days. FERC may renew or reissue an order for subsequent periods of no more than 90 days each as necessary to meet the emergency and serve the public interest.

During an emergency, a municipality engaged in the transmission or sale of electricity, and not otherwise subject to FERC jurisdiction, may make temporary connections with public utilities that are subject to FERC jurisdiction, and construct necessary or appropriate temporary electricity transmission facilities, without becoming subject to FERC jurisdiction by reason of that temporary connection or construction.

Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedTo clarify that compliance with an emergency order under section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act may not be considered a violation of any Federal, State, or local environmental law or regulation, and for other purposes.

Policy Areas
Energy

Potential Impact
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Civil actions and liability
Electric power generation and transmission
Emergency planning and evacuation
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental regulatory procedures
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Pollution liability
Public utilities and utility rates

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary11/19/2015

Resolving Environmental and Grid Reliability Conflicts Act of 2015

This bill amends the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to ensure that any emergency order that may result in conflict with...


Latest Action3/27/2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.