Resolving Environmental and Grid Reliability Conflicts Act of 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 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.