Gas Consumer Emergency Market Protection Act

Discussed grid security issues, including implementation of the mandatory cyber incident reporting legislation (included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 2471)) by the Department of Homeland Securitys Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (DHS CISA) and the need to avoid duplicative or conflicting reporting requirements. Discussed the need for DHS CISA to undertake a careful and deliberative implementation process that takes into account existing reporting mandates and to appropriately tailor reporting mandates commensurate with risk to national security. Discussed draft legislation to establish cybersecurity baselines for distribution utilities. Discussed APPAs cooperative agreement with the Department of Energy (DE-OE-0000811), Improving the Cyber Resiliency and Security Posture of Public Power, and how APPA used the funding to work with its members to improve their cyber hygiene. Discussed APPA's cooperative agreement with the Department of Energy (DE-CR0000007) and how APPA will use funding to help its members develop and deploy active cyber defense on public power operational technology networks. Discussed industry-wide distribution transformer shortage and equipment supply chain challenges. Also discussed the need for more domestic production of electrical equipment. Discussed the impact the distribution transformer shortage could have on restoring power after hurricanes. Discussed support for Department of Energy temporarily waiving distribution transformer energy efficiency standards to help spread raw steel materials and increase production volumes. Discussed how the Department of Energy will carry out Defense Production Act-related activities to accelerate domestic production of key technologies, strengthen U.S. power grid reliability, and deploy clean energy. Discussed the strategic transformer reserve provision in section 20301 of H.R. 4521, the America COMPETES Act of 2022. Discussed support for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58) and how it will help public power utilities make clean energy investments. Provided feedback on draft legislation, Leveraging our Water and Energy Data to Reduce (LOWER) Energy Bills Act (no bill number), and draft legislation to establish a National Model Building Performance Standard (no bill number). Provided feedback on draft legislation, the BIDIRECTIONAL Act, to promote vehicle-to-grid technologies. Discussed draft legislation to prohibit the shutoff of electric service during extreme weather events. Discussed the need for the reliable delivery of natural gas for electricity generation. Discussed H.R. 5749, the Gas Consumer Emergency Market Protection Act, and H.R. 6084, the Energy Product Reliability Act. Discussed transmission issues, including inter-regional transmission planning, cost allocation, siting, and permitting. Also discussed rising transmission costs for public power utilities and the need for joint ownership of transmission by public power utilities. In addition, discussed issues with the interconnection queue in certain regional transmission markets. Provided feedback on draft legislation, the BIG WIRES Act, to give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the authority to require the expansion of transmission facilities for reliability, among other things. Discussed the need for permitting reform to enable the siting and construction of energy infrastructure. Provided feedback on the transmission provisions in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2022 (no bill number). Discussed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions (FERC) proposed directive to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to address concerns pertaining to transmission system planning for extreme heat or cold weather events that impact the reliable operation of the Bulk-Power System (RM-22-10). Discussed the cost management proposal in FERCs Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Transmission Planning (RM-21-17). Discussed FERC regulation of public power utilities.