MPACT Act

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, provisions relating to natural gas infrastructure permitting and ratemaking. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, provisions relating to the new natural gas certificate and greenhouse gas policy statements (Docket No. PL 18-1 & Docket No. PL 21-3). H.R. 1, Lower Energy Costs Act (provisions relating to the interstate natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector). H.R. 1115, Promoting Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Pipelines Act (provisions relating to the interstate natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector). H.R. 1058, Promoting Cross-border Energy Infrastructure Act (provisions relating to the interstate natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector). H.R. 1130, Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2023 (provisions relating to the interstate natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector). H.R. 7176, Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024 (provisions relating to the interstate natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector). S. 989, North American Energy Act (provisions relating to the interstates natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector). S.1399, Building American Energy Security Act of 2023 (provisions relating to the interstate natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector). S. 1449, Revitalizing the Economy by Simplifying Timelines and Assuring Regulatory Transparency (RESTART) Act (provisions relating to the interstate natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector). S. 1456, Spur Permitting of Underdeveloped Resources (SPUR) Act (provisions relating to the interstate natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector). S. 4171, Making Pipelines Accountable to Consumers and Taxpayers (MPACT) Act (provisions relating to the interstate natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector). H.R. 7900, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 (provisions relating to the interstate natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector). S. 3714, Energy Independence and Security Act of 2022 (provisions relating to the interstate natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector). S. 4753, Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 (provisions relating to the interstate natural gas pipeline infrastructure sector).

Client expense: $374,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Supply chain issues generally; H.R.7655, Pipeline Safety, Modernization, and Expansion Act of 2024 - Energy and Commerce version of pipeline safety reauthorization legislation; H.R. 6494, Promoting Innovation in Pipeline Efficiency and Safety Act of 2023 - House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee version of pipeline safety reauthorization; S. 4171, Making Pipelines Accountable to Consumers and Taxpayers (MPACT) Act

Client expense: $390,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Discussed industry-wide distribution transformer shortage and equipment supply chain challenges. Also discussed the need for more domestic production of electrical equipment. Discussed efforts at the Department of Energy (DOE) to address the distribution transformer supply chain crisis. Discussed DOEs final energy efficiency standards for distribution transformers (EERE-2019-BT-STD-0018) and how they were improved from proposed standards. Discussed H.R. 4167, the Protecting Americas Distribution Transformer Supply Chain Act, to prevent DOE from proposing or enacting new energy efficiency standards for distribution transformers for five years. Discussed the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to implement the requirements of the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (Docket Number: CISA-2022-0010) and the need to avoid duplicative reporting requirements. Discussed support for the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program under Subtitle D, sec. 11401 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 115-58). Discussed support for the Department of Energy Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program (P.L. 117-58, sections 40101, 40103, and 40107). Discussed the importance of improving the hydropower licensing and relicensing process (no bill). Discussed the importance of hydropower as a source of renewable energy for public power utilities. Discussed the importance of hydropower for grid reliability. Discussed support for H.R. 4045, the Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act (all provisions). Discussed S. 1521, the Community & Hydropower Improvement Act (all provisions). Discussed support for S. 2994/H.R. 6653, the Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act (all provisions). Discussed H.R. 5551/S. 2827, the BIG WIRES Act, to give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the authority to require the expansion of transmission facilities for reliability and establish thresholds for interregional transfer capability (all provisions). Discussed H.R. 6747, the Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration Act of 2023 (CETA), to direct FERC to determine the existing electricity transfer capacity between regions and to establish minimum levels of transfer capabilities between each region, and to require each transmission planning region to coordinate with its neighbors to plan for the required interregional transmission (all provisions). Discussed the need for permitting reform to help expedite the siting and permitting of energy projects to meet emissions reduction goals. Discussed support for permitting reform to help expedite the construction of energy infrastructure (no bill), including changes to the National Environmental Policy Act to streamline processes but not include transmission-related language that would expand FERCs jurisdiction over cost allocation and potentially saddle public power utilities with additional transmission costs. Discussed the importance of joint ownership opportunities for public power utilities as new transmission projects are being built. Discussed how it could help reduce transmission costs for customers and build community support for transmission projects. Discussed amendment 8 to H.R. 7023, the Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act, which would make it more difficult and costly to permit certain electric transmission projects. Discussed S. 4027/H.R. 7786, the SPEED and Reliability Act of 2024 (section (2)(a)(D)), on the exemption of a facility as in the national interest from review under the National Environmental Policy Act. Discussed concerns with overly stringent Build America/Buy America standards in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58) and the impact those standards have on public power utilities ability to complete grant-funded projects. Discussed the need to increase product and asset availability, price transparency, accountability, and coordination between the natural gas and electric industries to ensure electric reliability (no legislation). Discussed how FERCs Order 1920 (Building for the Future Through Electric Regional Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation and Generator Interconnection, (Docket RM21-17)) was a missed opportunity to deal with cost allocation issues and joint ownership of transmission projects. Discussed electric transmission costs, planning, and joint ownership, including FERCs Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Building for the Future Through Electric Regional Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation and Generator Interconnection, (Docket RM21-17). Discussed resource adequacy issues. Discussed Western markets. Discussed FERCs practice and procedure and generator interconnection issues, including implementation of Order 2023 (Docket No. RM22-14). Discussed power market mitigation for institutional investors (Docket No. AD24-60). Discussed APPAs involvement in the Navajo Tribal Utility Authoritys (NTUA) Light Up Navajo effort. Discussed S. 4171, the Making Pipelines Accountable to Consumers Act (all provisions). Discussed S. 3820, the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program Establishment Act (sections 2(b) and 2(g). Discussed the White Houses 150 Comeback Communities and public power utilities can better leverage programs and policies included in the Inflation Reduction Act.