Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act

Discussed support for H.R. 7266/S. 5360, the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act (all provisions) to reauthorize the Rural and Municipal Utility Grant and Technical Assistance (RMUC) Program as authorized in section 40124 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. Discussed general support for hydropower licensing and relicensing reform, including amending section 4(e) of the Federal Power Act (16 USC ch. 12) to limit mandatory conditions and fishway prescriptions and section 241 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-58) to extend trial-type hearing rights to alternative conditions under section 33 of the Federal Power Act (no legislation). Discussed the need to amend sections 4(e) and 18 of the Federal Power Act so that mandatory conditions and fishway prescriptions address only direct project effects, like those from the construction, operation, or maintenance of the licensed project (no legislation). Discussed support for S. 3518/H.R. 9806, the Fair Licensing for Operations of Water Structures (FLOWS) Act of 2025, to amend the Federal Power Act to address certain alterations in, and the maintenance and repair of, project works, to provide for the licensing of micro hydrokinetic energy projects (all provisions). Discussed support for H.R. 9337/S. 5048, the Hydropower Licensing Affordability Act, to amend the Federal Power Act to modernize the hydropower licensing process (all provisions). Discussed general support for legislative efforts to improve the permitting process, including the importance of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission completing its portion of permitting reviews in a timely manner (no legislation). Discussed the need for permitting reform, including changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other environmental statutes, to help expedite the siting and permitting of energy projects to meet rising electricity demand (no legislation). Discussed concerns with sections 401 and 402 in S. 4753, the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, which would expand the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions jurisdiction over non-jurisdictional entities under section 201(f) of the Federal Power Act. Discussed the importance of maintaining the current treatment of Federal Power Act section 201(f) non-jurisdictional entities (no legislation). Discussed the importance of maintaining the current treatment of Federal Power Act section 201(f) non-jurisdictional entities in draft permitting reform legislation, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026. Discussed how interregional transmission planning should be left to each region of the country rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all federal mandate for each region to maintain a minimum level of transfer capability with its neighbors (no legislation). Discussed maintaining the existing beneficiary-pays cost allocation principle for transmission under the Federal Power Act to require the costs of a transmission project to be allocated to beneficiaries in a way that is roughly commensurate with the estimated benefits (no legislation). Discussed the cost drivers for transmission (no legislation). Discussed efforts by the Bonneville Power Administration to improve transmission and markets (no legislation). Discussed general support for legislation that would remove duplicative NEPA requirements for the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor designation and siting processes (no legislation). Discussed H.R. 7786, the SPEED & Reliability Act (all provisions), from the 118th Congress, to remove duplicative NEPA requirements for the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor designation and siting processes. Discussed support for H.R. 3616/S. 3034, the Reliable Power Act, to give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the authority to determine and mitigate the significant reliability impacts of major federal regulations (all provisions). Discussed H.R. 9340/S. 5028, the Ratepayer Protection Act, to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to establish a federal standard relating to the recovery of the full, incremental costs of upgrades that serve large-load customers (all provisions). Discussed concerns with the expansion of must considers under section 111(d) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (no legislation). Discussed support for joint ownership of transmission facilities to help facilitate transmission development while keeping costs affordable for electricity customers (no legislation). Discussed S. 5008, the Grid Connection and Congestion Management Act, to require regional transmission organizations and independent system operators administering an open access transmission tariff to offer basic access service for energy-only deliver (all provisions). Discussed S. 5199, the GRID Savings Act of 2026, to clarify the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission over the interconnection of large loads to the transmission system and provide for standards and procedures for the interconnection of large loads (all provisions). Discussed the tax implications of provisions in the bill that would impact public power. Discussed draft legislation that would establish a grant program at the Department of Energy and incentives at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to support the use of AI tools for utility cybersecurity purposes. Discussed the need for permitting reform efforts to be technology neutral (no bill). Discussed support for H.R. 8308, the Create Expedited Reviews to Transform American Infrastructure Now (CERTAIN) Act, to reduce permitting delays and create a more predictable environment for infrastructure development (all provisions). Discussed the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council governance and the importance of information sharing between the federal government and critical infrastructure. Discussed the public power business model (no legislation). Discussed energy affordability and all the actions public power utilities take to keep electricity affordable for their customers and to assist those in need (no legislation). Discussed support for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (no legislation). Discussed draft legislation to create a national program for relief of utility arrears and collect data about electricity affordability from utilities (all provision). Discussed draft legislation to direct the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency to study the impacts that data centers are having on rural areas. Discussed how public power utilities are working to ensure their customers do not bear the costs of serving large computational loads (no legislation). Discussed issues related to data center affordability and support for efforts to protect affordability and reliability when interconnecting data centers. Discussed the Presidents Ratepayer Protection Pledge. Discussed strategies to address the growing burden of transmission costs, including joint ownership and the elimination of transmission incentives.