Mitigate Methane Now Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2818 To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program for States to offset incremental rate increases paid by low-income households result- ing from the implementation of infrastructure programs that are designed to accelerate the necessary replacement, repair, or maintenance of natural gas distribution systems, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 22, 2021 Ms. SHERRILL (for herself and Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program for States to offset incremental rate increases paid by low-income households resulting from the imple- mentation of infrastructure programs that are designed to accelerate the necessary replacement, repair, or main- tenance of natural gas distribution systems, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mitigate Methane Now 4 Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:32 Jun 07, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2818.IH H2818 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 2818 IH SEC. 2. IMPROVING THE NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION SYS- 1 TEM. 2 (a) PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Energy shall estab- 3 lish a grant program to provide financial assistance to 4 States to offset the incremental rate increases paid by low- 5 income households resulting from the implementation of 6 infrastructure replacement, repair, and maintenance pro- 7 grams that are approved by the rate-setting entity and de- 8 signed to accelerate the necessary replacement, repair, or 9 maintenance of natural gas distribution systems. 10 (b) DATE OF ELIGIBILITY.—Awards may be provided 11 under this section to offset rate increases described in sub- 12 section (a) occurring on or after the date of enactment 13 of this Act. 14 (c) PRIORITIZATION.—The Secretary shall collabo- 15 rate with States to prioritize the distribution of grants 16 made under this section. At a minimum, the Secretary 17 shall consider prioritizing the distribution of grants to 18 States which have— 19 (1) authorized or adopted enhanced infrastruc- 20 ture replacement programs or innovative rate recov- 21 ery mechanisms, such as infrastructure cost trackers 22 and riders, infrastructure base rate surcharges, de- 23 ferred regulatory asset programs, and earnings sta- 24 bility mechanisms; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:32 Jun 07, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2818.IH H2818 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 2818 IH (2) a viable means for delivering financial as- 1 sistance to low-income households. 2 (d) AUDITING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 3 The Secretary shall establish auditing and reporting re- 4 quirements for States with respect to the performance of 5 eligible projects funded pursuant to grants awarded under 6 this section. 7 (e) PREVAILING WAGES.—All laborers and mechanics 8 employed by contractors or subcontractors in the perform- 9 ance of construction, alteration, or repair work assisted, 10 in whole or in part, by a grant under this section shall 11 be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on 12 similar construction in the locality as determined by the 13 Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of 14 chapter 31 of title 40. With respect to the labor standards 15 in this subsection, the Secretary of Labor shall have the 16 authority and functions set forth in Reorganization Plan 17 Numbered 14 of 1950 (64 Stat. 1267; 5 U.S.C. App.) and 18 section 3145 of title 40. 19 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 20 (1) INNOVATIVE RATE RECOVERY MECHA- 21 NISMS.—The term ‘‘innovative rate recovery mecha- 22 nisms’’ means rate structures that allow State public 23 utility commissions to modify tariffs and recover 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:32 Jun 07, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2818.IH H2818 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 2818 IH costs of investments in utility replacement incurred 1 between rate cases. 2 (2) LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLD.—The term 3 ‘‘low-income household’’ means a household that is 4 eligible to receive payments under section 2605(b)(2) 5 of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 6 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8624(b)(2)). 7 (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 8 are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 9 out this section $250,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2022 10 through 2031. 11 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:32 Jun 07, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2818.IH H2818 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS