[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 292 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 292

To improve the collection and dissemination of information relating to 
the price and supply of home heating fuel, natural gas, and automotive 
                     fuel, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 4, 1995

Mr. Kanjorski introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To improve the collection and dissemination of information relating to 
the price and supply of home heating fuel, natural gas, and automotive 
                     fuel, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Energy Price and Supply Information 
Act of 1995''.

SEC. 2. SURVEY OF FUEL PRICES AND INVENTORIES.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Energy Information 
Administration of the Department of Energy shall conduct and publish 
surveys of--
            (1) wholesale and retail prices and primary and secondary 
        inventory levels of home heating fuel on a national, State, and 
        PADD basis;
            (2) wholesale prices and primary inventory levels of home 
        heating fuel on a company-by-company basis (without identifying 
        the names of such companies);
            (3) wellhead and citygate prices of natural gas by major 
        interstate pipeline;
            (4) inventory levels of working natural gas and base 
        natural gas held in underground storage by interstate and 
        intrastate operator;
            (5) wholesale and retail prices and primary and secondary 
        inventory levels of automotive fuel on a national, State, and 
        PADD basis; and
            (6) wholesale prices and primary inventory levels of 
        automotive fuel on a company-by-company basis (without 
        identifying the names of such companies).
    (b) Frequency of Surveys.--
            (1) Home heating fuel and natural gas.--The surveys 
        described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subsection 
        (a) shall be conducted and published weekly during each winter 
        heating season beginning with the first winter heating season 
        following the date of enactment of this Act.
            (2) Automotive fuel.--The surveys described in paragraphs 
        (5) and (6) of subsection (a) shall be conducted and published 
        weekly throughout each year beginning 6 months after the date 
        of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. RECOMMENDED ADEQUATE INVENTORY LEVELS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall, after consultation with the 
Administrator of the Energy Information Administration and State energy 
offices, establish recommended adequate inventory levels for home 
heating fuel, natural gas, and automotive fuel in accordance with this 
section. Such levels shall constitute the amount of inventories 
necessary to prevent substantial disruptions in supply or substantial 
price increases and shall exceed levels regarded as minimum operating 
levels, below which operating problems and shortages would appear in 
the national distribution system.
    (b) Home Heating Fuel.--In the case of home heating fuel, such 
levels shall be established for primary and secondary inventories on a 
national, state, and PADD basis. Such levels shall be established 
before each winter heating season and remain in effect for that season.
    (c) Natural Gas.--In the case of natural gas, such level shall be 
established on a national basis for natural gas held in underground 
storage. Such level shall be established before each winter heating 
season and remain in effect for that season.
    (d) Automotive Fuel.--In the case of automotive fuel, such levels 
shall be established for primary and secondary inventories on a 
national and PADD basis. Such levels shall be established for each 6 
month period beginning 6 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act.

SEC. 4. NOTIFICATION OF INVENTORY LEVELS.

    (a) Home Heating Fuel and Natural Gas.--
            (1) Preseason notification.--Not later than October 1 of 
        each year, the Secretary shall notify the Congress, the 
        President, and State energy offices concerning whether 
        inventories of home heating fuel and natural gas meet the 
        recommended adequate inventory levels established under section 
        3 for the winter heating season beginning that October 1.
            (2) Supplemental notifications.--If, at any time during any 
        winter heating season, inventories of home heating fuel or 
        natural gas fall below the recommended adequate inventory 
        levels established under section 3 for that winter heating 
        season, the Secretary shall notify the Congress, the President, 
        and the State energy office of any State concerned, and shall 
        make recommendations for legislative and administrative actions 
        necessary to restore inventories to such recommended adequate 
        levels.
    (b) Automotive Fuel.--If, at any time, inventories of automotive 
fuel fall below the recommended adequate inventory levels established 
under section 3 for that 6 month period, the Secretary shall notify the 
Congress, the President, and the State energy office of any State 
concerned, and shall make recommendations for legislative and 
administrative actions necessary to restore inventories to such 
recommended adequate levels.

SEC. 5. REPORT ON INTERRUPTIBLE NATURAL GAS CONTRACTS.

    The Secretary shall conduct a study of the effect, if any, of 
interruptible natural gas contracts on the demand and supply of home 
heating fuel during the 1989-1990 winter heating season. The Secretary 
shall issue a report on the findings of the study no later than 6 
months after the date of enactment of this Act. The report shall 
include any recommendations concerning alternate fuel storage 
requirements for holders of interruptible natural gas contracts and 
recommendations concerning other matters relevant to the purposes of 
this Act.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``home heating fuel'' means home heating oil, 
        propane, and diesel fuel;
            (2) the term ``PADD'' means Petroleum Administration 
        Defense District;
            (3) the term ``primary inventory'' means manufacturer 
        inventory;
            (4) the term ``secondary inventory'' means bulk plant, 
        wholesaler, and retailer inventory;
            (5) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Energy; 
        and
            (6) the term ``winter heating season'' means the period 
        beginning on October 1 of a year and ending on April 30 of the 
        following year.

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