[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 287 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 287

 To prohibit the exportation of natural gas from the United States to 
  Mexico for use in electric energy generation units near the United 
States border that do not comply with air quality control requirements 
that provide air quality protection that is at least equivalent to the 
  protection provided by requirements applicable in the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 8, 2003

  Mr. Hunter introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To prohibit the exportation of natural gas from the United States to 
  Mexico for use in electric energy generation units near the United 
States border that do not comply with air quality control requirements 
that provide air quality protection that is at least equivalent to the 
  protection provided by requirements applicable in the United States.

    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 ``Southern Border Air Quality 
Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON EXPORTATION OF CERTAIN NATURAL GAS TO MEXICO.

    (a) Prohibition.--No person may export natural gas to Mexico for 
the purpose of electric energy generation by any electric energy 
generation unit that--
            (1) has a generation capacity greater than 50 megawatts;
            (2) is located within 50 miles of the United States;
            (3) is first placed into operation, or is modified to have 
        the capability to use natural gas, after December 31, 2002; and
            (4) does not comply with air quality control requirements 
        that the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 
        determines provide air quality protection that is at least 
        equivalent to the protection provided by the air pollution 
        emission rate requirements applicable in the air quality 
        control region in the United States that is closest to that 
        unit.
    (b) Authority.--To carry out this Act, the President shall exercise 
authority under the Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 
2401 et seq.) (as continued in effect under the International Emergency 
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)).
    (c) Penalties.--Penalties provided under section 11 of the Export 
Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2410) shall apply to 
violations of this Act to the same extent as those penalties apply to 
violations under that Act.
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