[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3261 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3261

To amend the Federal Power Act and the Natural Gas Act to require that 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission conduct local hearings before 
issuing a permit or other authorization for any action that may affect 
           land use in any locality, and for other purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2007

  Mr. Murphy of Connecticut introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

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                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Federal Power Act and the Natural Gas Act to require that 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission conduct local hearings before 
issuing a permit or other authorization for any action that may affect 
           land use in any locality, 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. FEDERAL POWER ACT AMENDMENT.

    Section 216 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824p) is amended by 
is amended by adding the following at the end of subsection (c):
``Before issuing a permit or other authorization for any action that 
may affect land use in any locality, the Commission shall hold a public 
hearing in that locality if a hearing is requested by 5 or more 
individuals or an organization representing 30 or more individuals. In 
the case of a facility that affects multiple areas, the hearing shall 
be held in a statistical metropolitan area at a location reasonably 
central to the affected areas. The Commission shall hold such a hearing 
whenever a request for reconsideration is granted if the Commission did 
not hold a hearing prior to issuing the permit or authorization 
concerned.''.

SEC. 2. NATURAL GAS ACT AMENDMENT.

    Section 7(e) of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717f(e)) is amended 
by adding the following at the end thereof:
``Before issuing a permit or other authorization for any action that 
may affect land use in any locality, the Commission shall hold a public 
hearing in that locality if a hearing is requested by 5 or more 
individuals or an organization representing 30 or more individuals. In 
the case of a facility that affects multiple areas, the hearing shall 
be held in a statistical metropolitan area at a location reasonably 
central to the affected areas. The Commission shall hold such a hearing 
whenever a request for reconsideration is granted if the Commission did 
not hold a hearing prior to issuing the permit or authorization 
concerned.''.
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