[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7348 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7348

   To interconnect the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to its 
                   neighbors, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 14, 2024

 Mr. Casar (for himself, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Castro of Texas, 
  Mr. Cleaver, Ms. Crockett, Mr. Doggett, Ms. Escobar, Mr. Frost, Mr. 
 Robert Garcia of California, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Green of Texas, 
 Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. Jayapal, Ms. Norton, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Omar, Mrs. 
   Ramirez, and Ms. Tlaib) introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To interconnect the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to its 
                   neighbors, 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 ``Connect the Grid Act''.

SEC. 2. JURISDICTION WITH RESPECT TO ERCOT.

    (a) Application of Part.--Section 201(b)(2) of the Federal Power 
Act (16 U.S.C. 824(b)(2)) is amended by--
            (1) striking ``210, 211, 211A, 212'' the second place it 
        appears; and
            (2) striking ``an electric utility or other entity'' and 
        inserting ``any entity that is otherwise exempt under section 
        201(f)''.
    (b) Public Utility Definition.--Section 201(e) of the Federal Power 
Act (16 U.S.C. 824(e)) is amended by striking ``210, 211, 211A, 212,''.
    (c) Repeal of ERCOT Exemptions.--
            (1) Section 212 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824k) 
        is amended by striking subsection (k).
            (2) Section 216 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824p) 
        is amended by striking subsection (k).
            (3) Section 217 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824q) 
        is amended by striking subsection (h).
            (4) Section 220 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824t) 
        is amended by striking subsection (f).
    (d) Technical Conference.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall convene a technical 
conference to assist entities affected by the amendments made by this 
section with compliance with any requirements pursuant to such 
amendments, including by publishing the steps necessary for such 
compliance.

SEC. 3. ELECTRIC RELIABILITY.

    (a) Amendments.--Section 215 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 
824o) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ``enlarge such 
        facilities or to construct new transmission capacity or 
        generation capacity'' and inserting ``construct new generation 
        capacity''; and
            (2) in subsection (i)(2), by striking ``or transmission''.
    (b) Reliability Standard for Total Transfer Capability.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Commission shall order the Electric 
        Reliability Organization to submit to the Commission a proposed 
        reliability standard that requires minimum total transfer 
        capability of--
                    (A) between 4.3 and 12.6 gigawatts between the area 
                under functional control of ERCOT and the area under 
                functional control of SPP;
                    (B) between 2.5 and 16.2 gigawatts between the area 
                under functional control of ERCOT and the area under 
                functional control of MISO; and
                    (C) between 2.6 and 7.9 gigawatts between the area 
                under functional control of ERCOT and the Western 
                Interconnection.
            (2) Contents.--The Commission may only approve a proposed 
        reliability standard described in paragraph (1) if such 
        reliability standard--
                    (A) requires minimum total transfer capability as 
                described in paragraph (1); and
                    (B) requires each of ERCOT and SPP, ERCOT and MISO, 
                and ERCOT and 1 or more neighboring balancing 
                authorities in the Western Interconnection (as 
                determined by the Electric Reliability Organization), 
                to jointly submit, not later than 1 year after the date 
                of enactment of this Act, a plan that--
                            (i) designates 1 or more entities to site 
                        and construct new transmission facilities, or 
                        modify existing transmission facilities, to 
                        achieve the applicable minimum total transfer 
                        capability; and
                            (ii) includes a timeline for such siting 
                        and construction or modification, which 
                        timeline shall include that such siting and 
                        construction or modification be completed by 
                        January 1, 2035.
            (3) Priority.--Any plan for the siting and construction or 
        modification of transmission facilities described in paragraph 
        (2)(B) shall prioritize--
                    (A) use of grid-enhancing technologies;
                    (B) use of existing rights-of-ways, such as 
                highways and railroads, to site and construct new 
                transmission facilities;
                    (C) siting and construction of new transmission 
                facilities on degraded land, including sites on the 
                National Priorities List, brownfield sites, landfills, 
                abandoned mine land, and contaminated or abandoned 
                agricultural lands;
                    (D) siting and construction of new transmission 
                facilities that expands access to renewable energy 
                sources, including wind, solar, and geothermal sources;
                    (E) providing meaningful community involvement 
                opportunities, including conducting outreach to--
                            (i) environmental justice communities, 
                        including conducting planning meetings, set at 
                        times and places to maximize the number of 
                        community members who can conveniently attend, 
                        with appropriate services, including 
                        translation and interpreting services and 
                        virtual attendance, in such environmental 
                        justice communities;
                            (ii) Tribal and Indigenous Communities;
                            (iii) Tribal Governments; and
                            (iv) relevant labor organizations; and
                    (F) the use of registered apprenticeship programs 
                and prevailing wages, as determined by the Secretary of 
                Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of 
                title 40, United States Code.
            (4) Environmental review.--Any project to site, construct, 
        or modify transmission facilities that is conducted to comply 
        with the reliability standard described in paragraph (1) shall 
        be subject to the requirements of the National Environmental 
        Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the Endangered 
        Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
    (c) Consideration for National Interest Electric Transmission 
Corridor.--In carrying out section 216 of the Federal Power Act (16 
U.S.C. 824p), the Secretary of Energy shall consider designating as a 
national interest electric transmission corridor any area in which 
transmission facilities will be sited and constructed or modified 
pursuant to this section.

SEC. 4. INCREASED BORROWING AUTHORITY UNDER THE TRANSMISSION 
              FACILITATION PROGRAM.

    Section 40106(d)(2) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 
(42 U.S.C. 18713(d)(2)) is amended by striking ``$2,500,000,000'' and 
inserting ``$13,500,000,000''.

SEC. 5. STUDY ON BENEFITS OF INTERCONNECTION WITH MEXICO.

    Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Energy shall conduct a study and submit to Congress a 
report on the reliability, climate, and cost benefits of 
interconnection of facilities for the generation, transmission, and 
sale of electric energy with such facilities in Mexico and the siting 
and construction, or modification, of such facilities that will bring 
the most cumulative benefits.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Abandoned mine land.--The term ``abandoned mine land'' 
        means land, water, or a watershed that is contaminated or 
        scarred by extraction, beneficiation, or processing of ores or 
        minerals (which may include phosphate, but does not include 
        coal).
            (2) Brownfield site.--The term ``brownfield site'' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 101(39) of the Comprehensive 
        Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 
        (42 U.S.C. 9601(39)).
            (3) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Energy Regulatory Commission.
            (4) Electric reliability organization.--The term ``Electric 
        Reliability Organization'' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 215(a)(2) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 
        824o(a)(2)).
            (5) Environmental justice community.--The term 
        ``environmental justice community'' means a community with 
        significant representation of communities of color, low-income 
        communities, or Tribal and Indigenous communities that 
        experiences, or is at risk of experiencing higher or more 
        adverse human health or environmental effects.
            (6) ERCOT.--The term ``ERCOT'' means the Electric 
        Reliability Council of Texas.
            (7) Grid-enhancing technology.--The term ``grid-enhancing 
        technology'' means a solution that increases the transfer 
        capability of high-voltage transmission facilities.
            (8) MISO.--The term ``MISO'' means the Midcontinent 
        Independent System Operator transmission organization.
            (9) National priorities list.--The term ``National 
        Priorities List'' means the National Priorities List developed 
        by the President in accordance with section 105(a)(8)(B) of the 
        Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
        Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9605(a)(8)(B)).
            (10) Registered apprenticeship program.--The term 
        ``registered apprenticeship program'' means an apprenticeship 
        registered under the National Apprenticeship Act that meets the 
        standards of subpart A of part 29, and part 30, of title 29, 
        Code of Federal Regulations.
            (11) Reliability standard.--The term ``reliability 
        standard'' has the meaning given such term in section 215(a)(3) 
        of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824o(a)(3)).
            (12) SPP.--The term ``SPP'' means the Southwest Power Pool 
        transmission organization.
            (13) Total transfer capability.--The term ``total transfer 
        capability'' has the meaning given such term in section 
        37.6(b)(1)(vi) of title 18, Code of Federal Regulations (as in 
        effect on the date of enactment of this Act).
            (14) Transmission facility.--The term ``transmission 
        facility'' means a facility that is used for the transmission 
        of electric energy in interstate commerce, including 
        transmission lines.
            (15) Transmission organization.--The term ``transmission 
        organization'' has the meaning given such term in section 
        215(a)(6) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824o(a)(6)).
            (16) Tribal and indigenous community.--The term ``Tribal 
        and Indigenous community'' means a population of people who are 
        members of--
                    (A) a federally recognized Indian Tribe;
                    (B) a State-recognized Indian Tribe;
                    (C) an Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian community 
                or organization; or
                    (D) any other community of Indigenous people 
                located in a State.
            (17) Tribal government.--The term ``Tribal Government'' 
        means the governing body of an Indian Tribe.
            (18) Western interconnection.--The term ``Western 
        Interconnection'' means the synchronously operated electric 
        transmission grid located in the western part of North America, 
        including parts of Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, 
        Texas, Wyoming and Mexico and all of Arizona, California, 
        Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and the 
        Canadian Provinces of British Columbia and Alberta.
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