[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 118 (Friday, August 3, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


   RESOLVING ENVIRONMENTAL AND GRID RELIABILITY CONFLICTS ACT OF 2012

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                               speech of

                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 1, 2012

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that the Energy & Commerce 
Committee has been able to come up with another bipartisan piece of 
legislation that addresses a significant problem. I thank Chairman 
Upton, Ranking Member Waxman, as well as my good friends Mr. Green and 
Mr. Doyle. The work they and their staffs put into this bill is 
admirable.
  To quote Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, ``the law is an ass.'' 
Current law makes no sense by forcing a utility to comply with one 
federal agency and then be fined by another for complying. The bill 
before us eliminates this contradiction and will provide certainty to 
utilities that might need to operate under an order in the future. I 
believe the compromise negotiated will allow environmental protections 
to stay in place while ensuring the Department of Energy has the tools 
it needs in order to respond quickly to true emergencies.
  Of the few emergency orders that have been issued under the Federal 
Power Act, most have been short term propositions. If an emergency 
order violates an environmental law, the negotiated compromise will 
allow the Department of Energy to react to an emergency situation and 
quickly issue a 90 day order which is longer than most of the orders 
that have been implemented. Should the emergency last longer than 90, 
the Department is required to consult with the appropriate Federal 
agency of the violated environmental law. The appropriate agency will 
submit its recommendations on how to tailor the extended order to 
minimize violations adverse environmental impacts. The Department of 
Energy may exclude recommendations it believes will interfere with 
implementation of the emergency order.
  I believe this is a good piece of compromise legislation that solves 
an unnecessary contradiction in current law. I urge all my colleagues 
to support the Olson bill.

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