[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 102 (Tuesday, June 19, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S4047]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2958. Mr. WHITEHOUSE submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed to amendment SA 2910 proposed by Mr. Shelby to the bill H.R. 
5895, making appropriations for energy and water development and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of title III of division A, add the following:
       Sec. 3__. (a) In this section:
       (1) The term ``Commission'' means the Federal Energy 
     Regulatory Commission.
       (2) The term ``pilot program'' means the natural gas demand 
     response pilot program established under subsection (b)(1).
       (3) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Energy.
       (b)(1) Not later than 150 days after the date of enactment 
     of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the 
     Commission, shall establish a natural gas demand response 
     pilot program to use the latest demand response technology 
     from the energy sector for natural gas--
       (A) to reduce the cost of energy for consumers;
       (B) to reduce market price volatility;
       (C) to increase reliability of the energy system; and
       (D) to achieve reductions in air emissions and other 
     benefits.
       (2)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), to be 
     eligible to participate in the pilot program, an entity shall 
     be--
       (i) a gas utility, including a local distribution company;
       (ii) a State public utilities commission;
       (iii) an electric utility, including a local distribution 
     company;
       (iv) a municipality;
       (v) a large industrial consumer, large commercial consumer, 
     or retail marketer of natural gas; or
       (vi) a third-party energy efficiency program administrator.
       (B) An entity described in any of clauses (ii) through (v) 
     of subparagraph (A) shall not be eligible to participate in 
     the pilot program if the State law to which the entity is 
     subject specifically precludes the participation of the 
     entity in a natural gas demand response pilot program.
       (3) The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program under 
     different scenarios, including in a region that is 
     experiencing fuel shortages or natural gas infrastructure 
     constraints that cause the cost of energy to increase for 
     consumers.
       (4)(A) In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary 
     shall collect data, including data on, with respect to the 
     regions in which the pilot program is carried out--
       (i) the reduction in natural gas usage;
       (ii) decreases in the frequency and severity of natural gas 
     infrastructure constraints; and
       (iii) changes in energy costs and reliability.
       (B) The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy 
     and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report 
     describing--
       (i) how to improve data collection;
       (ii) the metrics that should be used to quantify natural 
     gas demand response usage; and
       (iii) opportunities to improve the measurement and 
     verification of changes in natural gas consumption resulting 
     from natural gas demand response measures, including 
     opportunities to collect data that could be used to estimate 
     the quantity of natural gas that could be shifted through the 
     implementation of natural gas demand response measures.
       (c)(1) On establishment of the pilot program under 
     subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall submit to all relevant 
     eligible entities notice that the Secretary is accepting 
     applications for the pilot program.
       (2)(A) Not later than 200 days after the date of enactment 
     of this Act, each eligible entity desiring certification to 
     participate in the pilot program shall submit to the 
     Secretary an application containing such information as the 
     Secretary may require.
       (B) The Secretary may require as part of the application 
     under subparagraph (A) information on--
       (i) the current energy prices and energy supply issues in 
     the region in which the eligible entity is located; and
       (ii) how implementation of the pilot program in the region 
     in which the eligible entity is located can alleviate the 
     current energy prices and energy supply issues in the region.
       (3) Not later than 250 days after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary shall notify each eligible entity 
     that applied for certification under paragraph (2)(A) of 
     whether the eligible entity is certified to participate in 
     the pilot program.
       (d) Termination.--The pilot program shall terminate on the 
     date that is 2 years after the date on which the pilot 
     program is established under subsection (b)(1).
       (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out the pilot program $4,000,000.
                                 ______