[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2534-S2535]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 351. Ms. STABENOW (for herself and Mr. Thune) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 2226, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle D of title XXXI, add the following:
SEC. 31___. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY STUDY ON ESTABLISHING
NATIONAL STRATEGIC PROPANE RESERVE.
(a) Study.--
[[Page S2535]]
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy, in
consultation with the Administrator of the Energy Information
Administration, shall complete a study to determine the
feasibility and effectiveness of establishing a national
strategic propane reserve, separate from the Strategic
Petroleum Reserve established under part B of title I of the
Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6231 et seq.).
(2) Elements.--The study under paragraph (1) shall
include--
(A) an assessment of the current state of the propane
supply chain in the United States to meet current and
forecasted consumer demands;
(B) an assessment of the risks of regional propane supply
disruptions, including--
(i) past causes of disruptions;
(ii) possible causes of disruptions in the future; and
(iii) whether disruptions justify the establishment of a
national strategic propane reserve;
(C) an evaluation of--
(i) appropriate and most suitable locations for a strategic
propane reserve;
(ii) the quantity of propane storage that would be
appropriate at each such location; and
(iii) the suitability of existing infrastructure to
facilitate transportation and delivery of propane from a
strategic propane reserve during a drawdown;
(D) an evaluation of the additional infrastructure needed
for a strategic propane reserve to function properly;
(E) consideration of the means by which a strategic propane
reserve would prevent and manage degradation of the propane
in storage;
(F) an evaluation of appropriate triggers (including price
and supply) for making available propane from a strategic
reserve;
(G) an evaluation of the appropriate manner of acquiring
propane and propane storage for a strategic reserve, while
minimizing market implications, including an assessment of--
(i) unutilized and under-utilized storage; and
(ii) new storage opportunities;
(H) an evaluation of the appropriate transactions
(including direct sales, exchanges, or other options) for
delivering propane in a strategic reserve to the market when
a release is triggered;
(I) an evaluation of likely consumers (including
individuals, agricultural producers, and the Armed Forces) of
propane from a strategic reserve, including--
(i) identification and categorization of those consumers;
(ii) a State-by-State breakdown of propane usage by those
consumers; and
(iii) an evaluation of the expected impacts of a strategic
propane reserve on those categories of consumers and States;
(J) an evaluation of the market implications of
establishing and administering a strategic propane reserve,
including an assessment of potential price and supply
effects; and
(K) identification, preliminary assessment, and evaluation
of alternatives to a strategic propane reserve that could
provide supply and price relief during regional propane
supply disruptions.
(3) Recommendations.--In conducting the study under this
subsection, the Secretary of Energy shall develop
recommendations with respect to each element of the study
described in paragraph (2) regarding--
(A) whether a national strategic propane reserve should be
established; and
(B) if such a reserve should be established, the most
practicable method of establishment.
(b) Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
completion of the study under subsection (a), the Secretary
of Energy shall develop a plan for implementing the
recommendations developed under paragraph (3) of that
subsection.
(c) Industry Coordination.--In conducting the study under
subsection (a) and developing the plan under subsection (b),
the Secretary of Energy is encouraged to coordinate with
entities in the propane industry, including representatives
from the entire propane supply chain.
(d) Submission to Congress.--The Secretary of Energy 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--
(1) the study completed under subsection (a); and
(2) the plan developed under subsection (b).
(e) Protection of National Security Information.--Before
submitting the report under subsection (d), or otherwise
publishing the study completed under subsection (a) or the
plan developed under subsection (b), the Secretary of Energy
shall adopt such procedures with respect to confidentiality
(including procedures for redaction of information) as the
Secretary determines to be necessary to ensure the protection
of classified information relating to specific
vulnerabilities to United States energy security or
reliability.
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