H.R. 7348

[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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