,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #eedb  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,january #g1         
#bjbj,ms4 ,sherrill 7for herself and    
,ms4 ,blunt ,rochester7 introduced the  
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce 
,a ,,bill  ,to require the ,secretary of
 ,energy to establish a grant program   
for ,states to provide incentives to    
natural gas distribution companies for  
the improvement of natural gas          
distribution systems1 and for other     
purposes4  #a4 ,improving the natural   
gas distribution system  7a7            
,establishment of program ,not later    
than #a year after the date of enactment
 of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,energy
 shall establish a program to award     
grants to ,states1 in accordance with   
this section1 for the purpose of        
improving public safety and             
environmental performance of the natural
 gas distribution system by offsetting  
rate increases to low-income households 

and providing incentives for natural gas
 distribution companies to accelerate1  
expand1 or enhance improvements to the  
natural gas distribution system4  7b7   
,grants to ,states  7#a7 ,in general ,a 
,state may apply for a grant under this 
section to provide funds to natural gas 
distribution companies in the ,state    
that are carrying out an eligible       
project described in subsection 7c74    
7#b7 ,requirements ,in applying for a   
grant under this section1 a ,state shall
 demonstrate how the ,state rate-setting
 commission will ensure that funds      
provided under this section are used in 
accordance with the requirements of this
 section4  7c7 ,eligible projects ,a    
project that is eligible to be funded   
through a grant to a ,state under this  
section is a project carried out by a   
natural gas distribution company to     
accelerate1 expand1 or enhance the      
implementation of a plan1 approved by   
the ,state before the date on which an  
application for a grant under this      

section is submitted to the ,secretary1 
for--  7#a7 replacement of cast and     
wrought iron and bare steel pipes and   
other leak-prone components of the      
natural gas distribution system2 or     
7#b7 inspection and maintenance programs
 for the natural gas distribution       
system4  7d7 ,rate assistance ,a natural
 gas distribution company receiving     
funds through a grant to a ,state under 
this section may use such funds only to 
offset the near-term incremental costs  
to low-income households as reflected in
 utility rate increases and the         
near-term incremental costs of          
accelerating1 expanding1 or enhancing   
improvements to the natural gas         
distribution system included in the     
,state-approved plan4  7e7 ,limit to    
transitional assistance ,a ,state may   
provide funds to a natural gas          
distribution company under this section 
for a period not to exceed #d years4    
7f7 ,prioritization ,in awarding grants 
under this section1 the ,secretary shall

 prioritize applications based on the   
expected results of an eligible project 
carried out pursuant to the ,state      
proposal with respect to--  7#a7        
quantifiable benefits for public safety2
  7#b7 the magnitude of methane         
emissions reductions2  7#c7 innovation  
in technical or policy approaches2  7#d7
 the number of low-income households    
anticipated to benefit from the         
assistance2 and  7#e7 overall           
cost-effectiveness of the project4  7g7 
,auditing and reporting requirements    
,the ,secretary shall establish auditing
 and reporting requirements for ,states 
with respect to the performance of      
eligible projects funded pursuant to    
grants awarded under this section with  
respect to meeting the goals of the     
program described in subsection 7f74    
7h7 ,prevailing wages ,all laborers and 
mechanics employed by contractors or    
subcontractors in the performance of    
construction1 alteration1 or repair work
 assisted1 in whole or in part1 by a    

grant under this section shall be paid  
wages at rates not less than those      
prevailing on similar construction in   
the locality as determined by the       
,secretary of ,labor in accordance with 
subchapter ,,iv of chapter #ca of title 
#dj4 ,with respect to the labor         
standards in this subsection1 the       
,secretary of ,labor shall have the     
authority and functions set forth in    
,reorganization ,plan ,numbered #ad of  
#aiej 7#fd ,stat4 #abfg2 #e ,u4,s4,c4   
,app47 and section #cade of title #dj4  
7i7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 
,low-income household ,the term         
low-income household means a household  
that is eligible to receive payments    
under section #bfje7;b77#b7 of the      
,low-,income ,home ,energy ,assistance  
,act of #aiha 7#db ,u4,s4,c4            
#hfbd7;b77#b774  7#b7 ,natural gas      
distribution company ,the term natural  
gas distribution company means a person 
or municipality engaged in the local    
distribution of natural gas to the      

public4  7j7 ,authorization of          
appropriations ,there are authorized to 
be appropriated to the ,secretary       
#bej1jjj1jjj to carry out this section  
in each fiscal year beginning in fiscal 
year #bjba and ending in fiscal year    
#bjcj4