,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bgac  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #d1 
#bjbe ,mr4 ,ossoff 7for himself and ,mr4
 ,cassidy7 introduced the following     
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,commerce1         
,science1 and ,transportation  ,a ,,bill
  ,to amend title #di1 ,united ,states  
,code1 to authorize the ,secretary of   
,transportation to provide grants for   
natural gas distribution pipeline       
infrastructure safety and modernization1
 and for other purposes4  #a4  ,short   
title  ,this ,act may be cited as the   
,american ,energy ,security ,act of     
#bjbe4  #b4  ,natural gas distribution  
pipeline infrastructure safety and      
modernization grants  7a7  ,in general  
,chapter #fja of title #di1 ,united     
,states ,code1 is amended by adding at  
the end the following3  #fjadd4         
,natural gas distribution pipeline      
infrastructure safety and modernization 
grants  7a7  ,in general  ,the          

,secretary may provide grants to assist 
publicly owned natural gas distribution 
pipeline systems in--  7#a7 reducing    
unintentional leaks2  7#b7 reducing     
incidents and fatalities associated with
 pipeline facility safety incidents2 and
  7#c7 accommodating the safe           
transportation of alternative energy    
sources4  7b7  ,eligible entities  ,an  
entity eligible to receive a grant under
 this section is a utility owned by--   
7#a7 a community2 or  7#b7 a            
municipality4  7c7  ,applications  ,an  
eligible entity desiring a grant under  
this section shall submit to the        
,secretary an application at such time1 
in such manner1 and containing such     
information as the ,secretary may       
require1 including a description of the 
projects or activities proposed to be   
funded by the grant4  7d7  ,uses  ,a    
grant provided under this section may be
 used-- 7#a7 to repair1 rehabilitate1 or
 replace a natural gas distribution     
pipeline system or portions of a natural

 gas distribution pipeline system2 or   
7#b7 to acquire equipment4  7e7         
,considerations ,the ,secretary shall   
establish procedures for awarding grants
 under this section that take into      
consideration--  7#a7 the risk profile  
of the existing pipeline system operated
 by the applicant1 including the        
presence of pipe prone to leakage2 and  
7#b7 the potential of the projects or   
activities proposed to be funded by the 
grant for--  7,a7 creating jobs2 and    
7,b7 benefitting disadvantaged rural or 
urban communities2 and  7#c7 the        
expected economic impact of1 or economic
 growth resulting from1 the projects or 
activities proposed to be funded by the 
grant4  7f7  ,limitations  7#a7  ,awards
 to a single utility  ,the ,secretary   
may not award more than #ab4e percent of
 the total amount made available to     
carry out this section to a single      
eligible entity described in subsection 
7b74  7#b7  ,administrative expenses    
,not more than #b percent of the amounts

 appropriated under subsection 7i77#a7  
for a fiscal year may be used by the    
,secretary for the administrative costs 
of carrying out this section4  7g7      
,congressional notification  ,not later 
than #c days before the date on which   
the ,secretary publishes the selection  
of projects and activities for which a  
grant will be provided under this       
section1 the ,secretary shall submit to 
the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1  
and ,transportation of the ,senate and  
the ,committee on ,transportation and   
,infrastructure of the ,house of        
,representatives a written notice that  
includes--  7#a7 a list of all          
applications reviewed by the ,secretary 
as part of the selection process2 and   
7#b7 a report that describes each       
project or activity for which a grant   
will be provided under this section for 
that round of selection4  7h7           
,additional requirements  ,each project 
or activity for which a grant is        
provided under this section shall       

achieve compliance with the applicable  
requirements of--  7#a7 title ,,vi of   
the ,civil ,rights ,act of #aifd 7#db   
,u4,s4,c4 #bjjj;d et seq472 and  7#b7   
the ,national ,environmental ,policy    
,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et   
seq474  7i7  ,funding  7#a7             
,authorization of appropriations  ,there
 is authorized to be appropriated to the
 ,secretary to carry out this section   
#bjj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years   
#bjbf through #bjbi1 to remain available
 until expended4  7#b7  ,requirement    
,any amounts used to carry out this     
section--  7,a7 shall be derived from   
general revenues2 and  7,b7 shall not be
 derived from user fees collected under 
section #fjcja4  4  7b7  ,clerical      
amendment  ,the analysis for chapter    
#fja of title #di1 ,united ,states      
,code1 is amended by adding at the end  
the following3  #fjadd4 ,natural gas    
distribution pipeline infrastructure    
safety and modernization grants4  4