,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cigf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #c1 #bjbf,mr4 ,markey 7for himself and ,mr4 ,merkley7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to interconnect the ,electric ,reliability ,council of ,texas to its neighbors1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,connect the ,grid ,act of #bjbf4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,abandoned mine land ,the term abandoned mine land means land1 water1 or a watershed that is contaminated or scarred by extraction1 beneficiation1 or processing of ores or minerals 7which may include phosphate1 but does not include coal74 7#b7 ,brownfield site ,the term brownfield site has the meaning given the term in section #aja of the ,comprehensive ,environmental ,response1 ,compensation1 and ,liability ,act of #aihj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ifja74 7#c7 ,commission ,the term ,commission means the ,federal ,energy ,regulatory ,commission4 7#d7 ,electric ,reliability ,organization ,the term ,electric ,reliability ,organization has the meaning given the term in section #bae7;a7 of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdo7a774 7#e7 ,environmental justice community ,the term environmental justice community means a community with significant representation of communities of color1 low-income communities1 or ,tribal and ,indigenous communities that experiences1 or is at risk of experiencing1 higher or more adverse human health or environmental effects4 7#f7 ,,ercot ,the term ,,ercot means the ,electric ,reliability ,council of ,texas4 7#g7 ,grid-enhancing technology ,the term grid-enhancing technology means a solution that increases the transfer capability of high-voltage transmission facilities4 7#h7 ,,miso ,the term ,,miso means the ,midcontinent ,independent ,system ,operator transmission organization4 7#i7 ,national ,priorities ,list ,the term ,national ,priorities ,list means the ,national ,priorities ,list developed by the ,president in accordance with section #aje7;a77#h77;,b7 of the ,comprehensive ,environmental ,response1 ,compensation1 and ,liability ,act of #aihj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ifje7;a77#h77;,b774 7#aj7 ,registered apprenticeship program ,the term registered apprenticeship program means an apprenticeship program registered under the ,act of ,august #af1 #aicg 7commonly known as the ,national ,apprenticeship ,act2 #ej ,stat4 #ffd1 chapter #ffc2 #bi ,u4,s4,c4 #ej et seq471 that meets the standards of subpart ,a of part #bi1 and part #cj1 of title #bi1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or successor regulations74 7#aa7 ,reliability standard ,the term reliability standard has the meaning given the term in section #bae7;a7 of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdo7a774 7#ab7 ,,spp ,the term ,,spp means the ,southwest ,power ,pool transmission organization4 7#ac7 ,total transfer capability ,the term total transfer capability has the meaning given the term in section #cg4f7;b77#a77vi7 of title #ah1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7as in effect on the date of enactment of this ,act74 7#ad7 ,transmission facility ,the term transmission facility means a facility that is used for the transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce1 including a transmission line4 7#ae7 ,transmission organization ,the term transmission organization has the meaning given the term in section #bae7;a7 of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdo7a774 7#af7 ,tribal and ,indigenous community ,the term ,tribal and ,indigenous community means a population of people who are members of-- 7,a7 a federally recognized ,indian ,tribe2 7,b7 a ,state-recognized ,indian ,tribe2 7,c7 an ,alaska ,native or ,native ,hawaiian community or organization2 or 7,d7 any other community of ,indigenous people located in a ,state4 7#ag7 ,tribal government ,the term ,tribal government means the governing body of an ,indian ,tribe4 7#ah7 ,western ,interconnection ,the term ,western ,interconnection means the synchronously operated electric transmission grid located in the western part of ,north ,america1 including parts of ,montana1 ,nebraska1 ,new ,mexico1 ,south ,dakota1 ,texas1 ,wyoming1 and ,mexico1 and all of ,arizona1 ,california1 ,colorado1 ,idaho1 ,nevada1 ,oregon1 ,utah1 ,washington1 and the ,canadian ,provinces of ,british ,columbia and ,alberta4 #c4 ,jurisdiction with respect to ,,ercot 7a7 ,application of part ,,ii of the ,federal ,power ,act ,section #bja7;b77#b7 of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbd7;b77#b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in the first sentence1 by striking section #bja7;f7 and inserting subsection 7f72 and 7#b7 in the second sentence-- 7,a7 by striking #baj1 #baa1 #baa;,a1 #bab12 and 7,b7 by striking an electric utility or other entity and inserting any entity that is otherwise exempt under subsection 7f74 7b7 ,definition of public utility ,section #bja7;e7 of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbd7;e77 is amended by striking #baj1 #baa1 #baa;,a1 #bab14 7c7 ,repeal of ,,ercot ,exemptions 7#a7 ,section #bab of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdk7 is amended by striking subsection 7k74 7#b7 ,section #baf of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdp7 is amended by striking subsection 7k74 7#c7 ,section #bag of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdq7 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking subsection 7h72 and 7,b7 by redesignating subsections 7i7 through 7k7 as subsections 7h7 through 7j71 respectively4 7#d7 ,section #bbj of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdt7 is amended by striking subsection 7f74 7d7 ,technical conference ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,commission shall convene a technical conference to assist entities affected by the amendments made by this section with compliance with any requirements made applicable to those entities pursuant to those amendments1 including by publishing the steps necessary for such compliance4 #d4 ,electric reliability 7a7 ,amendments ,section #bae of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdo7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a77#c71 in the second sentence1 by striking enlarge such facilities or to construct new transmission capacity or generation capacity and inserting construct new generation capacity2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7i77#b71 by striking or transmission4 7b7 ,reliability standard for total transfer capability 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #cj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,commission shall order the ,electric ,reliability ,organization to submit to the ,commission a proposed reliability standard that requires minimum total transfer capability of-- 7,a7 between #d4c and #ab4f gigawatts between the area under functional control of ,,ercot and the area under functional control of ,,spp2 7,b7 between #b4e and #af4b gigawatts between the area under functional control of ,,ercot and the area under functional control of ,,miso2 and 7,c7 between #b4f and #g4i gigawatts between the area under functional control of ,,ercot and the ,western ,interconnection4 7#b7 ,contents ,the ,commission may only approve a proposed reliability standard described in paragraph 7#a7 if that reliability standard-- 7,a7 requires minimum total transfer capability as described in paragraph 7#a72 and 7,b7 requires each of ,,ercot and ,,spp1 ,,ercot and ,,miso1 and ,,ercot and #a or more neighboring balancing authorities in the ,western ,interconnection 7as determined by the ,electric ,reliability ,organization7 to jointly submit1 not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 a plan that-- 7i7 designates #a or more entities to site and construct new transmission facilities1 or modify existing transmission facilities1 to achieve the applicable minimum total transfer capability2 and 7ii7 includes a timeline for that siting and construction or modification1 which timeline shall include that such siting and construction or modification be completed by ,january #a1 #bjce4 7#c7 ,priority ,any plan for the siting and construction or modification of transmission facilities described in paragraph 7#b77;,b7 shall prioritize-- 7,a7 the use of grid-enhancing technologies2 7,b7 the use of existing rights-of-ways1 such as highways and railroads1 to site and construct new transmission facilities2 7,c7 the siting and construction of new transmission facilities on degraded land1 including sites on the ,national ,priorities ,list1 brownfield sites1 landfills1 abandoned mine land1 and contaminated or abandoned agricultural land2 7,d7 the siting and construction of new transmission facilities in a manner that expands access to renewable energy sources1 including wind1 solar1 and geothermal sources2 7,e7 providing meaningful community involvement opportunities1 including by conducting outreach to-- 7i7 environmental justice communities1 including by conducting planning meetings1 set at times and places to maximize the number of community members who can conveniently attend1 with appropriate services1 including translation and interpreting services and virtual attendance1 in those environmental justice communities2 7ii7 ,tribal and ,indigenous communities2 7iii7 ,tribal governments2 and 7iv7 relevant labor organizations2 and 7,f7 the use of registered apprenticeship programs and prevailing wages1 as determined by the ,secretary of ,labor in accordance with subchapter ,,iv of chapter #ca of title #dj1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#d7 ,environmental review ,any project to site1 construct1 or modify transmission facilities that is conducted to comply with the reliability standard described in paragraph 7#a7 shall be subject to the requirements of the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 and the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeca et seq474 7#e7 ,savings provision ,nothing in this subsection overrides or inhibits the authority of the ,commission to require minimum interregional transfer between regions in a pair or grouping of regions other than a pair or grouping of regions described in subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 or 7,c7 of paragraph 7#a74 7c7 ,consideration for national interest electric transmission corridors ,in carrying out section #baf of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdp71 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 section4 #e4 ,increased borrowing authority under the ,transmission ,facilitation ,program ,section #djajf7;d77#b7 of the ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahgac7;d77#b77 is amended by striking #b1ejj1jjj1jjj and inserting #ac1ejj1jjj1jjj4 #f4 ,study and report on benefits of interconnection with ,mexico 7a7 ,definition of covered facility ,in this section1 the term covered facility means a facility for the generation1 transmission1 or sale of electric energy4 7b7 ,study and report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,energy shall conduct a study and submit to ,congress a report on-- 7#a7 the reliability1 climate1 and cost benefits of the interconnection of covered facilities in the ,united ,states with covered facilities in ,mexico2 and 7#b7 the siting and construction1 or modification1 of covered facilities that will bring the most cumulative benefits4