To require a report from the Secretary of Energy on natural gas supplies and demand.

Page 52, after line 22, insert:

“SECTION . NATURAL GAS SUPPLY SHORTAGE REPORT.

“(a) Report.--Not later than six months after the date of enactment of this act, the Secretary of Energy (“Secretary”) shall submit to the Congress a report on natural gas supplies and demand. In preparing the report, the Secretary shall consult with experts in natural gas supply and demand as well as representatives of State and local units of government, tribal organizations, and consumer and other organizations. As the Secretary deems advisable, the Secretary may hold public hearings and provide other opportunities for public comment. The report shall contain recommendations for federal actions that, if implemented, will result in a balance between natural gas supply and demand at a level that will ensure, to the maximum extend practicable, achievement of the objectives established in subsection (b).

“(b) Objectives of Report.--In preparing the report, the Secretary shall seek to develop a series of recommendations that will result in a balance between natural gas supply and demand adequate to--

“(1) provide residential consumers with natural gas at reasonable and stable prices;

“(2) accommodate long-term maintenance and growth of domestic natural gas dependent industrial, manufacturing and commercial enterprises;

“(3) facilitate the attainment of natural ambient air quality standards under the Clean Air Act;

“(4) permit continued progress in reducing emissions associated with electric power generation; and

“(5) support development of the preliminary phases of hydrogen-based energy technologies

“(c) Contents of Report.--The report shall provide a comprehensive analysis of natural gas supply and demand in the United States for the period from 2004 to 2015. The analysis shall include, at a minimum,--

“(1) estimates of annual domestic demand for natural gas that takes into account the effect of federal policies and actions that are likely to increase and decrease demand for natural gas;

“(2) projections of annual natural gas supplies, from domestic and foreign sources, under existing federal policies;

“(3) an identification of estimated natural gas supplies that are not available under existing federal policies;

“(4) scenarios for decreasing natural gas demand and increasing natural gas supplies comparing relative economic and environmental impacts of federal policies that--

“(A) encourage or require the use of natural gas to meet air quality, carbon dioxide emission reduction, or energy security goals;

“(B) encourage or require the use of energy sources other than natural gas, including coal, nuclear and renewable sources;

“(C) support technologies to develop alternative sources of natural gas and synthetic gas, including coal gasification technologies;

“(D) encourage or require the use of energy conservation and demand side management practices; and

“(E) affect access to domestic natural gas supplies; and

“(5) recommendations for federal actions to achieve the objectives of the report, including recommendations that--

“(A) encourage or require the use of energy sources other than natural gas, including coal, nuclear and renewable sources;

“(B) encourage or require the use of energy conservation or demand side management practices;

“(C) support technologies for the development of alternative sources of natural gas and synthetic gas, including coal gasification technologies; and

“(D) will improve access to domestic natural gas supplies.”.