S.Amdt. 887

1. Adds Subtitle __--Transmission Facilities SEC. __. TRANSMISSION FACILITIES on page 466, line 22

   Adds a sectionPrinted page

   Inserted: Subtitle __--Transmission Facilities SEC. __. TRANSMISSION FACILITIES.

   Inserted: (a) Existing Facilities.--The Secretary of Energy (acting through the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, or the Southeastern Power Administration) may design, develop, construct, operate, and maintain, or participate with other entities in designing, developing, constructing, operating, and maintaining, an electric power transmission facility and related facilities needed to upgrade existing transmission facilities owned or operated by the applicable Federal power marketing agency if the Secretary of Energy determines that the proposed project is--

   Inserted: (1) necessary or advisable to accommodate an actual or projected increase in electric power transmission demand on, or to increase the reliability of, any part of the Federal or non-Federal electric power grid; and

   Inserted: (2) in the public interest.

   Inserted: (b) New Facilities.--The Secretary of Energy (acting through the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, or the Southeastern Power Administration) may design, develop, construct, operate, and maintain, or participate with other entities in designing, developing, constructing, operating, and maintaining, a new electric power transmission facility and related facilities located within any State in which the applicable Power Administration operates if the Secretary determines that the proposed facility--

   Inserted: (1)(A) is located in an interstate congestion area and will reduce congestion of electric transmission in interstate commerce; or

   Inserted: (B) is necessary or advisable to accommodate an actual or projected increase in demand for electric transmission capacity;

   Inserted: (2) is consistent with--

   Inserted: (A) a plan approved by the appropriate regional transmission organization, if such an organization exists and is conducting such planning functions; and

   Inserted: (B) efficient and reliable operation of the transmission grid;

   Inserted: (3) would not duplicate the functions of transmission facilities proposed to be constructed, or operated, by any other transmitting utility; and

   Inserted: (4) would be operated by or in conformance with the rules of the appropriate regional transmission organization, if such an organization exists.

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   Inserted: (c) Other Funds.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--In carrying out a project under subsection (a) or (b), the Secretary of Energy may accept and use funds contributed by another entity for the purpose of carrying out the project.

   Inserted: (2) Availability.--The funds shall be available for expenditure for the purpose of carrying out the project--

   Inserted: (A) without fiscal year limitation; and

   Inserted: (B) as if the funds had been appropriated specifically for that purpose.

   Inserted: (3) Allocation of costs.--In carrying out a project under subsection (a) or (b), any costs of the project not paid for by contributions from another entity shall be allocated equitably among the project beneficiaries, including any non-Federal project participants and existing transmission users of the applicable Federal power marketing agency.

   Inserted: (d) Relationship to Other Laws.--Nothing in this section affects any requirement of--

   Inserted: (1) any Federal environmental law, including the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); or

   Inserted: (2) any Federal or State law relating to the siting of energy facilities.

   Original wording

   On page 466, after line 22, insert the following:

Read automatically from the Congressional Record. Check the original before relying on it.

As printed