To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a task force to analyze and assess the Aliso Canyon natural gas leak.

SA 3194. Mrs. BOXER (for herself and Mrs. Feinstein) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2953 proposed by Ms.

[[Page S500]]

Murkowski to the bill S. 2012, to provide for the modernization of the
energy policy of the United States, and for other purposes; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. ____. ALISO CANYON NATURAL GAS LEAK TASK FORCE.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) on October 23, 2015, a natural gas leak was discovered
at a well within the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage
Facility in Los Angeles County in the State of California,
and as of January 27, 2016, attempts by the Southern
California Gas Company (referred to in this section as the
``Company'') to stop the leak have not been successful;
(2) the leak appears to be caused by damage to the well
casing at approximately 500 feet underground;
(3) the Company has attempted several times to plug the
well, but as of January 28, 2016, those efforts have been
unsuccessful;
(4) many residents in the nearby community have reported
adverse physical symptoms including dizziness, nausea, and
nosebleeds as a result of the natural gas leak, and the
continuing emissions from the leak have resulted in the
relocation of thousands of people away from their homes and
livelihoods;
(5) local schools have temporarily closed, many businesses
have been negatively impacted, and regular public services
such as mail delivery have also been disrupted;
(6) more than 86,500,000 kilograms of methane, a powerful
greenhouse gas, have been emitted into the atmosphere, which
is--
(A) the equivalent of 2,200,000 metric tons of carbon
dioxide; or
(B) more greenhouse gas than 468,000 cars emit in 1 year;
(7) agencies of the State of California issued an emergency
order on December 10, 2015, prohibiting injection of natural
gas into the Aliso Canyon Storage Facility until further
authorization; and
(8) on January 6, 2016, the Governor of the State of
California declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles
County due to the Aliso Canyon natural gas leak.
(b) Establishment of Task Force.--Not later than 15 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
lead and establish an Aliso Canyon Task Force (referred to in
this section as the ``task force'').
(c) Membership of Task Force.--In addition to the
Secretary, the task force shall be composed of--
(1) 1 representative from the Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration;
(2) 1 representative from the Department of Health and
Human Services;
(3) 1 representative from the Environmental Protection
Agency;
(4) 1 representative from the Department of the Interior;
(5) 1 representative from the Department of Commerce; and
(6) 1 representative from the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
(d) Report.--
(1) Final report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the task force shall submit a final
report that contains the information described in
subparagraph (B) to--
(i) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate;
(ii) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives;
(iii) the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the
Senate;
(iv) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of
the House of Representatives;
(v) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
of the Senate;
(vi) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives;
(vii) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate;
(viii) the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the
House of Representatives;
(ix) the President; and
(x) relevant Federal and State agencies.
(B) Information included.--The report submitted under
subparagraph (A) shall include, at a minimum--
(i) an analysis and conclusion of the cause of the Aliso
Canyon natural gas leak;
(ii) an analysis of measures taken to stop the natural gas
leak, with an immediate focus on other, more effective
measures that could be taken;
(iii) an assessment of the impact of the natural gas leak
on health, safety, the environment, and the economy of the
residents and property surrounding Aliso Canyon;
(iv) an analysis of how Federal and State agencies
responded to the natural gas leak;
(v) in order to lessen the negative impacts of natural gas
leaks, recommendations on how to improve--

(I) the response to a future leak; and
(II) coordination between all appropriate Federal, State,
and local agencies in the response to the Aliso Canyon
natural gas leak and future natural gas leaks;

(vi) an analysis of the potential for a similar natural gas
leak to occur at other underground natural gas storage
facilities in the United States;
(vii) recommendations on how to prevent any future natural
gas leaks;
(viii) recommendations on whether to continue operations at
Aliso Canyon and other facilities in close proximity to
residential populations based on an assessment of the risk of
a future natural gas leak;
(ix) a recommendation on information that is not currently
collected but that would be in the public interest to collect
and distribute to agencies and institutions for the continued
study and monitoring of natural gas infrastructure in the
United States;
(x) an analysis of the impact of the Aliso Canyon natural
gas leak on wholesale and retail electricity prices; and
(xi) an analysis of the impact of the Aliso Canyon natural
gas leak on the reliability of the bulk-power system.
(2) Publication.--The final report under paragraph (1)
shall be made available to the public in an electronically
accessible format.
(3) If, before the final report is submitted under
paragraph (1) the task force finds methods to solve the
natural gas leak at Aliso Canyon; better protect the affected
communities; or finds methods to help prevent other leaks,
they must immediately issue such findings to the same
entities that are to receive the final report.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may
be necessary.
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