One Hundred Thirteenth Congress of the United States of America
2d Session
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, the third day of January, two thousand and fourteen
S. 2086
AN ACT
To address current emergency shortages of propane and other home heating fuels and to provide greater flexibility and information for Governors to address such emergencies in the future.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Reliable Home Heating Act
.
Authority to extend emergency declarations for purposes of temporarily exempting motor carriers providing emergency relief from certain safety regulations
Defined term
In this Act, the term residential heating fuel includes—
heating oil;
natural gas; and
propane.
Authorization
If the Governor of a State declares a state of emergency caused by a shortage of residential heating fuel and, at the conclusion of the initial 30-day emergency period (or a second 30-day emergency period authorized under this subsection), the Governor determines that the emergency shortage has not ended, any extension of such state of emergency by the Governor, up to 2 additional 30-day periods, shall be recognized by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration as a period during which parts 390 through 399 of chapter III of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, shall not apply to any motor carrier or driver operating a commercial motor vehicle to provide residential heating fuel in the geographic area so designated as under a state of emergency.
Rulemaking
The Secretary of Transportation shall amend section 390.23(a)(1)(ii) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to conform to the provision set forth in subsection (b).
Savings provision
Nothing in this section may be construed to modify the authority granted to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Field Administrator under section 390.23(a) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to offer temporary exemptions from parts 390 through 399 of such title.
Energy Information Administration notification requirement
The Administrator of the Energy Information Administration, using data compiled from the Administration’s Weekly Petroleum Status Reports, shall notify the Governor of each State in a Petroleum Administration for Defense District if the inventory of residential heating fuel within such district has been below the most recent 5-year average for more than 3 consecutive weeks.
Review
Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a study of, and transmit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, a report on the impacts of safety from the extensions issued by Governors according to this Act. In conducting the study, the Secretary shall review, at a minimum—
the safety implications of extending exemptions; and
a review of the exemption process to ensure clarity and efficiency during emergencies.
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate