I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9957 

To direct the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study of the feasibility 

of establishing a refined fuel storage reserve in the Western United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 11, 2024 

Mr. CURTIS (for himself, Ms. MALOY, Mr. MOORE of Utah, and Mr. OWENS) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study of 

the feasibility of establishing a refined fuel storage reserve in the Western United States. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Western Refined Fuel 

5 Reserve Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. WESTERN REFINED FUEL STORAGE RESERVE 

7 STUDY. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 

9 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy, 


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1 in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security 

2 and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Manage3 ment Agency, and other stakeholders, shall complete a 

4 study, subject to subsection (b), to guide the establishment 

5 of a Western refined fuel storage reserve in— 

6 (1) one of the Western States; 

7 (2) a salt cavern formation; and 

8 (3) to the maximum extent practicable, a cen9 tralized location among the Western States with im10 mediate and reliable connectivity to existing rail and 

11 highway infrastructure. 

12 (b) CONTENTS.—The study under subsection (a) 

13 shall include— 

14 (1) an examination of— 

15 (A) potential locations that a Western re16 fined fuel storage reserve may be established, 

17 taking into consideration the unique geography 

18 of the West; 

19 (B) specific infrastructure requirements for 

20 the establishment and operation of a Western 

21 refined fuel storage reserve, taking into consid22 eration the lack of pipeline infrastructure and 

23 connectivity between refinery hubs and major 

24 cities within the Western States; 


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1 (C) the vulnerability of the refined fuel 

2 supply chains to natural or manmade disasters 

3 that result in an extended disruption of refinery 

4 operations within the Western States; 

5 (D) the economic feasibility of establishing, 

6 operating, and maintaining a Western refined 

7 fuel storage reserve; 

8 (E) existing salt cavern formations in 

9 Western States that are actively hosting or 

10 could host a refined fuel storage reserve; and 

11 (F) the quantity and scale of existing re12 fined fuel storage reserves containing petroleum 

13 products within the Western States; and 

14 (2) the identification of potential additional 

15 benefits to the energy security or emergency pre16 paredness of the United States by establishing a 

17 Western refined fuel storage reserve, including— 

18 (A) economic benefits of any identified po19 tential Western refined fuel storage reserve site; 

20 and 

21 (B) emergency response advantages of an 

22 identified refined fuel storage reserve. 

23 (c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 60 days 

24 after the date on which the Secretary of Energy completes 

25 the study under subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy 


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1 shall, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Se2 curity and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 

3 Management Agency, submit to Congress a report, based 

4 on the results of such study— 

5 (1) recommending, with respect to authorizing 

6 and funding the establishment of a Western refined 

7 fuel storage reserve as a part of the Strategic Petro8 leum Reserve system— 

9 (A) regulatory requirements for the poten10 tial establishment of such refined fuel storage 

11 reserve; 

12 (B) a location for established such refined 

13 fuel storage reserve; 

14 (C) the utilization of existing private sector 

15 facilities, if applicable, for the establishment of 

16 such refined fuel storage reserve; 

17 (D) how such a refined fuel storage reserve 

18 should be operated, such as what fuels and 

19 quantities should be stored, fuel purchases, con20 ditions triggering fuel withdrawals, and any 

21 other operational recommendations; and 

22 (E) strategies for partnering with other 

23 Federal agencies, States, and local governments 

24 to provide fuel storage for emergency uses in 

25 the Western United States; and 


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1 (2) on the projected costs of establishing a 

2 Western refined fuel storage reserve. 

3 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

4 (1) PETROLEUM PRODUCT.—The term ‘‘petro5 leum product’’ has the meaning given such term in 

6 section 3 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act 

7 (42 U.S.C. 6202). 

8 (2) REFINED FUEL STORAGE RESERVE.—The 

9 term ‘‘refined fuel storage reserve’’ means a storage 

10 facility that— 

11 (A) is a salt cavern formation; and 

12 (B) stores refined petroleum products. 

13 (3) STORAGE FACILITY.—The term ‘‘storage fa14 cility’’ has the meaning given such term in section 

15 152 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 

16 U.S.C. 6232). 

Æ 


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