II

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2224

To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to encourage summer

fill and fuel budgeting programs for propane, kerosene, and heating oil.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MARCH 8, 2000

Mr. JEFFORDS (for himself, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. KERRY, Mr. KENNEDY, and

Mr. LEAHY) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

A BILL

To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to encourage summer fill and fuel budgeting programs for propane, kerosene, and heating oil.

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 ‘‘Summer Fill and Fuel

5 Budgeting Act of 2000’’.

6 SEC. 2. SUMMER FILL AND FUEL BUDGETING PROGRAMS.

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Part C of title II of the Energy

8 Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6211 et seq.) is

9 amended by adding at the end the following:
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1 ‘‘SEC. 273. SUMMER FILL AND FUEL BUDGETING PRO2 GRAMS.

3 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:

4 ‘‘(1) BUDGET CONTRACT.—The term ‘budget

5 contract’ means a contract between a retailer and a

6 consumer under which the heating expenses of the

7 consumer are spread evenly over a period of months.

8 ‘‘(2) FIXED-PRICE CONTRACT.—The term

9 ‘fixed-price contract’ means a contract between a re10 tailer and a consumer under which the retailer

11 charges the consumer a set price for propane, ker12 osene, or heating oil without regard to market price

13 fluctuations.

14 ‘‘(3) PRICE CAP CONTRACT.—The term ‘price

15 cap contract’ means a contract between a retailer

16 and a consumer under which the retailer charges the

17 consumer the market price for propane, kerosene, or

18 heating oil, but the cost of the propane, kerosene, or

19 heating oil may not exceed a maximum amount stat20 ed in the contract.

21 ‘‘(b) ASSISTANCE.— At the request of the chief exec22 utive officer of a State, the Secretary shall provide infor23 mation, technical assistance, and funding—

24 ‘‘(1) to develop education and outreach pro25 grams to encourage consumers to fill their storage
3

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1 facilities for propane, kerosene, and heating oil dur2 ing the summer months; and

3 ‘‘(2) to promote the use of budget contracts,

4 price cap contracts, fixed-price contracts, and other

5 advantageous financial arrangements;

6 to avoid severe seasonal price increases for and supply

7 shortages of those products.

8 ‘‘(c) PREFERENCE.—In implementing this section,

9 the Secretary shall give preference to States that con10 tribute public funds or leverage private funds to develop

11 State summer fill and fuel budgeting programs.

12 ‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

13 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this

14 section—

15 ‘‘(1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2001; and

16 ‘‘(2) such sums as are necessary for each fiscal

17 year thereafter.

18 ‘‘(e) INAPPLICABILITY OF EXPIRATION PROVISION.—

19 Section 281 does not apply to this section.’’.

20 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of con21 tents in the first section of the Energy Policy and Con22 servation Act (42 U.S.C. prec. 6201) is amended by in23 serting after the item relating to section 272 the following:

‘‘Sec. 273. Summer fill and fuel budgeting programs.’’.

Æ