S. 2086 

One Hundred Thirteenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and fourteen 

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. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Reliable Home Heating Act’’. 

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO EXTEND EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS FOR PURPOSES OF TEMPORARILY EXEMPTING MOTOR CARRIERS 

PROVIDING EMERGENCY RELIEF FROM CERTAIN SAFETY 

REGULATIONS. 

(a) DEFINED TERM.—In this Act, the term ‘‘residential heating 

fuel’’ includes— 

(1) heating oil; 

(2) natural gas; and 

(3) propane. 

(b) 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. 

(c) 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). 

(d) 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. 

SEC. 3. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION NOTIFICATION 

REQUIREMENT. 

The Administrator of the Energy Information Administration, 

using data compiled from the Administration’s Weekly Petroleum 
S. 2086—2 

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. 

SEC. 4. 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— 

(1) the safety implications of extending exemptions; and 

(2) 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.