I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2818 

To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program for States 

to offset incremental rate increases paid by low-income households resulting from the implementation of infrastructure programs that are designed 

to accelerate the necessary replacement, repair, or maintenance of natural 

gas distribution systems, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 22, 2021 

Ms. SHERRILL (for herself and Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER) introduced the 

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

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant 

program for States to offset incremental rate increases 

paid by low-income households resulting from the implementation of infrastructure programs that are designed 

to accelerate the necessary replacement, repair, or maintenance of natural gas distribution systems, and for other 

purposes. 

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 ‘‘Mitigate Methane Now 

5 Act’’. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 2818 IH

1 SEC. 2. IMPROVING THE NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION SYS2 TEM. 

3 (a) PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Energy shall estab4 lish a grant program to provide financial assistance to 

5 States to offset the incremental rate increases paid by low6 income households resulting from the implementation of 

7 infrastructure replacement, repair, and maintenance pro8 grams that are approved by the rate-setting entity and de9 signed to accelerate the necessary replacement, repair, or 

10 maintenance of natural gas distribution systems. 

11 (b) DATE OF ELIGIBILITY.—Awards may be provided 

12 under this section to offset rate increases described in sub13 section (a) occurring on or after the date of enactment 

14 of this Act. 

15 (c) PRIORITIZATION.—The Secretary shall collabo16 rate with States to prioritize the distribution of grants 

17 made under this section. At a minimum, the Secretary 

18 shall consider prioritizing the distribution of grants to 

19 States which have— 

20 (1) authorized or adopted enhanced infrastruc21 ture replacement programs or innovative rate recov22 ery mechanisms, such as infrastructure cost trackers 

23 and riders, infrastructure base rate surcharges, de24 ferred regulatory asset programs, and earnings sta25 bility mechanisms; and 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 2818 IH

1 (2) a viable means for delivering financial as2 sistance to low-income households. 

3 (d) AUDITING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 

4 The Secretary shall establish auditing and reporting re5 quirements for States with respect to the performance of 

6 eligible projects funded pursuant to grants awarded under 

7 this section. 

8 (e) PREVAILING WAGES.—All laborers and mechanics 

9 employed by contractors or subcontractors in the perform10 ance of construction, alteration, or repair work assisted, 

11 in whole or in part, by a grant under this section shall 

12 be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on 

13 similar construction in the locality as determined by the 

14 Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of 

15 chapter 31 of title 40. With respect to the labor standards 

16 in this subsection, the Secretary of Labor shall have the 

17 authority and functions set forth in Reorganization Plan 

18 Numbered 14 of 1950 (64 Stat. 1267; 5 U.S.C. App.) and 

19 section 3145 of title 40. 

20 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

21 (1) INNOVATIVE RATE RECOVERY MECHA22 NISMS.—The term ‘‘innovative rate recovery mecha23 nisms’’ means rate structures that allow State public 

24 utility commissions to modify tariffs and recover 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 2818 IH

1 costs of investments in utility replacement incurred 

2 between rate cases. 

3 (2) LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLD.—The term 

4 ‘‘low-income household’’ means a household that is 

5 eligible to receive payments under section 2605(b)(2) 

6 of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 

7 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8624(b)(2)). 

8 (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

9 are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 

10 out this section $250,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2022 

11 through 2031. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS