Environmental Compliance Cost Transparency Act of 2018

To provide for transparency and reporting related to direct and indirect costs incurred by the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, and the Southeastern Power Administration related to compliance with any Federal environmental laws impacting the conservation of fish and wildlife, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Environmental Compliance Cost Transparency Act of 2018 2. Transparency and reporting (a) Information included in monthly billing to power customers The Administrators of each of the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, and the Southeastern Power Administration shall include in monthly billings sent to each of their power customers information estimating and reporting all costs and factors affecting total power costs, including the costs of the customer’s share of the direct and indirect costs that are incurred by the administration related to compliance with any Federal environmental laws impacting the conservation of fish and wildlife considered by the Administrator concerned, at that Administrator’s sole discretion after consultation with consumers, to be relevant. (b) Direct costs Direct costs reported under this section shall include Federal agency obligations related to costs of studies; capital, operation, maintenance, and replacement costs; and staffing costs. (c) Indirect costs Indirect costs reported under this section shall include foregone generation (including as a result of water lost to comply with any Federal environmental laws impacting the conservation of fish and wildlife), and replacement power costs, including the net costs of any transmission. (d) Coordination The Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation and the head of any other affected Federal agency shall assist the Administrators with the identification of the costs. (e) Report No later than January 30 of each year, each of the Administrators referred to in subsection (a), in coordination with the Bureau of Reclamation and other affected Federal agencies, shall provide an annual report to the appropriate committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate that includes— (1) all estimated costs and factors affecting total power costs, including estimates of the total direct and indirect costs that are incurred by the administration related to compliance with any Federal environmental laws impacting the conservation of fish and wildlife considered by the Administrator concerned, at that Administrator’s sole discretion after consultation with consumers, to be relevant; and (2) the sources of replacement power. September 20, 2018 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Environmental Compliance Cost Transparency Act of 2018 This bill requires the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, and the Southeastern Power Administration to include in monthly billing statements sent to each customer estimates of the customer's share of such administration's direct and indirect costs for compliance with any relevant federal environmental laws impacting the conservation of fish and wildlife. Each administration must report each year on: (1) estimated costs and factors affecting total power costs, including total direct and indirect compliance costs; and (2) sources of replacement power.