I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6720 
To establish the Commission on Comprehensive Strategies for the Placement 
of Natural Gas Infrastructure, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 31, 2008 
Mr. BISHOP of New York (for himself, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. HARE, Mr. HILL, 
Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. MURPHY
of Connecticut, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. 
RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. INSLEE, and Mr. FRANK of Massa-
chusetts) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To establish the Commission on Comprehensive Strategies 
for the Placement of Natural Gas Infrastructure, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Natural Gas Strategy 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE AND GOALS. 
It is the purpose of this Act to facilitate the achieve-
ment of the following Congressional goals: 
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(1) Conducting a study relating to natural gas 
infrastructure, including natural gas pipelines and 
natural gas storage infrastructure, and liquefied nat-
ural gas infrastructure in the United States, which 
shall include an examination of roles, authorities, 
and methods of assessing risks and benefits em-
ployed by United States Government agencies that 
regulate natural gas infrastructure sitings, taking 
into account considerations that are beyond the reg-
ulatory scope of the current siting agencies and an 
examination of the extent that reviews of proposed 
natural gas infrastructure projects by United States 
Government agencies are conducted in a complemen-
tary and effectively coordinated manner. 
(2) Identifying factors that are in the public in-
terest that natural gas infrastructure developers may 
not take into account in proposing specific projects, 
and that may not be adequately assessed by United 
States Government agencies reviewing natural gas 
infrastructure development proposals due to a lack 
of technical expertise or oversight authority, includ-
ing— 
(A) regional environmental impacts; 
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(B) relationship of proposed natural gas 
infrastructure developments to United States 
policies to address climate change; 
(C) relationship of proposed natural gas 
infrastructure developments with other national 
infrastructure development priorities, especially 
in the electric power sector; and 
(D) relationship of proposed natural gas 
infrastructure developments with national safe-
ty and security priorities. 
(3) Examining— 
(A) Federal, State, and local expenditures 
for water-side and land-based security for nat-
ural gas infrastructure protection, including the 
extent of such expenditures relative to the pro-
tection of other critical infrastructure (such as 
chemical facilities and chemical tankers); and 
(B) the ability of existing and traditional 
security missions of agencies involved, including 
the United States Coast Guard and State and 
local law enforcement agencies, to ensure ade-
quate security and safety of liquefied natural 
gas operations. 
(4) Understanding— 
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(A) the linkages among natural gas sup-
plies, carbon dioxide emissions, electricity sup-
ply, and electricity reliability, including the ex-
tent that United States carbon dioxide policies 
will influence the existing and anticipated de-
mand for natural gas; and 
(B) the national and regional requirements 
for natural gas supply infrastructure in light of 
other Federal policies related to carbon dioxide 
control, electricity reliability, and development 
of domestic natural gas resources. 
(5) Identifying criteria for the selection of ap-
propriate natural gas infrastructure facility locations 
that will meet national energy policy goals, ensure 
adequate natural gas supplies, can be adequately se-
cured given existing constraints on water-side and 
land-based security measures, and are environ-
mentally sound. 
SEC. 3. COMMISSION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Com-
mission on Comprehensive Strategies for the Placement 
of Natural Gas Infrastructure (in this Act referred to as 
the ‘‘Commission’’). 
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(b) PURPOSE.—The Commission shall conduct a 
comprehensive review of United States natural gas policy 
for the following purposes: 
(1) REVIEW.—Reviewing relevant analyses of 
the current and long-term natural gas policy and 
conditions in the United States. 
(2) 
IDENTIFYING
PROBLEMS.—Identifying 
problems that may threaten the security of natural 
gas infrastructure, assessing regional versus national 
economic impacts of natural gas infrastructure 
placement, and ensuring the protection of the envi-
ronment. 
(3) ANALYZING POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS.—Ana-
lyzing potential solutions to problems that threaten 
the security of natural gas infrastructure, regional 
economic security, and protection of the environ-
ment. 
(4) PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS.—Providing 
recommendations that will ensure that the United 
States natural gas policy goals, including the goals 
described in section 2, are met. 
(c) REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commis-
sion shall transmit to Congress a report on the 
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progress of United States natural gas policy toward 
meeting its long-term goals of natural gas infra-
structure, including a detailed statement of the find-
ings, conclusions, and recommendations of the Com-
mission. 
(2) 
LEGISLATIVE
LANGUAGE.—If 
a 
rec-
ommendation submitted under paragraph (1) in-
volves legislative action, the report shall include pro-
posed legislative language to carry out such action. 
(d) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall be com-
posed of 20 members of whom— 
(1) 2 shall be appointed by the Secretary of 
Transportation, 1 of whom shall be a representative 
of the Maritime Administration; 
(2) 2 shall be appointed by the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, 1 of whom shall be a represent-
ative of the United States Coast Guard; 
(3) 2 shall be appointed by the Secretary of En-
ergy, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; 
(4) 2 shall be appointed by the Secretary of 
Commerce, 1 of whom shall be a representative of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion; 
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(5) 6 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives— 
(A) 3 of whom shall be appointed in con-
sultation with the majority leader; and 
(B) 3 of whom shall be appointed in con-
sultation with the minority leader; and 
(6) 6 members shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent Pro Tempore of the Senate— 
(A) 3 of whom shall be appointed in con-
sultation with the majority leader of the Senate; 
and 
(B) 3 of whom shall be appointed in con-
sultation with the minority leader of the Senate. 
(e) CHAIRPERSON.—The members of the Commission 
shall designate a Chairperson from among its members. 
(f) DATE.—Members of the Commission shall be ap-
pointed by not later than 30 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
(g) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT.—Members shall be 
appointed for the life of the Commission. Any vacancy in 
the Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be 
filled in the same manner as the original appointment. 
(h) STAFF.— 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a 
staff headed by an Executive Director. 
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(2) STAFF APPOINTMENT.—The Executive Di-
rector may appoint such personnel as the Executive 
Director and the Commission determine to be appro-
priate. 
(3) EXPERTS
AND
CONSULTANTS.—With the 
approval of the Commission, the Executive Director 
may procure temporary and intermittent services 
under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code. 
(4) FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(A) DETAIL
OF
GOVERNMENT
EMPLOY-
EES.—Upon the request of the Commission, the 
head of any Federal agency may detail, without 
reimbursement, any of the personnel of such 
agency to the Commission to assist in carrying 
out the duties of the Commission. Any such de-
tail shall not interrupt or otherwise affect the 
civil service status or privileges of the Federal 
employee. 
(B) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—Upon the 
request of the Commission, the head of a Fed-
eral agency shall provide such technical assist-
ance to the Commission as the Commission de-
termines to be necessary to carry out its duties. 
(5) RESOURCES.—The Commission shall have 
reasonable access to materials, resources, statistical 
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data, and other information the Commission deter-
mines to be necessary to carry out its duties from 
all relevant Federal agencies. The Chairperson shall 
make requests for such access in writing when nec-
essary. 
Æ 
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