I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6473 
To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to modify the conditions 
for the release of products from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve 
Account, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 10, 2008 
Mr. HODES (for himself, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. KANJORSKI, Mr. 
HINCHEY, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. SESTAK, 
Mr. DELAHUNT, and Mr. WELCH of Vermont) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and 
in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to modify 
the conditions for the release of products from the 
Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve Account, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. RELEASE OF PRODUCTS FROM NORTHEAST 
HOME HEATING OIL RESERVE ACCOUNT. 
Section 183 of the Energy Policy and Conservation 
Act (42 U.S.C. 6250b) is amended by striking subsection 
(a) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) FINDINGS.— 
‘‘(1) OPTIONAL RELEASES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph 
(2), the Secretary may sell products from the 
Reserve only on a finding by the President 
that— 
‘‘(i) there is a severe energy supply 
interruption; or 
‘‘(ii) the price of home heating oil 
threatens the health and safety of resi-
dents of the Northeast. 
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENT.—The President may 
make a finding under subparagraph (A) only if 
the President determines that— 
‘‘(i) a dislocation in the heating oil 
market has resulted from an interruption 
described in subparagraph (A)(i); 
‘‘(ii) the price of home heating oil has 
increased by such an extent that the 
Northeast is experiencing, or will experi-
ence, an emergency situation that threat-
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ens the safety and health of residents of 
the Northeast; or 
‘‘(iii)(I) a circumstance (other than a 
circumstance described in clause (i) or (ii)) 
exists that constitutes a regional supply 
shortage of significant scope and duration; 
and 
‘‘(II) action taken under this section 
would assist directly and significantly in 
reducing the adverse impact of the short-
age. 
‘‘(2) MANDATORY RELEASES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—For each fiscal year, 
the Secretary shall sell— 
‘‘(i) 20 percent of the quantity of 
products in the Reserve as of November 1 
of that fiscal year, on a finding by the 
President that the average retail price of 
No. 2 heating oil in the Northeast (as re-
ported in the retail price data of the En-
ergy Information Administration for the 
Northeast) is equal to or more than $4.00 
per gallon on November 1 of that fiscal 
year; 
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