[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2181 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2181
To require the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study to determine the
feasibility and effectiveness of establishing a national strategic
propane reserve.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 26 (legislative day, June 24), 2025
Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Daines) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study to determine the
feasibility and effectiveness of establishing a national strategic
propane reserve.
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 ``Securing Our Propane Supply Act''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY STUDY ON ESTABLISHING NATIONAL STRATEGIC
PROPANE RESERVE.
(a) Study.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation
with the Administrator of the Energy Information
Administration, shall complete a study to determine the
feasibility and effectiveness of establishing a national
strategic propane reserve, separate from the Strategic
Petroleum Reserve established under part B of title I of the
Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6231 et seq.).
(2) Elements.--The study under paragraph (1) shall
include--
(A) an assessment of the current state of the
propane supply chain in the United States to meet
current and forecasted consumer demands;
(B) an assessment of the risks of regional propane
supply disruptions, including--
(i) past causes of disruptions;
(ii) possible causes of disruptions in the
future; and
(iii) whether disruptions justify the
establishment of a national strategic propane
reserve;
(C) an evaluation of--
(i) appropriate and most suitable locations
for a strategic propane reserve;
(ii) the quantity of propane storage that
would be appropriate at each such location; and
(iii) the suitability of existing
infrastructure to facilitate transportation and
delivery of propane from a strategic propane
reserve during a drawdown;
(D) an evaluation of the additional infrastructure
needed for a strategic propane reserve to function
properly;
(E) consideration of the means by which a strategic
propane reserve would prevent and manage degradation of
the propane in storage;
(F) an evaluation of appropriate triggers
(including price and supply) for making available
propane from a strategic reserve;
(G) an evaluation of the appropriate manner of
acquiring propane and propane storage for a strategic
reserve, while minimizing market implications,
including an assessment of--
(i) unutilized and under-utilized storage;
and
(ii) new storage opportunities;
(H) an evaluation of the appropriate transactions
(including direct sales, exchanges, or other options)
for delivering propane in a strategic reserve to the
market when a release is triggered;
(I) an evaluation of likely consumers (including
individuals, agricultural producers, and the Armed
Forces) of propane from a strategic reserve,
including--
(i) identification and categorization of
those consumers;
(ii) a State-by-State breakdown of propane
usage by those consumers; and
(iii) an evaluation of the expected impacts
of a strategic propane reserve on those
categories of consumers and States;
(J) an evaluation of the market implications of
establishing and administering a strategic propane
reserve, including an assessment of potential price and
supply effects; and
(K) identification, preliminary assessment, and
evaluation of alternatives to a strategic propane
reserve that could provide supply and price relief
during regional propane supply disruptions.
(3) Recommendations.--In conducting the study under this
subsection, the Secretary of Energy shall develop
recommendations with respect to each element of the study
described in paragraph (2) regarding--
(A) whether a national strategic propane reserve
should be established; and
(B) if such a reserve should be established, the
most practicable method of establishment.
(b) Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of completion of
the study under subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall develop a
plan for implementing the recommendations developed under paragraph (3)
of that subsection.
(c) Industry Coordination.--In conducting the study under
subsection (a) and developing the plan under subsection (b), the
Secretary of Energy is encouraged to coordinate with entities in the
propane industry, including representatives from the entire propane
supply chain.
(d) Submission to Congress.--The Secretary of Energy shall submit
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a
report describing--
(1) the study completed under subsection (a); and
(2) the plan developed under subsection (b).
(e) Protection of National Security Information.--Before submitting
the report under subsection (d), or otherwise publishing the study
completed under subsection (a) or the plan developed under subsection
(b), the Secretary of Energy shall adopt such procedures with respect
to confidentiality (including procedures for redaction of information)
as the Secretary determines to be necessary to ensure the protection of
classified information relating to specific vulnerabilities to United
States energy security or reliability.
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