New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act

Floor Speech

NEW DIRECTION FOR ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, NATIONAL SECURITY, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to offer an amendment to H.R. 3221, to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or better known as FERC, to hold public local meetings before issuing permits or authorizations that will affect land use decisions, if that meeting is requested by local citizens.

While FERC is required to have an open comment period before they issue a rule, there is currently no mechanism right now to require that they hold a public local hearing in an affected locality.

I bring this issue to the floor today, Mr. Chairman, because my constituents who live in the community surrounding Candlewood Lake in Connecticut were unable to secure a public hearing from FERC to air their concerns regarding a shoreline management plan that would impose new hefty fees on the residents that surround that lake and enjoy that lake.

This amendment is based on a simple premise: Public policymakers cannot and should not, frankly, act without the input of citizens who will be affected by the decisions that they make.

As legislators, we know we can't simply sample public opinion by sitting in our offices here in Washington and reading the mail that may come in. We need to go back to our districts and solicit opinion there. A regulatory agency should be held to the same standard, especially in relation to hydropower assets, around which many citizens reside.

My amendment is a commonsense solution to the problem that any of us could face. It does nothing to alter or constrain the decisions that FERC may ultimately make; it just ensures the commission would hear all sides before making any determination on land use issues and ensures that our constituents' voices are heard.

Mr. Chairman, I understand that this issue may need more time for the committee.

I would be happy to yield to the chairman for a short colloquy.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. I thank the chairman.

Mr. Chairman, my intention is to withdraw this amendment. I look forward also to working with my colleagues on the greater issue of making sure that, in all cases, our constituents' voices are heard when these decisions are handed down. As we move more control over Federal power assets from States to the Federal Government, it seems that we should still have safeguards in place to make sure that local citizens' issues and concerns are taken into consideration by FERC, and I plan to continue my advocacy of that cause.

I ask unanimous consent to have the amendment withdrawn at this point.

Source