What's happening
This bill requires the State Energy Planning Board to study and report on New York's natural gas supply reliability and related issues.
Why it matters
Impacts future energy policy decisions. by requiring an independent review of New York’s natural gas reliability, potentially influencing infrastructure investment, regulatory oversight, and environmental strategies.
Directly addresses supply challenges. by mandating a detailed assessment of current and future demand, transmission needs, and the effects of system constraints on residential, commercial, and industrial consumers.
Considers environmental and economic trade-offs. by examining both the necessity for new gas infrastructure and its environmental impacts, helping policymakers weigh reliability against climate and health goals.
Brings transparency and accountability. by requiring the findings and recommendations to be reported to top state officials and legislative leaders, ensuring the study’s results can inform public debate and legislative action.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Study Natural Gas Reliability
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5076
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 8, 2019
Introduced by Sen. GRIFFO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications
AN ACT to amend the energy law, in relation to directing the state energy planning board to conduct a study of natural gas reliability
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 6-108 of the energy law is amended by adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
4. On or before January first, two thousand twenty, the board shall undertake to study the overall reliability of the state's supply of natural gas. The board shall contract with an independent and competitively selected contractor with experience in natural gas to undertake such study. The board shall prepare a report on such study's findings and legislative recommendations. The board shall transmit such report along with the reliability study to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, the temporary president of the senate, the chair and ranking minority member of the assembly energy committee and the chair and ranking minority member of the senate energy and telecommunications committee. The foregoing study shall include an assessment of the following:
(a) the need for additional transmission of natural gas in the state and to states in New England;
(b) the integrity and impacts of new natural gas infrastructure as it relates to the environment;
(c) the consequences to existing natural gas customers in the state of constraints in the natural gas delivery system;
(d) the economic demand for additional natural gas from residential, commercial, manufacturing and industrial sectors in the state; and
(e) status of and future opportunities for the implementation of natural gas expansion under public service commission proceedings and the state energy plan.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10994-02-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the energy law, in relation to direct- ing the state energy planning board to conduct a study of natural gas reliability
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill would require the New York State Energy Planning Board to undertake a study of the overall reliability of the State's supply of natural gas and to prepare a report and on such study and transmit the report and reliability study to the governor and the legislature.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one of the bill provides that before January 1, 2020, the State Energy Planning Board shall contract with an independent and competi- tively bid contractor with experience in natural gas to study the over- all reliability of the State's supply of natural gas. The study would include an assessment of the need for additional transmission of natural gas in the State and to states in New England; the integrity and impacts of new natural gas infrastructure as it relates to the environment; the consequences to existing natural gas customers in the State of constraints in the natural gas delivery system; the economic demand for additional natural gas from residential, commercial, manufacturing and industrial sectors in the State; and the status of and future opportu- nities for the implementation of natural gas expansion under public service commission proceedings and the State Energy Plan.
Section two of the bill sets forth the effective date.
Justification
The Clean Energy Standard in New York State is directed at significantly expanding the role of renewables in New York's energy market with a goal of 50% renewables by 2030. In implementing the expansion to renewables, the state should not lose focus on the importance of natural gas in generating cleaner electricity, heating homes and powering businesses in New York while providing affordable energy with a positive impact on air emissions. Natural gas is an important bridge to obtaining the goal of continued carbon reduction. The objective of the study in this bill is to refocus on the reliability of natural gas to determine if any modifi- cation is required to the State's Energy Plan. The energy sector is constantly evolving and the energy plan for natural gas should be reviewed and updated if necessary.
Reliability risks should be assessed. There are a number of commercial and industrial customers that are currently unable to access uninterrup- tible natural gas service. There are also residential customers that want to access natural gas but are unable to connect.
Pipeline development and infrastructure issues are impacting not only New York State but also New England. Constraints in the delivery system particularly in the winter months has significant price consequences. Planning for the natural gas market will help prevent polar vortex-type price spikes and place New York in a better position to transition its energy market. Natural gas provides a significant and real contribution to business and residential customers. This bill seeks to ensure that appropriate planning and actions are taken to guarantee that there is reliability in the supply of natural gas.
Prior legislative history
2017 - Passed Senate.
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.