Senators Announce Coming Reintroduction of MPACT Act

By Joshua St.Pierre posted 03-14-2024 12:24 PM

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On March 11, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) hosted an event in Hartford, CT to announce the forthcoming, bipartisan reintroduction of the Making Pipelines Accountable to Consumers and Taxpayers Act (MPACT). If passed, the bill would ensure a more fair and equitable process for public gas utilities to engage in rate cases with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and ultimately keep energy rates lower for their customers. The MPACT Act would enact much-needed reforms to Section 5 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and grant FERC the authority to issue refunds when interstate pipeline companies charge unjust and unfair rates. According to a 2023 study by the Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA), over a five-year period, the 20 major interstate pipelines had a net over-recovery of $5.1 billion. Read more here. Senator Blumenthal and Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) plan to reintroduce the bill next week.

APGA staff and representatives from APGA-member system, Norwich Public Utilities (NPU), were invited to attend the announcement and share specifics about the importance of Section 5 reforms to public gas systems in Connecticut and across the country. APGA’s Vice President of Government Relations, Stuart Saulters, shared at the event, “The inability of federal regulators to appropriately protect consumers from unfair energy rates threatens energy affordability for Connecticut residents as well as all Americans.” Senator Blumenthal noted that the reintroduction of the MPACT Act comes at a time when millions of Americans are struggling with rising energy bills and this inconsistency in policy is “…allowing [interstate] pipeline operators to keep money that belongs to [ratepayers].”

APGA’s Vice President of Government Relations, Stuart Saulters, shared at the event, “The inability of federal regulators to appropriately protect consumers from unfair energy rates threatens energy affordability for Connecticut residents as well as all Americans.”

Stuart Saulters, Vice President of Government Relations, APGA

APGA staff have been engaging with the offices of Senator Blumenthal and Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith to assist with the reintroduction of the MPACT Act. The bill is supported by a broad group of affected stakeholders from energy supply organizations to local distribution companies (LDCs) and manufacturers. Not-for-profit public gas systems are especially relying on Congress to rectify this inconsistency in policy in order to keep energy rates reasonable for their customers. Congress must recognize the importance of protecting natural gas consumers from these overcharges and swiftly pass the MPACT Act.

That is Chris Riley. He is the Communications Manager at Norwich Public Utilties.

Chris Riley, Communications Manager, Norwich Public Utilities

APGA staff will continue working with offices in the Senate and House as we approach reintroduction and will update APGA members when appropriate.

For questions on this article, please contact Joshua St.Pierre of APGA staff by phone at 202-407-0015 or by email at jstpierre@apga.org.

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