Bill > HR8715

This bill, titled the "Make DTE Pay Act," proposes to amend the Clean Air Act to increase penalties for investor-owned electric or gas utilities that raise their rates. Specifically, it adds a provision that requires the penalty assessed against such a utility for violating air quality standards to be doubled for each rate increase the utility received in the two years before the penalty was originally calculated, and for each rate increase it seeks in the two years after the penalty is assessed, regardless of whether those rate increases are approved or are still being considered by a regulatory authority. This aims to deter utilities from increasing customer costs while simultaneously failing to comply with environmental regulations.