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TheWeekInCongress.com (TM) Week Ending August 3, 2007
H.R.3221 Moving the United States toward greater energy independence and security, developing innovative new technologies, reducing carbon emissions, creating green jobs, protecting consumers, increasing clean renewable energy production, and modernizing our energy infrastructure.
A combination of bills already passed by the 110th Congress House of Representatives and some from the 109th Congress make up this bill that looks towards renewable energy sources, easing climate change and pollution, and improving the energy infrastructure.
Carbon-based renewable energy production is inspired by a government intention to purchase biobased energy products, more funds to develop and build bio-refineries and a Agricultural Energy Council that will oversee and coordinate those efforts at the Department of Agriculture and beyond. Forest and marine biomass are among subjects open to research and evaluation. Other sources of cleaner energy, geothermal, wind and solar are to be explored and expanded. Geothermal projects are funded, including capturing the energy from existing oil and gas fields, and requiring an evaluation of potential environmental impacts from extracting that energy. Thermal energy is approached with grants to research efficient ways of storing that energy so to switch to and from standard electric to solar generated electric relating to peak usage needs.
Energy use and production still produces carbon dioxide, the discharge considered to increase global climate change. Recent insights that the CO2 could be captured and stored, primarily underground, are to be further explored along with research into reducing those emissions or reusing the compound after it is captured. The Secretary of energy will implement no less than 7 projects to explore carbon capture preferring “test projects from industrial and coal-fired electric generation facilities that would facilitate the creation of an integrated system of capture, transportation and storage of carbon dioxide.” Language in the bill indicates that future carbon capture may involve the government purchasing CO2 from companies that create and discharge it in the process of creating energy or other industrial of manufacturing efforts.
Energy created from renewable or other sources must be delivered to the consumer. The bill includes previously passed language that moves to explore use of bio-based fuels for trains and marine vessels as well as automobiles. Problems with delivering bio-based fuels such as Ethanol are explored and a plan for a national infrastructure to deliver to the pump, and so the consumer, is required. In the case of transportation or domestic fuels, the infrastructure to be developed would begin with delivering the raw products to the refineries, pipeline, surface or marine transportation of the product to central distribution, delivery to the retail outlet and the technology necessary to discharge the energy to the consumers.
Electric energy delivery is to be made more reliable and more secure by further development of the concept of the Smart Grid, a combination of technological improvements over the existing patchwork electric grid that would better manage energy distribution and flow and delivery and remove or eliminate unfair product pricing based on demand.
Energy efficiency is promoted in the bill at a residential, commercial, industrial and government building level. The bill goes into great detail on requirements to increase energy use efficiency for numerous products ranging from toasters to hot water heaters, air conditioners, washing machines and other commonly used consumer products. The government is required to purchase energy efficient products.
International cooperation on energy use and pollution begins with the establishment of US policy, “To promote United States and global security through leadership in cooperation with other nations of the global effort to reduce and stabilize global greenhouse gas emissions and stabilize atmospheric concentration of such gases” and the creation of the Office on Global Climate Change at the department of State. The Office would be headed by an Energy Ambassador-at-large who would represent the US internationally on energy matters.
Much attention is given to grants and loans to foreign countries to help them develop less polluting energy and uses as well as private sector stimulation to invest in foreign country infrastructure and resources.
A somewhat circuitous arrangement with Israel is included in the bill at $20 million. The provision seems to fund an existing energy-research relationship based on a need due to US reliance on foreign oil, the relationship of US petro-dollars and terrorist funding and common goals of democracy and human rights. A four person commission would be created including two Israelis and two Americans.
Other provisions in the bill include previously passed legislation that would prohibit the government from entering into any leases with companies for exploration of oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico until those companies agree to revise earlier contracts that inadvertently limited the amount of revenues they owed on extracting the commodities.
Sponsor: Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-8th) Vote: Passed the House Aug. 4, 2007 241 to 172 RC 832. The motion to recommit the bill failed 169 to 244 RC 831. The motion to recommit the bill The motion to recommit the bill required that the bill be reported back the the House forthwith after striking all contents of the bill and replacing them with a 340 page replacement bill. The Substitute bill's sponsor explained that the new bill opened up ANWAR for oil exploration, allows for oil and gas exploration on the US outer Continental Shelf beyond 100 miles, provides for coal to liquid energy production and alternative fuels, resites liquid natural gas facilities on the US coasts and provides for hydrogen research. Opposition to the bill held that HR 3221 is a forward looking bill due to the anticipated decline in available petroleum worldwide and allows for increased environmental protection and rejects ANWAR. The motion to recommit the bill failed 169 to 244 RC 831. Cost to the taxpayers: ## All Rights Reserved. © 2007 TheWeekInCongress.com(TM) No reproduction, language translation or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.(TM)
MORE INFORMATION TITLE II – INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE COOPERATION TITLE III – SMALL ENERGY EFFICIENT BUSINESSES TITLE IV – SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TITLE VI – CARBON NEUTRAL GOVERNMENT TITLE VII – NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE PROVISIONS TITLE VIII – TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE TITLE IX – ENERGY AND COMMERCE
TITLE I –GREEN JOBS-Energy efficiency and renewable energy worker training program GRANT PROGRAM Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall establish an energy efficiency and renewable energy worker training program. ELIGIBILITY workers affected by national energy and environmental policy individuals in need of updated training related to the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries; and veterans, or past and present members of reserve components of the Armed Forces unemployed workers individuals, including at-risk youth, seeking employment pathways out of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency; and formerly incarcerated, adjudicated, non-violent offenders. NATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAM Secretary, acting through the Bureau of Labor Statistics, where appropriate, shall collect and analyze labor market data to track workforce trends resulting from energy-related initiatives carried out under this subsection. academic and occupational competencies as well as future skill needs with respect to renewable energy and energy efficiency technology; occupational information and workforce training data collaborating with State agencies, workforce investments boards, industry, organized labor, and community and nonprofit organizations to disseminate information on successful innovations for labor market services and worker training.
Secretary shall award National Energy Training Partnerships Grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to enable such entities to carry out training that leads to economic self-sufficiency and to develop an energy efficiency and renewable energy industries workforce.
Secretary shall award competitive grants to States to enable such States to administer labor market and labor exchange information programs. The identification of job openings in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sector The administration of skill and aptitude testing and assessment for workers The counseling, case management, and referral of qualified job seekers to openings and training programs, including energy efficiency and renewable energy training programs
Secretary shall award competitive grants to States to enable such States to administer renewable energy and energy efficiency workforce development programs non-profit organizations that include equal participation from industry, including public or private nonprofit employers, and labor organizations, including joint labor-management training programs, and may include representatives from local governments, the workforce investment system, including worker investment agency one-stop career centers, community based organizations, community colleges, and other post-secondary institutions, small businesses, cooperatives, State and local veterans agencies, and veterans service organizations; Secretary shall award at least 10 competitive grants to eligible entities to enable such entities to carry out training that leads to economic self-sufficiency. priority to entities that serve individuals in families with income of less than 200 percent of the poverty threshold includes community-based non-profit organizations, educational institutions with expertise in serving low-income adults or youth, public or private employers from the industry sectors demonstrates experience in implementing and operating worker skills training and education programs priority to programs to benefit low-income workers, unemployed youth and adults, high school dropouts, or other underserved sectors of the workforce within areas of high poverty ensure that supportive services are integrated with education and training, and delivered by organizations with direct access to and experience with targeted populations; leverage additional public and private resources to fund training programs, including cash or in-kind matches from participating employers
$125,000,000 for each fiscal years,
TITLE II – INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE COOPERATION-Definitions—Congressional Findings—US policy established—Assistance to promote clean and efficient energy technologies in foreign countries--- International Green Energy Foundation---
Definitions CLEAN AND EFFICIENT ENERGY TECHNOLOGY- The term `clean and efficient energy technology' means an energy supply or end-use technology-- (A) such as-- (i) solar technology; (ii) wind technology; (iii) geothermal technology; (iv) hydroelectric technology; and (v) carbon capture technology; and (B) that, over its life cycle and compared to a similar technology already in commercial use-- (i) is reliable, affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable, and compatible with the needs and norms of the country involved; (ii) results in-- (I) reduced emissions of greenhouse gases; or (II) increased geological sequestration; and (iii) may-- (I) substantially lower emissions of air pollutants; or (II) generate substantially smaller or less hazardous quantities of solid or liquid waste.
Congressional Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) There is a global scientific consensus, as established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and confirmed by the National Academy of Sciences, that the continued build-up of anthropogenic greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has been, and is now warming the earth and threatens the stability of the global climate. By the estimate of the IPCC, unmitigated global greenhouse gas emissions could drive up global temperatures by as much as 7 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100. (2) Climate change is already having significant impacts in certain regions of the world and on many ecosystems, with poor populations being most vulnerable. (3) Climate change is a global problem that can only be managed by a coordinated global response that reduces global emissions of greenhouse gases to a level that stabilizes their concentration in the Earth's atmosphere. (4) The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (hereinafter in this section referred to as the `Convention') establishes a viable foundation to construct a global regime to combat global warming and manage its impacts. (5) The United States, along with 189 other countries, is a party to the Convention, agreed to in New York on May 9, 1992, and entered into force in 1994. The Convention's stated objective is `to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system'. (6) The Kyoto Protocol to the Convention was adopted by the third Convention Conference of the Parties (COP-3) in December 1997, in Kyoto, Japan, and stipulated legally binding reductions in greenhouse gas emissions at an average of 5.2 percent below 1990 levels for industrialized countries, but it did not specify policies for its implementation. The Kyoto Protocol also did not stipulate binding reductions in greenhouse gas emissions for rapidly industrializing countries such as China, India, and Brazil. (7) Before negotiations were completed on the mechanisms for implementing Kyoto Protocol commitments on greenhouse gas emissions, George W. Bush took office as President of the United States, and in March 2001, announced opposition to continued negotiations over implementation of the Protocol, stating that the Protocol was `fatally flawed' from the Administration's point of view. (8) President Bush unveiled an `alternative' strategy to the Kyoto Protocol for halting global warming on February 14, 2002. The President's plan did not contain any international component to amend or supplant the Kyoto Protocol or any kind of blueprint for committing major developing economies such as China, India, and Brazil to reduce future greenhouse gas emissions. The President's plan set a voluntary `greenhouse gas intensity' target for the United States that specified an 18 percent reduction in `emissions intensity' by 2012. This reduction would allow actual emissions to increase by at least 12 percent over the same period. (9) On February 16, 2005, after Russia's ratification, the Kyoto Protocol entered into force. With entry into force, the emissions targets of the Protocol became legally binding commitments for those industrialized countries that ratified the Protocol. Because the United States and Australia did not ratify the Protocol, and because developing countries are not subject to its limits, the Protocol currently restricts the emissions of countries accounting for only 32 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. (10) The Kyoto Protocol required that parties to the Protocol begin negotiating in 2005 toward a second round of commitments to begin after the expiration of the first emissions budget period in 2012. The eleventh Convention Conference of the Parties (COP-11) in November and December 2005 in Montreal, Canada launched the negotiations on the second round of commitments by parties to the Protocol and initiated a dialogue (a `parallel process') under the Convention that engaged both the United States and developing countries in discussions on future efforts. (11) At the twelfth Convention Conference of the Parties (COP-12) in November 2006 in Nairobi, Kenya, parties continued discussions on a second round of commitments under the Kyoto Protocol as a successor to the first commitment period (2008 through 2012) and, in the parallel process, discussed enhanced cooperation under the Convention that would engage countries that did not have commitments under the Protocol. (12) At a summit in Brussels, Belgium in March 2007, the head of governments of the European Union committed its Member States to cut greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and committed to move this target up to 30 percent if the United States and other major emitters joined the commitment. (13) On April 17, 2007, the United Nations Security Council held its first ever `open meeting' on the impact of climate change on international security. British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett, in her capacity as President of the Security Council, declared in her opening statement that the Council has a `security imperative' to tackle climate change because it can exacerbate problems that cause conflicts and because it threatens the entire planet. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Council that `issues of energy and climate change have implications for peace and security'. (14) Working Group III of the IPCC met from April 30 through May 4, 2007, in Bangkok, Thailand to assess technologies and policies needed to avert dangerous climate change and to provide background for negotiations on a post-2012 climate change regime. The draft report by the IPCC Working Group III concludes that by quickly adopting technological options that are available or are being developed, the global concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere can be stabilized at 450-550 parts per million (ppm). The IPCC scientists believe that a 450 to 550 ppm ceiling might limit the global rise in temperatures to no more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit and avert impacts of escalating scale, scope, and costs, potentially including the destabilization of large polar ice sheets that could contribute to long-term, catastrophic sea level rise at higher temperatures. (15) The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has indicated that one of his top goals is to forge a more comprehensive agreement under the Convention to ensure there is no gap when the first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012. In order to reach this goal, critical negotiations involving all of the major greenhouse gas emitters, along with the vulnerable countries, must be initiated immediately and be completed by 2009. On May 1, 2007, the Secretary-General named three Special Envoys on Climate Change to assist in `consultations with Governments'. The Secretary-General will host a `high-level meeting' on climate change at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2007 to give `political direction' to the thirteenth Convention Conference of the Parties (COP-13) to take place in December 2007 in Bali, Indonesia.
Congress declares the following to be the policy of the United States: (1) To promote United States and global security through leadership in cooperation with other nations of the global effort to reduce and stabilize global greenhouse gas emissions and stabilize atmospheric concentration of such gases. As such, the United States will seek to obtain mitigation commitments from all major greenhouse gas emitting countries under the institutional framework provided by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (hereinafter in this section referred to as the `Convention'). (2) To facilitate progress in global negotiations toward a comprehensive agreement under the Convention, and in service of this goal, the United States will, during the course of 2007, engage in high level dialogue on climate change within the Group of Eight (G-8), with the European Union, with Japan and other industrialized countries, and with China, India, Brazil, and other major developing countries. The United States will also participate in the initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General to build consensus among governments on enhanced international cooperation on these matters. (3) To participate more actively and constructively in the intergovernmental climate change process, including at the thirteenth Convention Conference of the Parties (COP-13) to take place in December 2007 in Bali, Indonesia. As such, at the COP-13 meeting, the United States will be represented by a high-level delegation composed of climate experts and career foreign service officers with extensive diplomatic experience, including experience in multi-lateral negotiations, headed by the Secretary of State, the Secretary's Deputy, or the Undersecretary for Global Affairs of the Department of State. (4) To engage in serious discussion of possible future commitments under the Convention. These discussions will seek to develop a plan of action and time-table with the goal of adopting a new international agreement under the Convention that stipulates commitments from all major greenhouse gas emitters, including the United States and other countries listed in Annex 1 to the Convention, China, India, and Brazil, at the fifteenth Convention Conference of the Parties (COP-15) to take place in 2009. This process will seek as its objective that a new instrument will come into force by the time the first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012. (5) To protect United States national and economic interests and United States competitiveness in all sectors by negotiating a new agreement under the Convention that is cost effective, comprehensive, flexible, and equitable. Such an agreement shall, at a minimum-- (A) require binding mitigation commitments from all major emitting countries based on their level of development; (B) provide for different forms of commitments, including economy-wide emissions targets, policy-based commitments, sectoral agreements, and no-regrets targets; (C) increase cooperation on clean and efficient energy technologies and practices; (D) target all greenhouse gases, including sources, sinks, and reservoirs of greenhouse gases, and should expand the current scope of the Kyoto Protocol and Convention to sectors not covered, such as the international aviation and maritime sectors; (E) include mechanisms to harness market-based solutions, building upon the joint implementation, clean development mechanism, and international emissions trading developed under the Protocol; (F) include incentives for sustainable forestry management that reflect the value of avoided deforestation; (G) address the need for adaptation, especially for the most vulnerable and poorest countries on the planet; (H) consider the impact on United States industry and contain effective mechanisms to protect United States competitiveness; and (I) include the perspectives and address the concerns of impacted indigenous and tribal populations. (6) To seek international consensus on long-term objectives including a target range for stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations. The target range should reflect the consensus recommendations of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scientists, who believe that concentrations of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere must be stabilized at a level that would provide a reasonable chance of limiting the rise in global temperatures to a level that might avert the most dangerous impacts of climate change.
There is established within the Department of State an Office on Global Climate Change The head of the Office shall be the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Climate Change (hereinafter in this section referred to as the `Ambassador-at-Large'). (2) APPOINTMENT- The Ambassador-at-Large shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The primary responsibility of the Ambassador-at-Large shall be to advance the goals of the United States with respect to reducing the emissions of global greenhouse gases and addressing the challenges posed by global climate change. shall be a principal adviser to the President and the Secretary of State on matters relating to global climate change; and (B) shall make recommendations to the President and the Secretary of State on policies of the United States Government with respect to international cooperation on reducing the emission of global greenhouse gases and addressing the challenges posed by global climate change.
Ambassador-at-Large is authorized to represent the United States in matters relating to global climate change in contacts with foreign governments, intergovernmental organizations, and specialized agencies of the United Nations, the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and other international organizations of which the United States is a member; and multilateral conferences and meetings relating to global climate change The Secretary of State shall provide the Ambassador-at-Large with such funds as may be necessary for the hiring of staff for the Office, the conduct of investigations by the Office, and for necessary travel
Assistance to promote clean and efficient energy technologies in foreign countries Findings—assistance for developing countries---India, China---Private sector trade and investment---OPIC---Trade Development—Global Climate exchange program---Working Group.
Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) Several provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 were designed to expand Federal programs that support renewable energy and energy efficient equipment exports and to broaden the portfolio of programs to include training and technology transfer activities that help promote development in less industrialized nations, expand global markets, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, few of the export-related provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 were implemented due to a lack of Federal funding. (2) In 2000, Congress called for several United States Governmentagencies to create an Interagency Working Group to support a Clean Energy Technology Exports Initiative to use the combined resources of various agencies to promote the export of clean energy technologies abroad. The Initiative also suffered from low levels of Federal funding and has not produced significant results. (3) Large and emerging economies, such as India and China, play significant roles in the global energy security system as large consumers of energy and should be included as member countries in the International Energy Agency to strengthen the common interest of importers in encouraging transparent energy markets and in planning for supply disruptions. (4) The challenge of energy security severely affects developing countries where over 1.6 billion people lack access to affordable energy services. In these nations, a lack of transparency and accountability creates a climate of mistrust for investors; bilateral and multilateral lending institutions do not provide sufficient incentives to companies investing in clean and efficient energy technologies; women and children suffer disproportionately due to the lack of energy services; inaccessibility of energy services impedes other development programs in education, health, agriculture, and the environment; and dependence on imported fuels leaves countries vulnerable to supply disruptions and economic shocks. (5) In addition to promoting the export of clean energy technologies, large energy-consuming economies must also have appropriate incentive systems, policy and regulatory frameworks, and investment climates in place to accept and promote the adoption of such technologies. (6) More than $16 trillion needs to be invested in energy-supply infrastructure worldwide by 2030 to meet energy demand, and almost half of total energy investment will take place in developing countries, where production and demand are expected to increase the most. (7) Public and private sector capital will be needed to fulfill future demand. The opportunity exists for public and private actors to coordinate efforts and leverage resources to direct this investment into technologies, practices, and services that promote energy efficiency, clean-energy production, and a reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions. (8) In attempting to address the global climate change challenge, the United States Government recently launched the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, which is meant to accelerate the development and deployment of clean energy technologies. However, this Partnership operates in a non-binding framework that does not require any emissions reductions from the partner countries. Assistance for developing countries The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall support policies and programs in developing countries that promote clean and efficient energy technologies to produce the necessary market conditions for the private sector delivery of energy and environmental management services; to create an environment that is conducive to accepting clean and efficient energy technologies that support the overall purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including; (A) improving policy, legal, and regulatory frameworks; (B) increasing institutional abilities to provide energy and environmental management services; and (C) increasing public awareness and participation in the decision-making of delivering energy and environmental management services; and (3) to promote the use of American-made clean and efficient energy technologies, products, and energy and environmental management services.
$200,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.
India, China The Secretary of Commerce shall direct the United States and Foreign Commercial Service to expand or create a corps of the Foreign Commercial Service officers to promote United States exports in clean and efficient energy technologies and build the capacity of government officials in India, China, and any other country the Secretary of Commerce determines appropriate, to become more familiar with the available technologies-- Private sector trade and investment The Secretary of Commerce shall direct the International Trade Administration to expand or create trade missions to and from the United States to encourage private sector trade and investment in clean and efficient energy technologies OPIC Findings- Congress finds the following: (1) Many of the emerging markets within which the Overseas Private Investment Corporation supports projects have immense energy needs and will require significant investment in the energy sector in the coming decades. (2) The use, or lack of use, of clean and efficient energy technologies can have a dramatic effect on the rate of global greenhouse gas emissions from emerging markets in the coming decades. (b) Sense of Congress- It is the sense of Congress that the Overseas Private Investment Corporation should promote greater investment in clean and efficient energy technologies by-- (1) proactively reaching out to United States companies that are interested in investing in clean and efficient energy technologies in countries that are significant contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions; (2) giving preferential treatment to the evaluation and awarding of projects that involve the investment or utilization of clean and efficient energy technologies; and (3) providing greater flexibility in supporting projects that involve the investment or utilization of clean and efficient energy technologies, including financing, insurance, and other assistance.
Trade Development The Director of the Trade and Development Agency shall establish or support policies that proactively seek opportunities to fund projects that involve the utilization of clean and efficient energy technologies, including in trade capacity building and capital investment projects give preferential treatment to the evaluation and awarding of projects that involve the utilization of clean and efficient energy technologies, particularly to countries that have the potential for significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; and recruit and retain individuals with appropriate expertise in clean, renewable, and efficient energy technologies to identify and evaluate opportunities for projects that involve clean and efficient energy technologies and services Global Climate exchange program The Secretary of State is authorized to establish a program to strengthen research, educational exchange, and international cooperation with the aim of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the challenges posed by global climate change The financing of studies, research, instruction, and other educational activities dedicated to reducing carbon emissions and addressing the challenge of global climate change by or to United States citizens and nationals in foreign universities, governments, organizations, companies, or other institutions; and by or to citizens and nationals of foreign countries in United States universities, governments, organizations, companies, or other institutions. The financing of visits and exchanges between the United States and other countries of students, trainees, teachers, instructors, professors, researchers, and other persons who study, teach, and conduct research in subjects such as the physical sciences, environmental science, public policy, economics, urban planning, and other subjects and focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the challenges posed by global climate change.
Working Group. The President shall provide assistance to the Interagency Working Group to support a Clean Energy Technology Exports Initiative-- to improve the ability of the United States to respond to international competition by leveraging the resources of Federal departments and agencies effectively and efficiently and by raising policy issues that may hamper the export of United States clean energy technologies abroad to fulfill, as appropriate, the mission and objectives as noted in the report entitled, Five-Year Strategic Plan of the Clean Energy Technology Exports Initiative, submitted to Congress in October 2002; and to raise the importance and level of oversight of the Interagency Working Group to the heads of the Federal departments and agencies that are participating in the Interagency Working Group
International Green Energy Foundation— Definitions.--Establishment and management of Foundation.---Duties of Foundation.--- Annual report.---Powers of the Foundation; related provisions---General personnel authorities.---Authorization of appropriations.
Definitions FOUNDATION- The term `Foundation' means the International Clean Energy Foundation Establishment and management of Foundation The Foundation shall be governed by a Board of Directors chaired by the Secretary of State It is the intent of Congress, in establishing the structure of the Foundation to create an entity that serves the long-term foreign policy and energy security goals of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.
The Board shall consist of-- (A) the Secretary of State (or the Secretary's designee), the Secretary of Energy (or the Secretary's designee), and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (or the Administrator's designee); and four other individuals with relevant experience in matters relating to energy security (such as individuals who represent institutions of energy policy, business organizations, foreign policy organizations, or other relevant organizations) who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,
Duties of Foundation The Foundation shall-- (1) use the funds authorized by this subtitle to make grants to promote projects outside of the United States that serve as models of how to significantly reduce the emissions of global greenhouse gases through clean and efficient energy technologies, processes, and services; (2) seek contributions from foreign governments, especially those rich in energy resources such as member countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and private organizations to supplement funds made available under this subtitle; (3) harness global expertise through collaborative partnerships with foreign governments and domestic and foreign private actors, including nongovernmental organizations and private sector companies, by leveraging public and private capital, technology, expertise, and services towards innovative models that can be instituted to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions; (4) create a repository of information on best practices and lessons learned on the utilization and implementation of clean and efficient energy technologies and processes to be used for future initiatives to tackle the climate change crisis; (5) be committed to minimizing administrative costs and to maximizing the availability of funds for grants under this subtitle; and (6) promote the use of American-made clean and efficient energy technologies, processes, and services.
Annual report Not later than March 31, 2008, and each March 31 thereafter, the Foundation shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the implementation Powers of the Foundation; related provisions The Foundation shall have perpetual succession unless dissolved by a law enacted after the date of the enactment of this Act. may make and perform such contracts, grants, and other agreements with any person or government however designated and wherever situated, as may be necessary for carrying out the functions of the Foundation may lease, purchase, or otherwise acquire, improve, and use such real property wherever situated, as may be necessary for carrying out the functions of the Foundation
General personnel authorities Detail of Personnel- Upon request of the Chief Executive Officer, the head of an agency may detail any employee of such agency to the Foundation on a reimbursable basis. Any employee so detailed remains, for the purpose of preserving such employee's allowances, privileges, rights, seniority, and other benefits, an employee of the agency from which detailed Authorization of appropriations To carry out this subtitle, there are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.
TITLE III – SMALL ENERGY EFFICIENT BUSINESSES—Findings—Loan limits---Fees---Small Business Sustainability----SBA Education----Energy Savings---Investments in Small Businesses---Renewable Fuel Capital Investment---
Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Energy efficiency is in our national interest for our long term economic well being, for the health and safety of our citizens and the world, and for our independence and security. (2) Small businesses are more efficient, nimble, and innovative than large businesses and therefore more likely to integrate and benefit from energy efficient technology advances and upgrades, but they are less likely to have the capital to institute these advances quickly. (3) The majority of businesses (two-thirds) say they have been unable to invest in comprehensive energy efficiency programs for their businesses thus far, though they know of them and believe they are effective. (4) A pilot program has demonstrated that individualized counseling and training combined with loan and grant availability and other incentives are very popular and effective in helping small businesses learn about and adopt energy conservation methods. (5) The energy saving benefit of such programs, if they can be implemented on a national basis, would contribute significantly to our energy independence and security. (6) New and emerging technologies are on the rise, and small businesses are leading the way, for example the vast majority of renewable fuels producers, such as biodiesel and ethanol, are small businesses. (7) Small businesses currently use almost half of the Nation's business related energy consumption and employ half of the Nation's workforce, yet the Energy Star program, the lead Federal energy efficiency program allocates less than 2 percent of its resources to its small business program and should allocate more to educate small businesses. (8) Therefore, it is in the national interest for the Federal Government to invest in incentives in the form of improved loan terms, additional investment inducements, and expert counseling and information to assist small businesses to develop, invest in, and purchase energy efficient buildings, equipment, fixtures, and other technology.
Eligibility for Energy Efficiency Projects must reduction of energy consumption by at least 10 percent increased use of sustainable design or low-impact design to produce buildings that reduce the use of non-renewable resources, minimize environmental impact, and relate people with the natural environment, or plant, equipment and process upgrades of renewable energy sources such as micropower or renewable fuels producers including biodiesel and ethanol producers Loans for Plant Projects Used for Energy-Efficient Purposes $4,000,000 for each project that reduces the borrower's energy consumption by at least 10 percent; $4,000,000 for each project that generates renewable energy or renewable fuels, such as biodiesel or ethanol production.
Fees The fees on the loan under paragraphs (18) and (23) shall be reduced by half Small Business Sustainability A Small Business Development Center may apply for an additional grant to carry out a small business sustainability initiative program. provide necessary support to smaller and medium-sized businesses to evaluate energy efficiency and green building opportunities, evaluate renewable energy sources such as the use of solar and small wind to supplement power consumption, secure financing to achieve energy efficiency or to construct green buildings; and empower management to implement energy efficiency projects. assist entrepreneurs with clean technology development and technology commercialization help small business improve environmental performance by shifting to less hazardous materials and reducing waste and emissions at the source, including by providing assistance for businesses to adapt the materials they use, the processes they operate, and the products and services they produce
Energy Savings
Investments in Small Businesses INVESTMENTS IN ENERGY SAVING SMALL BUSINESSES- In calculating the outstanding leverage of a company made after September 30, 2007, by a company licensed after September 30, 2007, in a smaller enterprise, to the extent that the total of such amounts does not exceed 50 percent of the company's private capital, subject to such terms as the Administrator may impose to assure no cost with respect to purchasing or guaranteeing any debenture involved.
Renewable Fuel Capital Investment The Administrator shall establish a Renewable Fuel Capital Investment Program, The purposes of the Renewable Fuel Capital Investment Program established under this part are to promote the research, development, manufacture and bringing to market of renewable energy sources by encouraging venture capital investments in smaller enterprises primarily engaged such activities; and to establish a venture capital program, with the mission of addressing the unmet equity investment needs of small enterprises engaged in researching, developing, manufacturing, and bringing to market renewable energy sources.
$15,000,000 per fiscal year
TITLE IV – SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY---Advanced Research Projects Agency---Marine Renewable energy Technologies---Geothermal Energy---Solar Energy---Biofuels—Carbon Capture and Storage----Global Change Research---Global Change Data Management
Advanced Research Projects Agency There is established the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy within the Department of Energy to overcome the long-term and high-risk technological barriers in the development of energy technologies. Goals- The goals of ARPA-E are to enhance the Nation's economic and energy security through the development of energy technologies that result in reductions of imports of energy from foreign sources, reductions of energy-related emissions including greenhouse gases, improvements in the energy efficiency of all economic sectors, and to ensure that the United States maintains a technological lead in developing and deploying energy technologies targeted acceleration of novel early-stage energy research with possible technology applications development of techniques, processes, and technologies, and related testing and evaluation research and development of manufacturing processes for novel energy technologies; and demonstration and coordination with nongovernmental entities for commercial applications of energy technologies and research applications. Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of ARPA-E for deposit in the Fund $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $1,100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, $1,200,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $1,300,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, to remain available until expended.
Marine Renewable energy Technologies The Congress finds the following: (1) The United States has a critical national interest in developing clean, domestic, renewable sources of energy in order to reduce environmental impacts of energy production, increase national security, improve public health, and bolster economic stability. (2) Marine renewable energy technologies are a nonemitting source of power production. (3) Marine renewable energy may serve as an alternative to fossil fuels and create thousands of new jobs within the United States. (4) Europe has already successfully delivered electricity to the grid through the deployment of wave and tidal energy devices off the coast of Scotland. (5) Recent studies from the Electric Power Research Institute, in conjunction with the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, have identified an abundance of viable sites within the United States with ample wave and tidal resources to be harnessed by marine power technologies. (6) Sustained and expanded research, development, demonstration, and commercial application programs are needed to locate and characterize marine renewable energy resources, and to develop the technologies that will enable their widespread commercial development. (7) Federal support is critical to reduce the financial risk associated with developing new marine renewable energy technologies, thereby encouraging the private sector investment necessary to make marine renewable energy resources commercially viable as a source of electric power and for other applications. The Secretary, in conjunction with other appropriate agencies, shall support programs of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application to expand marine renewable energy production study and compare existing marine renewable energy extraction technologies research, develop, and demonstrate advanced marine renewable energy systems and technologies reduce the manufacturing and operation costs of marine renewable energy technologies investigate efficient and reliable integration with the utility grid and intermittency issues conduct experimental and numerical modeling for optimization of marine energy conversion devices and arrays The Secretary, acting through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, shall award grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) for the establishment of 1 or more National Marine Renewable Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Centers. Purposes- The Centers shall advance research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of marine renewable energy through a number of initiatives including for the purposes described in section 4104(1) through (13), and shall serve as an information clearinghouse for the marine renewable energy industry, collecting and disseminating information on best practices in all areas related to developing and managing enhanced marine renewable energy systems resources. $50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012
Geothermal Energy The Congress finds the following: (1) The United States has a critical national interest in developing clean, domestic, renewable sources of energy in order to mitigate the causes of climate change, reduce other environmental impacts of energy production, increase national security, improve public health, and bolster economic stability. (2) Geothermal energy is a renewable energy resource. (3) Geothermal energy is unusual among renewable energy sources because of its ability to provide an uninterrupted supply of baseload electricity. (4) Recently published assessments by reputable experts, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Western Governors Association, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, indicate that the Nation's geothermal resources are widely distributed, vast in size, and barely tapped. (5) Sustained and expanded research, development, demonstration, and commercial application programs are needed to locate and characterize geothermal resources, and to develop the technologies that will enable their widespread commercial development. (6) Federal support is critical to reduce the financial risk associated with developing new geothermal technologies, thereby encouraging the private sector investment necessary to make geothermal resources commercially viable as a source of electric power and for other applications. In General- The Secretary shall support programs of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application to expand the use of geothermal energy production from hydrothermal systems The Secretary shall support a program of cost-shared field demonstration programs, to be pursued, simultaneously and independently, in collaboration with industry partners, for the demonstration of technologies and techniques of siting and exploratory drilling for undiscovered resources in a variety of geologic settings. The program shall include incentives to encourage the use of advanced technologies and techniques The Secretary shall support a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of components and systems capable of withstanding extreme geothermal environments and necessary to cost-effectively develop, produce, and monitor geothermal reservoirs and produce geothermal energy. The Secretary shall support a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of models of geothermal reservoir performance, with an emphasis on accurately modeling performance over time. Models shall be developed to assist both in the development of geothermal reservoirs and to more accurately account for stress-related effects in stimulated hydrothermal and enhanced geothermal systems production environments.
support a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of technologies and practices designed to mitigate or preclude potential adverse environmental impacts of geothermal energy development, production or use, and seek to ensure that geothermal energy development is consistent with the highest practicable standards of environmental stewardship. The Secretary shall support a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for enhanced geothermal systems. CONSIDERATION OF EXISTING SITES- The following 2 sites, where Department of Energy and industry cooperative enhanced geothermal systems projects are already underway, may be considered for inclusion among the sites selected under subparagraph (A): (i) Desert Peak, Nevada. (ii) Coso, California. In General- The Secretary shall establish a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application to support development of geothermal energy production from oil and gas fields and production and recovery of energy from geopressured resources. In addition, the Secretary shall conduct such supporting activities including research, resource characterization, and technology development as necessary. The Secretary shall implement a grant program in support of geothermal energy production from oil and gas fields. The program shall include grants for a total of not less than three demonstration projects of the use of geothermal techniques such as organic rankine cycle systems at marginal, unproductive, and productive oil and gas wells The Secretary shall award grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to establish 2 Centers for Geothermal Technology Transfer. The Secretary shall seek to award grant funding, on a competitive basis, to an institution of higher education for a geothermal-powered energy generation facility on the institution's campus. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this subtitle $90,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012
Establishment- The Secretary shall establish a program of research and development to provide lower cost and more viable thermal energy storage technologies to enable the shifting of electric power loads on demand and extend the operating time of concentrating solar power electric generating plants. The Secretary shall conduct a study on methods to integrate concentrating solar power into regional electricity transmission systems, and to identify new transmission or transmission upgrades needed to bring electricity from high concentrating solar power resource areas to growing electric power load centers throughout the United States. The Secretary shall establish in the Office of Solar Energy Technologies a competitive grant program to create and strengthen solar industry workforce training and internship programs in installation, operation, and maintenance of solar energy products. The goal of this program is to ensure a supply of well-trained individuals to support the expansion of the solar energy industry. The Secretary shall establish a program of research and development to provide assistance in the demonstration and commercial application of direct solar renewable energy sources to provide alternatives to traditional power generation for lighting and illumination, including light pipe technology, and to promote greater energy conservation and improved efficiency. All direct solar renewable energy devices supported under this program shall have the capability to provide measurable data on the amount of kilowatt-hours saved over the traditionally powered light sources they have replaced. The Secretary shall establish a research, development, and demonstration program to promote less costly and more reliable decentralized distributed solar-powered air conditioning for individuals and businesses. The Secretary shall establish a program of grants to States to demonstrate advanced photovoltaic technology
Biofuels The Secretary of Energy (in this subtitle referred to as the `Secretary'), in cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall establish a technology transfer center to make available information on research, development, and commercial application of technologies related to biofuels and biorefineries. The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation and the Assistant Administrator for Research and Development of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall carry out a program of research, development, and demonstration as it relates to existing transportation fuel distribution infrastructure and new alternative distribution infrastructure. The program shall focus on the physical and chemical properties of biofuels and efforts to prevent or mitigate against adverse impacts of those properties Corrosion of metal, plastic, rubber, cork, fiberglass, glues, or any other material used in pipes and storage tanks. `(2) Dissolving of storage tank sediments. `(3) Clogging of filters. `(4) Contamination from water or other adulterants or pollutants. (5) Poor flow properties related to low temperatures. `(6) Oxidative and thermal instability in long-term storage and use. `(7) Microbial contamination. `(8) Problems associated with electrical conductivity. `(9) Such other areas as the Secretary considers appropriate.'. The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall make publicly available the physical property data and characterization of Biodiesel. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on any research and development challenges inherent in increasing to 5 percent of the transportation fuels sold in the United States fuel with biogas or a blend of biogas and natural gas. The Secretary shall provide grants to eligible entities for research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of biofuel production technologies in States with low rates of ethanol production, including low rates of production of cellulosic biomass ethanol. Biorefinery Energy Efficiency- The Secretary shall establish a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for increasing energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption in the operation of biorefinery facilities. The Secretary shall establish a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application on technologies and processes to enable biorefineries that exclusively use corn grain or corn starch as a feedstock to produce ethanol to be retrofitted to accept a range of biomass, including lignocellulosic feedstocks.'. In General- The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, shall conduct a study of whether optimizing flexible fueled vehicles to operate using E-85 fuel would increase the fuel efficiency of flexible fueled vehicles. )In General- Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate a study on the effects of the use of biodiesel on the performance and durability of engines and engine systems. In General- The Secretary of Energy shall conduct a study of methods of increasing the fuel efficiency of vehicles using biogas by optimizing natural gas vehicle systems that can operate on biogas, including the advancement of vehicle fuel systems and the combination of hybrid-electric and plug-in hybrid electric drive platforms with natural gas vehicle systems using biogas. the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall develop standards for biofuel dispenser systems in order to promote broader biofuels adoption and utilization. the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the progress of the research and development that is being conducted on the use of algae as a feedstock for the production of biofuels.
Carbon Capture and Storage The Secretary shall carry out fundamental science and engineering research (including laboratory-scale experiments, numeric modeling, and simulations) to develop and document the performance of new approaches to capture and store carbon dioxide, or to learn how to use carbon dioxide in products to lead to an overall reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. The Secretary shall promote, to the maximum extent practicable, regional carbon sequestration partnerships to conduct geologic sequestration tests involving carbon dioxide injection and monitoring, mitigation, and verification operations in a variety of candidate geological settings. The Secretary shall conduct not less than 7 initial large-volume sequestration tests, not including the FutureGen project, for geological containment of carbon dioxide (at least 1 of which shall be international in scope) to validate information on the cost and feasibility of commercial deployment of technologies for geological containment of carbon dioxide. In the process of any acquisition of carbon dioxide for sequestration demonstrations under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall give preference to purchases of carbon dioxide from industrial and coal-fired electric generation facilities. To the extent feasible, the Secretary shall prefer test projects from industrial and coal-fired electric generation facilities that would facilitate the creation of an integrated system of capture, transportation and storage of carbon dioxide. Until coal-fired electric generation facilities, either new or existing, are operating with carbon dioxide capture technologies, other industrial sources of carbon dioxide should be pursued. `(A) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; `(B) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; `(C) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and `(D) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2011 `(3) CARBON CAPTURE- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out subsection (c)(4)-- `(A) $180,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; `(B) $180,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; `(C) $180,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and `(D) $180,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.'.
Global Change Research (a) Findings- The Congress makes the following findings: (1) Industrial, agricultural, and other human activities, coupled with an expanding world population, are contributing to processes of global change that are significantly altering the Earth habitat. (2) Such human-induced changes, in conjunction with natural fluctuations, may lead to significant alterations of world climate patterns. Over the next century, these changes could adversely affect world agricultural and marine production, coastal habitability, biological diversity, human health, global social and political stability, and global economic activity. (3) Developments in interdisciplinary Earth sciences, global observing systems, and satellite and computing technologies make possible significant scientific understanding of global changes and their effects, and have resulted in the significant expansion of environmental data and information. (4) Development of effective policies to prevent, mitigate, and adapt to global change will rely on improvement in scientific understanding of global environmental processes and on development of information that is of use to decisionmakers at the local, regional, and national levels. (5) Although the United States Global Change Research Program has made significant contributions to understanding Earth's climate and the anthropogenic influences on Earth's climate and its ecosystems, the Program now needs to produce more information to meet the expressed needs of decisionmakers. (6) Predictions of future climate conditions for specific regions have considerable uncertainty and are unlikely to be confirmed in a time period necessary to inform decisions on land, water, and resource management. However, improved understanding of global change should be used to assist decisionmakers in the development of policies to ensure that ecological, social, and economic systems are resilient under a variety of plausible climate futures. (7) In order to most effectively meet the needs of decisionmakers, both the research agenda of the United States Global Change Research Program and its implementation must be informed by continuous feedback from documented users of information generated by the Program. (b) Purpose- The purpose of this part is to provide for the continuation and coordination of a comprehensive and integrated United States observation, research, and outreach program which will assist the Nation and the world to understand, assess, predict, and respond to the effects of human-induced and natural processes of global change. The President shall establish or designate an interagency committee to ensure cooperation and coordination of all Federal research activities pertaining to processes of global change for the purpose of increasing the overall effectiveness and productivity of Federal global change research efforts. The interagency committee shall include representatives of both agencies conducting global change research and agencies with authority over resources likely to be affected by global change. The President shall establish an interagency United States Global Change Research Program to improve understanding of global change, to respond to the information needs of communities and decisionmakers, and to provide periodic assessments of the vulnerability of the United States and other regions to global and regional climate change. The Program shall be implemented in accordance with the Plan. Lead Agency- The lead agency for the United States Global Change Research Program shall be the Office of Science and Technology Policy The President shall develop a National Global Change Research and Assessment Plan for implementation of the Program. The Plan shall contain recommendations for global change research and assessment.
Global Change Data Management (a) Findings- The Congress makes the following findings: (1) Federal agencies have a primary mission to manage and archive climate and other global change data obtained through their research, development, or operational activities. (2) Maintenance of climate and global change data records is essential to present and future studies of the Earth's atmosphere, biogeochemical cycles, and climate. (3) Federal capabilities for the management and archiving of these data have not kept pace with advances in satellite and other observational technologies that have vastly expanded the type and amount of information that can be collected. (4) Proposals and plans for expansion of global observing networks should include plans for the management of data to be collected and budgets reflecting the cost of support for management and archiving of data. (b) Purposes- The purposes of this part are to establish climate and other global change data management and archiving as Federal agency missions, and to establish Federal policies for managing and archiving climate and other global change data. The President shall establish or designate an interagency climate and other global change data management working group to make recommendations for coordinating Federal climate and other global change data management and archiving activities
TITLE V – AGRICULTURE ENERGY---Federal purchase of biobased products---loan guarantees for refineries---Biodiesel fuel education—energy audit---biomass research—Program adjustments---Research----Energy Council----Forest Bioenergy
Federal purchase of biobased products IN GENERAL- Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act, the Secretary, in consultation with other Federal departments and agencies and with non-governmental groups with an interest in biobased products, including small and large producers of biobased materials and products, industry, trade organizations, academia, consumer organizations, and environmental organizations, shall issue criteria for determining which products may qualify to receive the label under paragraph (1). The criteria shall encourage the purchase of products with the maximum biobased content, and should, to the maximum extent possible, be consistent with the guidelines issued
Loan guarantees for refineries IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall make loan guarantees to eligible entities to assist in paying the cost of development and construction of biorefineries and biofuel production plants (including retrofitting) to carry out projects to demonstrate the commercial viability of 1 or more processes for converting biomass to fuels or chemicals. shall be for not more than 90 percent of the principal and interest due on the loan. `(i) $600,000,000, in the case of loans valued at not more than $100,000,000; or `(ii) $1,000,000,000, in the case of loans valued at more than $100,000,000 but not more than $250,000,000. Additional Funding for Loan Guarantees- Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this section-- `(1) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; `(2) $65,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; `(3) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; `(4) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and `(5) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2012
Biodiesel fuel education. Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8104(d)) is amended to read as follows: `(d) Funding- Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary of Agriculture shall make available to carry out this section $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.'.
Biomass research `(b) Findings- Congress finds that-- `(1) conversion of biomass into biobased industrial products offers outstanding potential for benefit to the national interest through-- `(A) improved strategic security and balance of payments; `(B) healthier rural economies; `(C) improved environmental quality; `(D) near-zero net greenhouse gas emissions; `(E) technology export; and `(F) sustainable resource supply; `(2) the key technical challenges to be overcome in order for biobased industrial products to be cost-competitive are finding new technology and reducing the cost of technology for converting biomass into desired biobased industrial products; `(3) biobased fuels have the clear potential to be sustainable, low cost, and high performance fuels that are compatible with both current and future transportation systems and provide near-zero net greenhouse gas emissions; `(4) biobased chemicals have the clear potential for environmentally benign product life cycles; `(5) biobased power can-- `(A) provide environmental benefits; `(B) promote rural economic development; and `(C) diversify energy resource options; `(6) many biomass feedstocks suitable for industrial processing show the clear potential for sustainable production, in some cases resulting in improved soil fertility and carbon sequestration; `(7)(A) grain processing mills are biorefineries that produce a diversity of useful food, chemical, feed, and fuel products; and `(B) technologies that result in further diversification of the range of value-added biobased industrial products can meet a key need for the grain processing industry; `(8)(A) cellulosic feedstocks are attractive because of their low cost and widespread availability; and `(B) research resulting in cost-effective technology to overcome the recalcitrance of cellulosic biomass would allow biorefineries to produce fuels and bulk chemicals on a very large scale, with a commensurately large realization of the benefit described in paragraph (1); `(9) research into the fundamentals to understand important mechanisms of biomass conversion can be expected to accelerate the application and advancement of biomass processing technology by-- `(A) increasing the confidence and speed with which new technologies can be scaled up; and `(B) giving rise to processing innovations based on new knowledge; `(10) the added utility of biobased industrial products developed through improvements in processing technology would encourage the design of feedstocks that would meet future needs more effectively; `(11) the creation of value-added biobased industrial products would create new jobs in construction, manufacturing, and distribution, as well as new higher-valued exports of products and technology; `(12)(A) because of the relatively short-term time horizon characteristic of private sector investments, and because many benefits of biomass processing are in the national interest, it is appropriate for the Federal Government to provide precommercial investment in fundamental research and research-driven innovation in the biomass processing area; and `(B) such an investment would provide a valuable complement to ongoing and past governmental support in the biomass processing area; and `(13) several prominent studies, including studies by the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology and the National Research Council-- `(A) support the potential for large research-driven advances in technologies for production of biobased industrial products as well as associated benefits; and `(B) document the need for a focused, integrated, and innovation-driven research effort to provide the appropriate progress in a timely manner.
Energy Council In General- The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish an energy council in the Office of the Secretary (in this section referred to as the `Council') to coordinate the energy policy of the Department of Agriculture and consult with other departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
Forest Bioenergy In General- The Secretary of Agriculture, working through the Forest Service, in cooperation with other Federal agencies, land grant colleges and universities, and private entities, shall conduct a competitive research and development program to encourage new forest-to-energy technologies. The Secretary may use grants, cooperative agreements, and other methods to partner with cooperating entities on projects that the Secretary determines shall best promote new forest-to-energy technologies.
TITLE VI – CARBON NUETRAL GOVERNMENT—Findings---Government Inventory and Management---Federal government energy Efficiency
The Congress finds the following: (1) The harms associated with global warming are serious and well recognized. These include the global retreat of mountain glaciers, reduction in snow cover extent, the earlier spring melting of rivers and lakes, the accelerated rate of rise of sea levels during the 20th century relative to the past few thousand years, and increased intensity of hurricanes and typhoons. (2) The risks associated with a global mean surface temperature increase above 2 «C (3.6 «F) above preindustrial temperature are grave. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, such temperature increases would increase the severity of ongoing alterations of terrestrial and marine environments, with potentially catastrophic results. Ongoing and projected effects include more prevalent droughts in dry regions, an increase in the spread of disease, a significant reduction in water storage in winter snowpack in mountainous regions with direct and important economic consequences, a precipitous rise in sea levels by the end of the century, the potential devastation of coastal communities, severe and irreversible changes to natural ecosystems such as the bleaching and destruction of much of the world's coral, and the potential extinction of 30 percent of all living species. (3) That these climate change effects and risks of future effects are widely shared does not minimize the adverse affects individual persons have suffered, will suffer, and are at risk of suffering because of global warming. (4) That some of the adverse and potentially catastrophic effects of global warming are presently at risk of occurring and not a certainty does not negate the harm persons suffer from actions that increase the likelihood, extent, and severity of such future impacts. (5) To preserve the ability to stabilize atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations at levels likely to protect against a temperature rise above 2 «C (3.6 «F) and maintain the likelihood of avoiding catastrophic global warming will require reductions of greenhouse gas emissions of 50 percent to 85 percent globally. (6) Achieving such reductions will require a multitude of actions across the global economy that may each address a relatively minute quantity of emissions, but will be cumulatively significant. (7) With only 5 percent of the world population, the United States emits approximately 20 percent of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions, and must be a leader in addressing global warming. (8) The United States Government is the largest energy consumer in the United States and is responsible for roughly 100,000,000 metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions annually. (9) A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by Federal agencies would slow the increase of global emissions, thereby slowing the increase of global warming and the exacerbation of the risks associated with global warming. In addition, Federal action would accelerate the pace of development and adoption of technologies that will be critical to addressing global warming in the United States and worldwide. (10) A failure by any Federal agency to comply with the provisions of this title requiring reductions in its greenhouse gas emissions would exacerbate the pace, extent, and risks of global warming, causing harms beyond what would otherwise occur. The incremental emissions from a Federal agency's failure to comply with this title create a harm, which is the incremental exacerbation of the adverse effects and risks of global warming. Although the emissions increments involved could be relatively small, such a failure allowing incrementally greater emissions would injure all United States citizens. (11) Improved management of Government operations, including acquisitions and procurement and operation of Government facilities, can maximize the use of existing energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies to reduce global warming pollution, while saving taxpayers' money, reducing our dependence on oil, enhancing national security, cleaning the air, and protecting pristine places from drilling and mining. (12) Enhancing the accountability and transparency of Government operations through setting milestones for agency activities, planning, measuring results, tracking results over time, and public reporting can improve Government management and make Government operations more efficient and cost effective.
Government Inventory and Management-Inventory of greenhouse gas emissions; management of greenhouse gas emissions; pilot project; primary mission; savings clause; definitions; authorization of appropriations In General- Each agency shall, in accordance with the guidance issued under subsection (b), annually inventory and report its greenhouse gas emissions for the preceding fiscal year. Each such inventory and report shall indicate as discrete categories-- (1) any direct emission of greenhouse gas as a result of an activity of the agency; (2) the quantity of indirect emissions of greenhouse gases attributable to the generation of electricity used by the agency and commercial air travel by agency personnel; and (3) the quantity of emissions of greenhouse gases associated with the work performed for the agency by Federal contractors, comprising direct emissions and indirect emissions associated with electricity used by, and commercial air travel by, such contractors. Emission Reduction Targets- Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall promulgate annual reduction targets for the total quantity of greenhouse gas emissions described in section 6101(a), expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents, of all agencies, taken collectively, for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2050
GAO Study- No later than April 1, 2008, the Comptroller General of the United States shall issue the report requested by the Congress on May 17, 2007, regarding markets for greenhouse gas emissions offsets. (b) Pilot Project- Executive agencies and legislative branch offices may purchase qualified greenhouse gas offsets and qualified renewable energy certificates in any open market transaction that complies with all applicable procurement rules and regulations. Qualified Greenhouse Gas Offsets- For purposes of this section, the term `qualified greenhouse gas offset' means a real, additional, verifiable, enforceable, and permanent domestic-- (1) reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; or (2) sequestration of greenhouse gases. No later than September 30, 2008, the Administrator shall issue guidelines, for Executive agencies, establishing criteria for qualified greenhouse gas offsets and qualified renewable energy certificates. Such guidelines shall take into account the findings and recommendations of the report issued under subsection (a) and shall-- (1) establish performance standards for greenhouse gas offset projects that benchmark reliably expected greenhouse gas reductions from identified categories of projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon in accordance with subsection (c); and (2) establish criteria for qualified renewable energy certificates to ensure that energy generated is renewable. Nothing in this title or any amendment made by this title shall be interpreted to preempt or limit the authority of a State to take any action to address global warming
Federal government energy Efficiency—Fleets---Analysis---Procurement of efficient products---building efficiency standards; management; leasing; alternative fuels; contracts for renewable energy; status reports; efficiency reports; appropriations; judicial review. Vehicle Emission Requirements- `(1) PROHIBITION- No Federal agency shall acquire a light duty motor vehicle or medium duty passenger vehicle that is not a low greenhouse gas emitting vehicle. Cost Estimate Requirement- Each Federal agency that owns, operates, maintains, or otherwise funds infrastructure, assets, or personnel to provide delivery of fuel to its operations shall apply activity based cost accounting principles to estimate the fully burdened cost of fuel. Use of Cost Estimate- Each agency shall use the fully burdened cost of fuel, as estimated under subsection (a), in conducting analyses and making decisions regarding its activities that create a demand for energy. Such analyses and decisions shall include the use of models, simulations, wargames, and other analytical tools to determine the types of energy consuming equipment that an agency needs to conduct its missions. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Carbon-Neutral Government Act of 2007, the Secretary shall establish, by rule, revised Federal building energy efficiency performance standards
Each Federal agency shall ensure that any large capital energy investment in an existing building that is not a major renovation but involves replacement of installed equipment, such as heating and cooling systems, or involves renovation, rehabilitation, expansion, or remodeling of existing space, employs the most energy efficient designs, systems, equipment, and controls that are life-cycle cost effective. No Federal agency shall enter into a new contract to lease space in a building that has not earned the Energy Star label in the most recent year. No Federal agency shall enter into a contract for procurement of an alternative or synthetic fuel, including a fuel produced from non-conventional petroleum sources, for any mobility-related use, other than for research or testing, unless the contract specifies that the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production and combustion of the fuel supplied under the contract must, on an ongoing basis, be less than or equal to such emissions from the equivalent conventional fuel produced from conventional petroleum sources. RENEWABLE ENERGY CONTRACTS- A contract for renewable energy may be made for a period of not more than 30 years. Each Federal agency subject to any of the requirements of this title and the amendments made by this title shall compile and submit to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget an annual Government efficiency status report Reports- Not later than April 1 of each year, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall submit an Annual Government Efficiency report to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
TITLE VII – NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE PROVISIONS-Energy policy reforms---Accountability and public interest—Amendments to oil and gas royalties—Federal energy program---Wind energy---Energy transmission—alternative energy---Carbon Capture---Geological sequestration---Terrestrial sequestration assessment---Activities----Natural Resources and wildlife programs---Natural resources and climate change—US policy for wildlife---State and Tribal grants---Ocean programs—Royalties Offshore gas and oil---Additional provisions
Energy policy reforms
Accountability and public interest
Amendments to oil and gas royalties The Secretary of the Interior shall promulgate regulations to establish a cost recovery fee for applications for a permit to drill for oil and gas on Federal lands administered by the Secretary. Until such time as a fee is established by such regulations, the Secretary shall charge a cost recovery fee of $1,700 for each such application received on or after October 1, 2007. GENERAL- Not later than 6 months after the completion of the programmatic environmental impact statement the Secretary shall prepare an oil shale and tar sands leasing and development strategy, in cooperation with the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The purpose of the strategy developed under this subsection is to provide a framework for regulations that will allow for the sustainable and publicly acceptable large-scale development of oil shale within the Green River Formation and to provide a basis for decisions regarding Federal support for research and other activities to achieve that result. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management, shall amend the best management practices guidelines for oil and gas development on Federal lands, to require public review and comment prior to waiving any stipulation of an oil and gas lease for such lands, except in the case of an emergency; and create an incentive for oil and gas operators to adopt best management practices that minimize adverse impacts to wildlife habitat, by providing expedited permit review for any operator that commits to adhering to those practices without seeking waiver of such stipulations.
Requirement To Increase the Number of Audits- The Secretary of the Interior shall ensure that by fiscal year 2009 the Minerals Management Service shall perform no less that 550 audits of oil and gas leases each fiscal year `Sec. 109. (a) Royalty Violations- (1) No person shall-- `(A) after due notice of violation or after such violation has been reported under paragraph (3)(A), fail or refuse to comply with any requirement of any mineral leasing law or any regulation, order, lease, or permit under such a law; `(B) fail or refuse to make any royalty payment in the amount or value required by any mineral leasing law or any regulation, order, or lease under such a law, with the intent to defraud; `(C) fail or refuse to make any royalty payment by the date required by any mineral leasing law or any regulation, order, or lease under such a law, with the intent to defraud; or `(D) prepare, maintain, or submit any false, inaccurate, or misleading report, notice, affidavit, record, data, or other written information or filing related to royalty payments that is required under any mineral leasing law or regulation issued under any mineral leasing law, with the intent to defraud. `(2) A person who violates paragraph (1) shall be liable-- `(A) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (1) for an amount equal to 3 times the royalty the person fails or refuses to pay, plus interest on that trebled amount measured from the first date the royalty payment was due; and `(B) in the case of any violation, for a civil penalty of-- `(i) except as provided in clause (ii), up to $25,000 per violation for each day the violation continues; or `(ii) if the person failed or refused to make a payment of royalty owed in an amount less than $25,000, an amount equal to 150 percent of the royalty owed that was not paid; `(3) Paragraph (2) shall not apply to a violation of paragraph (1) if the person who commits the violation, within 30 days of knowing of the violation-- `(A) reports the violation to the Secretary or a representative designated by the Secretary; and `(B) corrects the violation. `(b) Lease Administration Violations- Any person who-- `(1) fails to notify the Secretary of-- `(A) any designation by the person under section 102(a); or `(B) any other assignment of obligations or responsibilities of the person under a lease; `(2) fails or refuses to permit-- `(A) lawful entry; `(B) inspection, including any inspection authorized by section 108; or `(C) audit, including any failure or refusal to promptly tender requested documents; `(3) fails or refuses to comply with subsection 102(b)(3) (relating to notification regarding beginning or resumption of production); or `(4) fails to correctly report and timely provide operations or financial records necessary for the Secretary or any authorized designee of the Secretary to accomplish lease management responsibilities, shall be liable for a penalty of up to $10,000 per violation for each day such violation continues. `(c) Theft- Any person who-- `(1) knowingly or willfully takes or removes, transports, uses or diverts any oil or gas from any lease site without having valid legal authority to do so; or `(2) purchases, accepts, sells, transports, or conveys to another, any oil or gas knowing or having reason to know that such oil or gas was stolen or unlawfully removed or diverted, shall be liable for a penalty of up to $25,000 per violation for each day such violation continues without correction.
Federal energy program IN GENERAL- Except as provided in subsection (c), the Secretary may not authorize any operator to conduct exploration and drilling operations on lands with respect to which title to oil and gas resources is held by the United States but title to the surface estate is not held by the United States, until the operator has filed with the Secretary a document, signed by the operator and the surface owner or owners, showing that the operator has secured a written surface use agreement between the operator and the surface owner or owners Surface Owner Notification- The Secretary shall-- (1) notify surface estate owners in writing at least 45 days in advance of lease sales; (2) within ten working days after a lease is issued, notify surface estate owners regarding the identity of the lessee; (3) notify surface estate owners in writing within 10 working days concerning any subsequent decisions regarding a lease, such as modifying or waiving stipulations and approving rights-of-way; and (4) notify surface estate owners within five business days after issuance of a drilling permit under a lease.
Wind energy IN GENERAL- An operator producing oil or gas (including coalbed methane) under a lease issued under this Act shall-- `(A) remediate or replace the water supply of a water user who obtains all or part of such user's supply of water for domestic, agricultural, or other purposes from an underground or surface source that has been affected by contamination, diminution, or interruption proximately resulting from drilling operations for such production; and `(B) comply with all applicable requirements of Federal and State law for discharge of any water produced under the lease. Establishment- The Secretary of the Interior shall, within 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, issue regulations to establish a fee with respect to Federal onshore lands that are subject to a lease for production of oil, natural gas, or coal under which production is not occurring. Such fee shall apply with respect to lands that are subject to such a lease that is in effect on the date final regulations are promulgated under this subsection or that is issued thereafter. (b) Amount- The amount of the fee shall be $1 per year for each acre of land that is not in production for that year. In General- The Secretary of the Interior, within 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, shall convene or utilize an existing Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee to study and make recommendations to the Secretary on guidance for avoiding or minimizing impacts to wildlife and their habitats related to land-based wind energy facilities. There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2015 for new and ongoing research efforts to evaluate methods for minimizing wildlife impacts at wind energy projects and to explore effective mitigation methods that may be utilized for that purpose.
Energy transmission
The Secretary of Energy, acting through the Administrator of the Bonneville Area Power Marketing Administration in consultation with the Western Area Power Marketing Administration, and in coordination with regional transmission entities, shall conduct, or participate with such regional transmission entities to conduct, an analysis of the existing capacity of transmission systems serving the States of California, Oregon, and Washington to determine whether the existing capacity is adequate to accommodate and integrate development and commercial operation of ocean wave, tidal, and current energy projects in State and Federal marine waters adjacent to those States.
alternative energy The Secretary may make grants to eligible coastal States to support voluntary State efforts to initiate and complete surveys of portions of coastal State waters and Federal waters adjacent to a State's coastal zone, in consultation with the Minerals Management Service, to identify potential areas suitable or unsuitable for the exploration, development, and production of alternative energy that are consistent with the enforceable policies of coastal management plans. Grant Amounts- The amount of any grant under this section shall not exceed $750,000 for any fiscal year - The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall implement a program to research methods for improving the energy efficiency of reverse osmosis technology for water desalination, water contamination, and water recycling establish a pilot program for the development of strategic solar reserves on Federal lands for the advancement, development, assessment, and installation of commercial solar electric energy systems. `(a) Findings- Congress finds the following: `(1) The supply of woody biomass for energy production is directly linked to forest management planning to a degree far greater than in the case of other types of energy development. `(2) As a consequence of this linkage, the process of developing and evaluating appropriate technologies and facilities for woody biomass energy and utilization must be integrated with long-term forest management planning processes, particularly in situations where Federal lands dominate the forested landscape. `(b) Biomass Definition for Federal Forest Lands- In this section, with respect to organic material removed from National Forest System lands or from public lands administered by the Secretary of the Interior, the term `biomass' covers only organic material from-- `(1) ecological forest restoration; `(2) small-diameter byproducts of hazardous fuels treatments; `(3) pre-commercial thinnings; `(4) brush; `(5) mill residues; and `(6) slash.
IN GENERAL- Not later than 2 years after the date of publication of the methodology under subsection (d)(1), the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy and State geological surveys, shall complete a national assessment of capacity for carbon dioxide in accordance with the methodology. PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER DRILLING PROGRAMS- As part of the drilling program under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall enter, as appropriate, into partnerships with other entities to collect and integrate data from other drilling programs relevant to the storage of carbon dioxide in geologic formations.
Terrestrial sequestration assessment In General- The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the United States Geological Survey, shall-- (1) conduct an assessment of the amount of carbon stored in terrestrial, aquatic, and coastal ecosystems (including estuaries); (2) determine the processes that control the flux of carbon in and out of each ecosystem; (3) estimate the potential for increasing carbon sequestration in natural systems through management measures or restoration activities in each ecosystem; and (4) develop near-term and long-term adaptation strategies that can be employed to enhance the sequestration of carbon in each ecosystem.
The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management, shall maintain records on and an inventory of the amount of carbon dioxide stored from Federal energy leases.'.
Natural Resources and wildlife programs The Secretary of the Interior shall establish a National Resources Management Council on Climate Change to address the impacts of climate change on Federal lands, the ocean environment, and the Federal water infrastructure.
Natural resources and climate change
US policy for wildlife
It is the policy of the Federal Government, in cooperation with State, tribal, and affected local governments, other concerned public and private organizations, landowners, and citizens to use all practicable means and measures-- (1) to assist wildlife populations and their habitats in adapting to and surviving the effects of global warming; and (2) to ensure the persistence and resilience of the wildlife of the United States, together with its habitat, as an essential part of our Nation's culture, landscape, and natural resources. IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall, within two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, on the basis of the best available science as provided by the science advisory board under section 7455, and in cooperation with State fish and wildlife agencies and Indian tribes, promulgate a national strategy for assisting wildlife populations and their habitats in adapting to the impacts of global warming.
State and Tribal grants There is authorized to be established a State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program to be administered by the Secretary of the Interior and to provide wildlife conservation grants to States and to the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and federally recognized Indian tribes for the planning, development, and implementation of programs for the benefit of wildlife and their habitat, including species that are not hunted or fished.
Ocean programs IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Commerce, shall, within two years after the date of enactment of this Act, and on the basis of the best available science, develop and implement a national strategy using existing authorities and the authority provided in this section to support coastal State and Federal agency efforts to— A) predict, plan for, and mitigate the impacts on ocean and coastal ecosystems from global warming, relative sea level rise and ocean acidification; and (B) ensure the recovery, resiliency, and health of ocean and coastal ecosystems. Establish a National Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System comprised of Federal and non-Federal components, coordinated at the national level by the National Ocean Research Leadership Council and at the regional level by a network of Regional Information Coordination Entities, that includes in situ, remote, and other coastal and ocean observations, technologies, and data management and communication systems, to gather specific coastal and ocean data variables and to ensure the timely dissemination and availability of usable observation data.
Royalties Offshore gas and oil
The Secretary of the Interior shall agree to a request by any lessee to amend any lease issued for any Central and Western Gulf of Mexico tract during the period of January 1, 1998, through December 31, 1999, to incorporate price thresholds applicable to royalty suspension provisions, that are equal to or less than the price thresholds Any amended lease shall impose the new or revised price thresholds effective October 1, 2006. Existing lease provisions shall prevail through September 30, 2006. IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall not issue any new lease that authorizes the production of oil or natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) to a person described in paragraph (2) unless-- (A) the person has renegotiated each covered lease with respect to which the person is a lessee, to modify the payment responsibilities of the person to include price thresholds that are equal to or less than the price thresholds described Establishment of Fund- There is established on the books of the Treasury of the United States a separate account to be known as the Oil Shale Community Impact Assistance Fund (hereinafter in this section referred to as the `Fund'). The Fund shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management. All laborers and mechanics employed by contractors and subcontractors on construction, repair, or alteration projects that are funded in whole or in part or otherwise authorized under sections 7304 or 7306 shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on similar construction in the locality
TITLE VIII – TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE-Department of Transportation---Public transportation---Federal Highway Aid---Railroads and pipelines---Maritime transportation---Aviation---Pubic Buildings---GSA—USCG---Architect of the Capitol---Water Resources---Emergency management---
Department of Transportation a) Findings- Congress makes the following findings: (1) Evidence that atmospheric warming and climate change are occurring is unequivocal. (2) Observed and anticipated impacts of climate change can result in economic harm and environmental damage to the United States and the world. (3) The Nation's water resources, ecosystems, and infrastructure will be under increasing stress and pressure in coming decades, particularly due to climate change. (4) Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides, can lead to atmospheric warming and climate change. (5) Transportation and buildings are among the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions. (6) Increased reliance on energy efficient and renewable energy transportation and public buildings can strengthen our Nation's energy security and mitigate the effects of climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions. (7) The Federal Government can strengthen our Nation's energy security and mitigate the effects of climate change by promoting energy efficient transportation and public buildings, creating incentives for the use of alternative fuel vehicles and renewable energy, and ensuring sound water resource and natural disaster preparedness planning. (b) Purposes- The purposes of this title are to strengthen our Nation's energy security and mitigate the effects of climate change by promoting energy efficient transportation and public buildings, creating incentives for the use of alternative fuel vehicles and renewable energy, and ensuring sound water resource and natural disaster preparedness planning.
Public transportation URBANIZED AREA FORMULA GRANTS- In addition to amounts allocated under section 5338(b)(2)(B) of title 49, United States Code, to carry out section 5307 of such title, there is authorized to be appropriated $750,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009 FORMULA GRANTS FOR OTHER THAN URBANIZED AREAS- In addition to amounts allocated under section 5338(b)(2)(G) of title 49, United States Code, to carry out section 5311 of such title, there is authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009.
Federal Highway Aid FORMULA GRANTS FOR OTHER THAN URBANIZED AREAS- In addition to amounts allocated under section 5338(b)(2)(G) of title 49, United States Code, to carry out section 5311 of such title, there is authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009
If, after a reasonable period of negotiation, a public transportation authority cannot reach agreement with a rail carrier to use trackage of, and have related services provided by, the rail carrier for purposes of fixed guideway transportation, the public transportation authority or the rail carrier may apply to the Board for nonbinding mediation. If, after a reasonable period of negotiation, a public transportation authority cannot reach agreement with a rail carrier to acquire an interest in a railroad right-of-way for the construction and operation of a segregated fixed guideway facility, the public transportation authority or the rail carrier may apply to the Board for nonbinding mediation It is the sense of Congress that in constructing new roadways or rehabilitating existing facilities, State and local governments should employ policies designed to accommodate all users, including motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and people of all ages and abilities, in order to-- (1) serve all surface transportation users by creating a more interconnected and intermodal system; (2) create more viable transportation options; and (3) facilitate the use of environmentally friendly options, such as public transportation, walking, and bicycling. Railroads and pipelines In General- The Secretary of Transportation, in coordination with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall establish and carry out a pilot program for making grants to railroad carriers (as defined in section 20102 of title 49, United States Code) and State and local governments for assistance in purchasing hybrid locomotives, including hybrid switch locomotives; and (2) to demonstrate the extent to which such locomotives increase fuel economy, reduce emissions, and lower costs of operation. The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program of capital grants for the rehabilitation, preservation, or improvement of railroad track (including roadbed, bridges, and related track structures) of class II and class III railroads. Such grants shall be for rehabilitating, preserving, or improving track used primarily for freight transportation to a standard ensuring that the track can be operated safely and efficiently, including grants for rehabilitating, preserving, or improving track to handle 286,000 pound railcars.
The Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation, shall conduct feasibility studies for the construction of pipeline dedicated to the transportation of ethanol
The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a short sea transportation program and designate short sea transportation projects to be conducted under the program to mitigate landside congestion. `(b) Program Elements- The program shall encourage the use of short sea transportation through the development and expansion of `(1) documented vessels; `(2) shipper utilization; `(3) port and landside infrastructure; and `(4) marine transportation strategies by State and local governments Authority To Make Loan Guarantee- The Secretary of Transportation, subject to the availability of appropriations, may make a loan guarantee for the financing of the construction, reconstruction, or reconditioning of a vessel that will be used for a short sea transportation project.
The Architect of the Capitol may perform a feasibility study regarding construction of a photovoltaic roof for the Rayburn House Office Building. The Architect of the Capitol may construct a fuel tank and pumping system for E-85 fuel at or within close proximity to the Capitol Grounds Fuel Station.
It is the policy of the United States that all Federal water resources projects-- (1) reflect national priorities for flood damage reduction, navigation, ecosystem restoration, and hazard mitigation and consider the future impacts of increased hurricanes, droughts, and other climate change-related weather events; (2) avoid the unwise use of floodplains, minimize vulnerabilities in any case in which a floodplain must be used, protect and restore the extent and functions of natural systems, and mitigate any unavoidable damage to aquatic natural system; and (3) to the maximum extent possible, avoid impacts to wetlands, which create natural buffers, help filter water, serve as recharge areas for aquifers, reduce floods and erosion, and provide valuable plant and animal habitat.
Establishment- There is established a commission to be known as the 21st Century Water Commission (in this section referred to as the `Commission'). (b) Duties- The duties of the Commission shall be to-- (1) use existing water assessments and conduct such additional studies and assessments as may be necessary to project-- (A) future water supply and demand; (B) impacts of climate change to our Nation's flood risk and water availability; and associated impacts of climate change on water quality.
(a) Study- The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall conduct a comprehensive study of the increase in demand for the Agency's emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation programs and services that may be reasonably anticipated as a result of an increased number and intensity of natural disasters affected by climate change, including hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, fires, droughts, and severe storms. (b) Contents- The study shall include an analysis of the budgetary and personnel needs of meeting the increased demand for Agency services referred to in subsection (a). (c) Report- Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report and any legislative recommendations on the study conducted under this section.
TITLE IX – ENERGY AND COMMERCE---Promoting energy efficiency--- Smart Grid---Demand Response---Loan Guarantees---Renewable Fuel Infrastructure---US –Israel Energy Cooperation----Plug-in Hybrids---Energy Information.
Promoting energy efficiency
Smart Grid Characteristics- It is the policy of the United States to support the modernization of the Nation's electricity transmission and distribution system to incorporate digital information and controls technology and to share real-time pricing information with electricity customers to achieve each of the following, which together characterize a smart grid:
(1) Increased reliability, security and efficiency of the electric grid. (2) Dynamic optimization of grid operations and resources, with full cyber-security. (3) Deployment and integration of distributed resources and generation. (4) Development and incorporation of demand response demand-side resources, and energy efficiency resources. (5) Deployment of `smart' technologies for metering, communications concerning grid operations and status, and distribution automation. (6) Integration of `smart' appliances and consumer devices. (7) Deployment and integration of renewable energy resources, both to the grid and on the customer side of the electric meter. (8) Deployment and integration of advanced electricity storage and peak-sharing technologies, including plug-in electric and hybrid electric vehicles, and thermal-storage air conditioning. (9) Provision to consumers of new information and control options. (10) Continual environmental improvement in electricity production and distribution. (11) Enhanced capacity and efficiency of electricity networks, reduction of line losses, and maintenance of power quality. Barriers- It is further the policy of the United States that no State, State agency, or local government or instrumentality thereof should prohibit, or erect unreasonable barriers to, the deployment of smart grid technologies on an electric utility's distribution facilities, or unreasonably limit the services that may be provided using such technologies The President shall establish a Grid Modernization Commission composed of 9 members. Three members of the Commission shall be appointed by the President, and one each shall be appointed by the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and by the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the United States Senate. Two members shall be appointed by the President from among persons recommended by an association representing State utility regulatory commissioners. The President shall designate one Commissioner to serve as Chairperson. (2) MISSION- The mission of the Grid Modernization Commission shall be to facilitate the adoption of Smart Grid standards, technologies, and practices across the Nation's electricity grid to the point of general adoption and ongoing market support in the United States electric sector. The Commission shall be responsible for monitoring developments, encouraging progress toward common standards and protocols, identifying barriers and proposing solutions, coordinating with all Federal departments and agencies, and coordinating approaches on smart grid implementation with States and local governmental authorities. (a) DOE Study- The Secretary of Energy shall, within 6 months after the Grid Modernization Commission completes its first biennial assessment and report under section 9113 of this Act, submit a report to Congress that provides a quantitative assessment and determination of the existing and potential impacts of the deployment of Smart Grid systems on improving the security of the Nation's electricity infrastructure and operating capability. The report shall include but not be limited to specific recommendations on each of the following: (1) How smart grid systems can help in making the Nation's electricity system less vulnerable to disruptions due to intentional acts against the system. (2) How smart grid systems can help in restoring the integrity of the Nation's electricity system subsequent to disruptions. (3) How smart grid systems can facilitate emergency communications and control of the Nation's electricity system during times of localized or nationwide emergency.
Each Federal agency shall prepare, and include in its annual report under section 548(a) of this Act, each of the following: `(1) A determination of the agency's aggregate electricity demand during the system peak hours for the utilities providing electricity service to its facilities during 2006 and 2007. `(2) A forecast for each year through 2018 of the projected growth in such peak demand in light of projected growth of facilities, staff, activities, electric intensity of activities, and other relevant factors. `(a) National Assessment and Report- The Grid Modernization Commission established under subtitle A of title I of the Smart Grid Facilitation Act of 2007 shall conduct a National Assessment of Demand Response. The Commission shall, within 18 months of the date on which the full Commission first meets, submit a Report to Congress that includes each of the following: `(1) Estimation of nationwide demand response potential in 5 and 10 year horizons, including data on a State-by-State basis, and a methodology for updates of such estimates on an annual basis. `(2) Estimation of how much of this potential can be achieved within 5 and 10 years after the enactment of this Act accompanied by specific policy recommendations that if implemented can achieve the estimated potential. Such recommendations shall include options for funding and/or incentives for the development of demand response resources. The Commission shall seek to take advantage of preexisting research and ongoing work, and shall assume that there is no duplication of effort. The Commission shall further note any barriers to demand response programs that are flexible , non-discriminatory, and fairly compensatory for the services and benefits made available and shall provide recommendations for overcoming such barriers.
PERCENTAGE OF PROJECT COST- A guarantee by the Secretary shall not exceed an amount equal to 80 percent of the project cost of the facility that is the subject of the guarantee, as estimated at the time at which the guarantee is issued, and shall be no less than the minimum amount determined by the Secretary to be likely to attract nonguaranteed investment adequate to capitalize the project. `(2) PERCENTAGE OF LOAN- Subject to paragraph (1), the Secretary may guarantee up to 100 percent of any loan or other debt obligation of the borrower to fund an eligible project, and may not issue a rule or regulation establishing a lower percentage limit.'; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: `(k) Wages- No loan guarantee shall be made under this title unless the borrower has provided to the Secretary reasonable assurances that all laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors in the performance of construction work financed in whole or in part with the loan will be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on similar work in the locality as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Davis-Bacon Act).'.
(b) Infrastructure Development Grants- The Secretary of Energy shall establish a program for making grants for providing assistance to retail and wholesale motor fuel dealers or other entities for the installation, replacement, or conversion of motor fuel storage and dispensing infrastructure to be used exclusively to store and dispense renewable fuel. Such infrastructure may include equipment used in the blending, distribution, and transport of such fuels. (c) Retail Technical and Marketing Assistance- The Secretary of Energy shall enter into contracts with entities with demonstrated experience in assisting retail fueling stations in installing refueling systems and marketing renewable fuels nationally, for the provision of technical and marketing assistance to recipients of grants under this section. Such assistance shall include-- (1) technical advice for compliance with applicable Federal and State environmental requirements; (2) help in identifying supply sources and securing long-term contracts; and (3) provision of public outreach, education, and labeling materials. (d) Allocation- The Secretary of Energy may reserve funds appropriated for carrying out this section to support renewable fuels infrastructure development projects with a cost of greater than $1,000,000, that are of national significance. The Secretary shall reserve funds appropriated for the renewable fuels infrastructure development grant program for technical and marketing assistance described in subsection (c). (e) Selection Criteria- Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish criteria for evaluating applications for grants under this section that will maximize the availability and use of renewable fuel, and that will ensure that renewable fuel is available across the country. Such criteria shall provide for-- (1) consideration of the public demand for each renewable fuel in a particular geographic area based on State registration records showing the number of flexible-fuel vehicles; (2) consideration of the opportunity to create or expand corridors of renewable fuel stations along interstate or State highways; (3) consideration of the experience of each applicant with previous, similar projects; (4) consideration of population, number of flexible-fuel vehicles, number of retail fuel outlets, and saturation of flexible-fuel vehicles; and (5) priority consideration to applications that-- (A) are most likely to maximize displacement of petroleum consumption, measured as a total quantity and a percentage; (B) are best able to incorporate existing infrastructure while maximizing, to the extent practicable, the use of renewable fuels; and (C) demonstrate the greatest commitment on the part of the applicant to ensure funding for the proposed project and the greatest likelihood that the project will be maintained or expanded after Federal assistance under this section is completed. (f) Combined Applications- States and local government entities and nonprofit entities may apply for assistance under this section on behalf of a group of retailers within a certain geographic area, or to carry out regional or multistate deployment projects. Any such application shall certify the availability and details of a program to match the Federal grant as required under subsection (g) and list the retail locations that would receive the funds.
US –Israel Energy Cooperation Congress finds that-- (1) it is in the highest national security interests of the United States to ensure secure access to reliable energy sources; (2) the United States relies heavily on the foreign supply of crude oil to meet the energy needs of the United States, currently importing 58 percent of the total oil requirements of the United States, of which 45 percent comes from member states of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); (3) revenues from the sale of oil by some of these countries directly or indirectly provide funding for terrorism and propaganda hostile to the values of the United States and the West; (4) in the past, these countries have manipulated the dependence of the United States on the oil supplies of these countries to exert undue influence on United States policy, as during the embargo of OPEC during 1973 on the sale of oil to the United States, which became a major factor in the ensuing recession; (5) research by the Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy has shown that the dependence of the United States on foreign oil will increase by 33 percent over the next 20 years; (6) a rise in the price of imported oil sufficient to increase gasoline prices by 10 cents per gallon at the pump would result in an additional outflow of $18,000,000,000 from the United States to oil-exporting nations; (7) for economic and national security reasons, the United States should reduce, as soon as practicable, the dependence of the United States on nations that do not share the interests and values of the United States; (8) the State of Israel has been a steadfast ally and a close friend of the United States since the creation of Israel in 1948; (9) like the United States, Israel is a democracy that holds civil rights and liberties in the highest regard and is a proponent of the democratic values of peace, freedom, and justice; (10) cooperation between the United States and Israel on such projects as the development of the Arrow Missile has resulted in mutual benefits to United States and Israeli security; (11) the special relationship between Israel and the United States has been and continues to be manifested in a variety of jointly-funded cooperative programs in the field of scientific research and development, such as-- (A) the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF); (B) the Israel-United States Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD); and (C) the Israel-United States Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation; (12) these programs, supported by the matching contributions from the Government of Israel and the Government of the United States and directed by key scientists and academics from both countries, have made possible many scientific breakthroughs in the fields of life sciences, medicine, bioengineering, agriculture, biotechnology, communications, and others; (13) on February 1, 1996, United States Secretary of Energy Hazel R. O'Leary and Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Gonen Segev signed the Agreement Between the Department of Energy of the United States of America and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure of Israel Concerning Energy Cooperation, to establish a framework for collaboration between the United States and Israel in energy research and development activities; (14) the United States and Israeli governments should promote cooperation in a broad range of projects designed to enhance supplies of nonpetroleum energy for both countries, and to provide for cutting edge research in each country; (15) Israeli scientists and researchers have long been at the forefront of research and development in the field of alternative renewable energy sources; (16) many of the top corporations of the world have recognized the technological and scientific expertise of Israel by locating important research and development facilities in Israel; (17) among the technological breakthroughs made by Israeli scientists and researchers in the field of alternative, renewable energy sources are-- (A) the development of a cathode that uses hexavalent iron salts that accept 3 electrons per ion and enable rechargeable batteries to provide 3 times as much electricity as existing rechargeable batteries; (B) the development of a technique that vastly increases the efficiency of using solar energy to generate hydrogen for use in energy cells; and (C) the development of a novel membrane used in new and powerful direct-oxidant fuel cells that is capable of competing favorably with hydrogen fuel cells and traditional internal combustion engines; and (18) cooperation between the United States and Israel in the field of research and development of alternative renewable energy sources would be in the interests of both countries, and both countries stand to gain much from such cooperation. a) Authority- Pursuant to the responsibilities described in section 102(10), (14), and (17) of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7112(10), (14), and (17)) and section 103(9) of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5813(9)), the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD or BSF, shall award grants to eligible entities. (b) Application- (1) SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS- To receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary containing such information and assurances as the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD or BSF, may require. (2) SELECTION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITIES- The Secretary, in consultation with the Directors of the BIRD and BSF, may review any application submitted by any eligible entity and select any eligible entity meeting criteria established by the Secretary, in consultation with the Advisory Board, for a grant under this section. (c) Amount of Grant- The amount of each grant awarded for a fiscal year under this section shall be determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD or BSF. (d) Recoupment- (1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish procedures and criteria for recoupment in connection with any eligible project carried out by an eligible entity that receives a grant under this section, which has led to the development of a product or process which is marketed or used. (2) AMOUNT REQUIRED- (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), such recoupment shall be required as a condition for award and be proportional to the Federal share of the costs of such project, and shall be derived from the proceeds of royalties or licensing fees received in connection with such product or process. (B) In the case where a product or process is used by the recipient of a grant under this section for the production and sale of its own products or processes, the recoupment shall consist of a payment equivalent to the payment which would be made under subparagraph (A). (3) WAIVER- The Secretary may at any time waive or defer all or some of the recoupment requirements of this subsection as necessary, depending on-- (A) the commercial competitiveness of the entity or entities developing or using the product or process; (B) the profitability of the project; and (C) the commercial viability of the product or process utilized. (e) Private Funds- The Secretary may accept contributions of funds from private sources to carry out this part. (f) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy- The Secretary shall carry out this section through the existing programs at the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. (g) Report- Not later than 180 days after receiving a grant under this section, each recipient shall submit a report to the Secretary-- (1) documenting how the recipient used the grant funds; and (2) evaluating the level of success of each project funded by the grant. SEC. 9324. INTERNATIONAL ENERGY ADVISORY BOARD.(a) Establishment- There is established in the Department of Energy an International Energy Advisory Board. (b) Duties- The Advisory Board shall advise the Secretary on-- (1) criteria for the recipients of grants awarded under section 9323(a); (2) the total amount of grant money to be awarded to all grantees selected by the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD; and (3) the total amount of grant money to be awarded to all grantees selected by the Secretary, in consultation with the BSF, for each fiscal year. (c) Membership- (1) COMPOSITION- The Advisory Board shall be composed of-- (A) 1 member appointed by the Secretary of Commerce; (B) 1 member appointed by the Secretary of Energy; and (C) 2 members who shall be Israeli citizens, appointed by the Secretary of Energy after consultation with appropriate officials in the Israeli Government. (2) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENTS- The initial appointments under paragraph (1) shall be made not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act. (3) TERM- Each member of the Advisory Board shall be appointed for a term of 4 years. (4) VACANCIES- A vacancy on the Advisory Board shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made. (5) BASIC PAY- (A) COMPENSATION- A member of the Advisory Board shall serve without pay. (B) TRAVEL EXPENSES- Each member of the Advisory Board shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions of subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code. (6) QUORUM- Three members of the Advisory Board shall constitute a quorum. (7) CHAIRPERSON- The Chairperson of the Advisory Board shall be designated by the Secretary of Energy at the time of the appointment. (8) MEETINGS- The Advisory Board shall meet at least once annually at the call of the Chairperson. (d) Termination- Section 14(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Advisory Board. SEC. 9325. DEFINITIONS.In this part: (1) ADVISORY BOARD- The term `Advisory Board' means the International Energy Advisory Board established by section 9324(a). (2) BIRD- The term `BIRD' means the Israel-United States Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation. (3) BSF- The term `BSF' means the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation. (4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY- The term `eligible entity' means a joint venture comprised of both Israeli and United States private business entities or a joint venture comprised of both Israeli academic persons (who reside and work in Israel) and United States academic persons, that-- (A) carries out an eligible project; and (B) is selected by the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD or BSF, using the criteria established by the Secretary, in consultation with the Advisory Board. (5) ELIGIBLE PROJECT- The term `eligible project' means a project to encourage cooperation between the United States and Israel on research, development, or commercialization of alternative energy, improved energy efficiency, or renewable energy sources. (6) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. SEC. 9326. TERMINATION. The grant program authorized under section 9323 and the Advisory Board shall terminate upon the expiration of the 7-year period which begins on the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 9327. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. The Secretary is authorized to expend not more than $20,000,000 to carry out this part for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2014 from funds previously authorized to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
The Congress finds that-- (1) the Energy Information Administration's data is critical not merely for analysis of the role of energy in our economy and environment, but for the effective functioning of domestic and international energy markets. (2) Federal and State policymakers rely on the Energy Information Administration to collect and report State level energy information needed for energy policymaking, compliance with Federal and State mandates, and for purposes of emergency energy preparedness and response; (3) as policymakers consider and implement policies to cut greenhouse gas emissions, accurate, timely, and comparable State energy information becomes even more important; (4) new and expanded sources of information about energy demand and supply have become available and need to be incorporated in the Energy Information Administration's data and analysis functions; (5) the Energy Information Administration needs to maintain and enhance its ability to collect, process, and analyze data while confronting broader demands for information in greater detail; and (6) budget and personnel constraints have forced the Energy Information Administration to curtail surveys relied upon by energy and financial markets and could further defer important improvements in the scope and quality of resulting information. SEC. 9502. ASSESSMENT OF RESOURCES. (a) 5-Year Plan- The Administrator of the Energy Information Administration shall establish a 5-year plan to enhance the quality and scope of the data collection necessary to ensure the scope, accuracy, and timeliness of the information needed for efficient functioning of energy markets and related financial operations. Particular attention shall be paid to restoring data series terminated because of budget constraints, data on demand response, timely data series of State-level information, improvements in the area of oil and gas data, and the ability to provide data mandated by Congress promptly and completely. (b) Submittal to Congress- The Administrator shall submit this plan to Congress detailing improvements needed to enhance the Energy Information Administration's ability to collect and process energy information in a manner consistent with the needs of energy markets. (c) Guidelines- The Administrator shall-- (1) establish guidelines to ensure the quality, comparability, and scope of State energy data, including data on energy production and consumption by product and sector and renewable and alternative sources, required to provide a comprehensive, accurate energy profile at the State level; (2) share company-level data collected at the State level with the State involved, provided the State has agreed to reasonable guidelines for its use adopted by the Administrator; (3) assess any existing gaps in data obtained by and compiled by the Energy Information Administration; and (4) evaluate the most cost effective ways to address any data quality and quantity issues in conjunction with State officials. The Energy Information Administration shall consult with State officials and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on a regular basis in establishing these guidelines and scope of State level data, as well as in exploring ways to address data needs and serve data uses. (d) Assessment of State Data Needs- The Administrator shall provide an assessment of these State-level data needs to the Congress not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, detailing a plan to address the needs identified. (e) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator for carrying out this section, in addition to any other authorizations-- (1) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; (2) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; (3) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; (4) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; (5) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and (6) such sums as are necessary for subsequent fiscal years.
Plug-In Electric Drive Vehicle Program- (1) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary of Energy (in this section referred to as the `Secretary') shall establish a competitive program to provide grants on a cost-shared basis to State governments, local governments, metropolitan transportation authorities, air pollution control districts, private or nonprofit entities or combinations thereof, to carry out a project or projects to encourage the use of plug-in electric drive vehicles or other emerging electric vehicle technologies, as determined by the Secretary. (2) ADMINISTRATION- The Secretary shall establish requirements for applications for grants under this section, including reporting of data to be summarized for dissemination to the Department, other grantees, and the public, including vehicle and component performance and vehicle and component life cycle costs. (3) SELECTION CRITERIA- (A) PRIORITY- When making awards under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority consideration to applications that encourage early widespread utilization of such vehicles and are likely to make a significant contribution to the advancement of the production of such vehicles in the United States. (B) SCOPE OF PROGRAMS- When making awards under this subsection, the Secretary shall ensure that the programs will maximize diversity in applications, manufacturers, end-uses and vehicle control systems. (4) AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program under this subsection, such sums as may be necessary. (5) CERTAIN APPLICANTS- A battery manufacturer that proposes to supply to an applicant for a grant under this section a battery with a capacity of greater than 1 kilowatt-hour for use in a plug-in electric drive vehicle shall-- (A) ensure that the applicant includes in the application a description of the price of the battery per kilowatt hour; (B) on approval by the Secretary of the application, publish, or permit the Secretary to publish, the price described in subparagraph (A); and (C) for any order received by the battery manufacturer for at least 1,000 batteries, offer batteries at that price. (b) Electric Drive Education Program- (1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall develop a nationwide electric drive transportation education program under which the Secretary shall provide-- (A) teaching materials to secondary schools and high schools; and (B) assistance for programs relating to electric drive system and component engineering to institutions of higher education. (2) ELECTRIC VEHICLE COMPETITION- The program established under paragraph (1) shall include a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle competition for institutions of higher education, which shall be known as the `Dr. Andrew Frank Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Competition'. (3) ENGINEERS- In carrying out the program established under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide financial assistance to institutions of higher education to create new, or support existing, degree programs to ensure the availability of trained electrical and mechanical engineers with the skills necessary for the advancement of-- (A) plug-in electric drive vehicles; and (B) other forms of electric drive vehicles. (4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this subsection such sums as may be necessary. Establishment of Program- The Secretary of Energy shall establish a program to provide guarantees of loans by private institutions for the construction of facilities for the manufacture of advanced vehicle batteries and battery systems that are developed and produced in the United States, including advanced lithium ion batteries and hybrid electrical system and component manufacturers and software designers.
In General- The Secretary of Energy shall establish a program to make grants to owners of domestic motor vehicle manufacturing or production facilities for the production of plug-in hybrid electric motors or conversion modules to be used as electricity storage capacity for utilities. (b) Programs- The Secretary of Energy shall establish programs to determine how to best integrate plug-in hybrid vehicles into the electric power grid and into the overall electricity infrastructure. These programs shall be conducted in 5 separate regions across the United States at the discretion of the Secretary. (c) Pilot Programs- The Secretary shall establish during the first 6 months of 2008, with other governmental entities, no less than 5 separate pilot programs to convert at least 1000 vehicles in each program to plug-hybrid electric vehicles. (d) Federal Contribution- The Department of Energy shall contribute up to 50 percent of the cost of conversion modules. (e) Installation- Installations of electricity storage devices shall be undertaken by trained and certified mechanics. (f) Monitoring- The Secretary of Energy shall require the monitoring of reliability, efficiency, breakeven costs, and customer satisfaction for a period of 3 years. (g) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section. AMENDMENTS Amendment offered by Mr. Blumenauer. An amendment numbered 1 printed in part B of House Report 110-300 to title IX would encourage natural gas utilities to plan for and prioritize energy efficiency. It requires state regulators to consider crafting rate policies that align utility revenue recovery measures with incentives for energy conservation. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Mr. Shays. An amendment numbered 2 printed in part B of House Report 110-300 to double the current level of funding for 2007 and 2008 for the weatherization assistance program in section 9034(a). Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Ms. Hooley. An amendment numbered 3 printed in part B of House Report 110-300 to title IX authorizes the Administrator of the EPA to enter into an arrangement with the Secretary of Education & the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study of how sustainable building features such as energy efficiency affect multiple perceived indoor environmental quality stressors on students in K-12 schools. The authorization for carrying out this section $200,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Mr. Pitts. An amendment numbered 4 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to except boilers that operate without the need for electricity supply from the energy efficiency requirements in section 9003(4) of the bill, regarding appliance efficiency. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Mr. Terry. An amendment numbered 5 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to add a section to accelerate the adoption of geothermal heat pumps by the Federal governme Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Mr. Udall (NM). An amendment numbered 6 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to require electric suppliers, other than governmental entities and rural electric cooperatives, to provide 15 percent of their electricity using renewable energy resources by the year 2020. Allows 4 percent of the requirement to be satisfied with electricity efficiency measures. Passed 220 to 190 RC 827 Amendment offered by Mr. Van Hollen. An amendment numbered 7 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to add a sixth policy option to H.R. 3221' s existing "State Must Consider" language asking state regulatory authorities and nonregulated utilities to consider "offering home energy audits, publicizing the financial and environmental benefits associated with home energy efficiency improvements and educating homeowners about all existing federal and state incentives, including the availability of low-cost loans. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Ms. Schwartz. An amendment numbered 8 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to require all federal government agencies to change their acquisitions rules for planning meetings and conferences to consider the environmentally preferable features and practices of a vendor, similar to the acquisition rules of the Environmental Protection Agency. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Mr. Arcuri. An amendment numbered 9 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to repeal the availability of Federal eminent domain authority for use by companies permitted by FERC to construct or modify transmission lines within National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors. In place of this, the amendment would amend section 216(e) of the Federal Power Act to require permitted companies to proceed in accordance with state law. Failed 165 to 245 RC 828 Amendment offered by Mr. Hodes. An amendment numbered 10 printed in part B of House Report 110-300 to order the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study of the renewable energy system rebate program for homes and small businesses, described in section 206-c of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The study would require a plan for the program if it were funded, and determine the minimum amount the program would need to be viable. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Mr. Sali. An amendment numbered 13 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to provide a sense of the Congress to recognize and support large and small scale conventional hydropower. Passed 402 to 9 RC 829 Amendment offered by Mr. Welch (VT). An amendment numbered 14 printed in House Report 110-300 to establish a grant program for Colleges and Universities to invest in sustainable and efficient energy projects, up to $1 million for efficiency and $500,000 for sustainability. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Mr. Castle. An amendment numbered 15 printed in House Report 110-300 to require the Minerals Management Service to submit a report to Congress on the status of regulations required to be issued with respect to offshore wind energy production. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Mr. Wu. An amendment numbered 16 printed in House Report 110-300 to require the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program for universities to research and develop renewable energy technologies. Priority is given to universities in low income and rural communities with proximity to trees dying of disease or insect infestation. The amendment also authorizes $25 million for the total program Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Ms. Giffords. An amendment numbered 17 printed in House Report 110-300 to create a Solar Energy Industries Research and Promotion Board to increase consumer awareness nationwide of solar energy options and appropriate certifications. The solar program would be funded entirely by a small portion of industry revenues and no appropriations are authorized. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Mrs. Tauscher. An amendment numbered 18 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to create a pilot program in urbanized and other than urbanized areas to increase the use of vanpooling and the number of vanpools in service. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Mr. Holt. An amendment numbered 19 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to require the Center for Climate Change Environment and the Environmental Protection Agency to examine the potential fuel savings from intelligent transportation systems that would help businesses and consumers to plan their travel and avoid delays, including web-based realtime transit information systems, congestion information systems, carpool information systems, parking information systems, freight route management, and traffic management systems. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Mr. Hastings (FL). An amendment numbered 20 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to make findings regarding fuel supplies and expresses teh Sense of Congress that the U.S. should further global energy security and promote democratic development in resource rich foreign countries by encouraging further participation in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and other international initiatives. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Ms. Solis. An amendment numbered 21 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to require an assessment of current and anticipated needs of developing countries in adapting to climate change, which includes a strategy to address these needs and an identification of funding sources for such purposes. Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007 Amendment offered by Mr. Cleaver. An amendment numbered 22 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to prohibit any Federal agency, including any office of the legislative branch, from acquiring a light duty motor vehicle or medium duty motor vehicle that is not a low greenhouse gas emitting vehicle. Passed 218 to 196 RC 830 Amendment offered by Mr. Sarbanes. An amendment numbered 23 printed in Part B of House Report 110-300 to require Agreed to by voice vote August 4, 2007
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