Energy

Nuclear Prosperity and Security Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2020

Nuclear Prosperity and Security Act This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish and operate a uranium reserve to ensure the availability of uranium mined in the United States in the event of a market disruption and support strategic fuel cycle capabilities in the United States. Uranium that is mined in the United States by an entity that is owned or controlled by the Russian Federation or the People's Republic of China or is incorporated in either country must be excluded from the reserve. DOE must publish a request for information to evaluate (1) how to operate and manage the reserve, (2) how to acquire uranium for the reserve, and (3) the quantity and form of uranium to acquire for the reserve. DOE must also include in its budget materials (1) a request for amounts for the acquisition, transportation, or storage of uranium in the reserve; or (2) an explanation for why such amounts are not requested.

Modernize Nuclear Reactor Environmental Reviews Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2020

Modernize Nuclear Reactor Environmental Reviews Act This bill directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to submit to Congress a report on facilitating efficient, timely environmental reviews of nuclear reactors through expanded use of categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and generic environmental impact statements. The commission must promulgate a final rule to (1) establish an optical generic environmental impact statement for actions relating to nuclear reactors that may be used in the process for issuing a construction permit, early site permit, or combined license; and (2) amend criteria for and identification of licensing and regulatory actions to eliminate the list of actions that require environmental impact statements to allow for the use of environmental assessments and categorical exclusions for such actions.

Toxic Exposure Safety Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2020

Toxic Exposure Safety Act of 2020 This bill expands an existing program to provide compensation to Department of Energy (DOE) employees and contractors for illnesses caused by occupational exposure to radiation and certain substances to cover additional workers with illnesses caused by toxic substances. The Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program shall cover DOE employees and contractors who are members of the Toxic Special Exposure Cohort established under this bill. The Department of Health and Human Services shall establish rules for determining whether a DOE employee or contractor qualifies as a cohort member, including a list of qualifying diseases. The bill also requires the Department of Labor to create or update assessments of toxic substance exposure in each DOE facility. The bill also appropriates funds as necessary for DOE's assistance with certain Labor activities related to DOE facilities. Furthermore, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences shall conduct or support research on the epidemiological impacts of toxic substance exposure at DOE facilities.

Emergency Water and Energy is a Human Right Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2020

Emergency Water and Energy is a Human Right Act This bill creates a grant program, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, to provide funds to states and Indian tribes to assist low-income households that pay a high proportion of household income for drinking water and wastewater services. Specifically, states and Indian tribes must provide payments to owners and operators of public water systems and wastewater treatment works to reduce rates charged to low-income households. Owners and operators must also conduct outreach activities to ensure that households are aware of the available rate reduction assistance. Further, any entity receiving financial assistance under this grant program must ensure that no home energy service, public water system service, or wastewater treatment works is or remains disconnected or interrupted during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency because of nonpayment.

SOLVING THE CLIMATE CRISIS: BUILDING A VIBRANT AND JUST CLEAN ENERGY ENVIRONMENT

United States · United States House of Representatives · 28 July 2020

RESILIENT Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2020

Reforming, Expanding, and Simplifying Investment for Local Infrastructure to Enhance our Neighborhoods and Towns Act or the RESILIENT Act This bill establishes the Rural Partnerships Office within the Department of Agriculture and otherwise authorizes policies and programs within various federal agencies to assist rural communities in the strategic planning, design, financing, and implementation of infrastructure (e.g., water, transportation, broadband, and energy) projects, including by providing technical assistance for such projects.

End Polluter Welfare Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2020

End Polluter Welfare Act of 2020 This bill limits or eliminates certain fossil fuel oil and gas subsidies for oil companies, including by (1) eliminating the authority of the Department of Energy to carry out the Fossil Energy Research and Development Program; (2) expanding the definition of crude oil for purposes of the excise tax on petroleum and petroleum products to include any oil derived from a bitumen or bituminous mixture (tar sands), any liquid fuel derived from coal, and any oil derived from kerogen-bearing sources (oil shale); (3) limiting the financial assistance that such companies may receive from programs that provide relief to businesses affected by the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic; (4) terminating certain tax incentives relating to fossil fuels, including the percentage depletion allowance and capital gains treatment for royalties from coal; and (5) increasing the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate.

ON-FARM ENERGY PRODUCTION: IMPACTS ON FARM INCOME AND RURAL COMMUNITIES

United States · United States House of Representatives · 23 July 2020

Energy Security Cooperation with Allied Partners in Europe Act of 2019

United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2020

Energy Security Cooperation with Allied Partners in Europe Act of 2019 This bill establishes and modifies provisions related to U.S. international energy strategy. Applications to export natural gas to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries, Japan, and certain other countries shall be granted on an expedited basis without modification or delay. The Department of State shall report to Congress on a strategy to enhance the energy security of NATO member countries and increase U.S. energy exports to such countries.

Marshall Plan for Coal Country Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2020

Marshall Plan for Coal Country Act of 2020 This bill addresses provisions related to coal mining and coal communities, including by (1) providing Medicare benefits for individuals who lost their job (other than a discharge for cause, voluntary departure, or retirement) at a coal mine or coal power plant; and (2) expanding and revising the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund to provide support for economic revitalization, diversification, and development in economically distressed mining communities through the reclamation and restoration of land and water resources adversely affected by coal mining carried out before August 3, 1977.

Restoring State Mineral Revenues Act

United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2020

Restoring State Mineral Revenues Act This bill eliminates the 2% fee that the federal government currently deducts from a state's entitled share to cover administrative or other costs under the Mineral Leasing Act.

RISE Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2020

Research Investment to Spark the Economy Act or the RISE Act This bill authorizes the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, the Interior, and Health and Human Services and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation, and Environmental Protection Agency to provide support for research regarding COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) or research disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Support under this bill shall be provided through federal science agencies with at least $50 million in basic and applied research obligations in FY2020. Support may be used to provide supplemental funding to extend the duration of a grant to a research institution or national laboratory that was awarded prior to the enactment of this bill, or to expand the purposes of such a grant as specified; provide supplemental funding through existing competitively awarded cooperative agreements and contracts to cover the increased costs of construction of scientific facilities and equipment that have been delayed because of COVID-19; and award grants and cooperative agreements to institutions of higher education to conduct research on the behavioral, social, or economic effects of COVID-19 and the responses to the disease or on the effectiveness of such responses. Agencies must provide the support as rapidly as possible. Provided funds shall remain available for expenditure for up to two years.

Water-Energy Technology Demonstration and Deployment Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2020

Water-Energy Technology Demonstration and Deployment Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy (DOE) to partner with at least one institution of higher education to form the Western Water Resilience Center to research the development, commercialization, and deployment of water and energy technologies. Interior shall also establish a pilot program within the Bureau of Reclamation to allow DOE participation in certain projects.

Public School Green Rooftop Program

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2020

Public School Green Rooftop Program This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a grant program for installing and maintaining green roof systems on public elementary and secondary school buildings. ( Green roof refers to a layer of vegetation that is planted over a waterproofing system or to a waterproof management practice that is installed on a roof and may support plant growth.) Specifically, DOE must award grants to public elementary and secondary schools, local educational agencies, and partnerships with nonprofits organizations to (1) pay the costs of planning assistance for green roof systems on school buildings, such as assessing structures, conducting financial and engineering analyses, and receiving cost estimates; and (2) install green roof systems on these buildings. Additionally, a grant recipient must complete the installation of a green roof system within four years of receiving the grant. A grant recipient that completes this installation requirement shall receive additional funding for maintenance activities, such as conducting routine inspections to monitor the condition of the green roof.

Leasing Market Efficiency Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2020

Leasing Market Efficiency Act This bill requires the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to issue all onshore oil and gas leasing through a competitive bidding process. The BLM must ensure the receipt by the United States of fair market value for any land or resources leased and any rights covered by the United States.

FROM LAB TO MARKET: ACCELERATING OUR PROGRESS TOWARD ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE

United States · United States House of Representatives · 17 July 2020

Defense, Commerce, Justice, Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2021

United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2020

Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2021 This bill provides FY2021 appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) for military activities. (The bill excludes military construction, military family housing, civil works projects of the Army Corps of Engineers, and nuclear warheads, which are all considered in other appropriations bills.) Within the DOD budget, the bill provides appropriations for Military Personnel; Operation and Maintenance; Procurement; Research, Development, Test and Evaluation; and Revolving and Management Funds. The bill provides appropriations for Other Department of Defense Programs, including the Defense Health Program, Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction, Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, and the Office of the Inspector General. The bill provides appropriations for (1) Related Agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund and the Intelligence Community Management Account; and (2) Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism. The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts.

To modify certain requirements of LIHEAP for purposes of the use of certain funds appropriated in fiscal year 2020, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2020

This bill modifies requirements in FY2020 for the use of certain funds under the the low-income home energy assistance program. Specifically, the bill requires each state, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and each Indian Tribe that receives funding under the program to (1) accept proof of job loss or severe income loss dated after February 29, 2020, such as a layoff or furlough notice or verification of application for unemployment benefits, as sufficient to demonstrate lack of income for an individual or household; and (2) not use more than 12.5% of such funding for administrative costs.

OVERSIGHT HEARING ON ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: LESSONS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

United States · United States House of Representatives · 14 July 2020

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2021

United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2020

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2021 This bill provides FY2021 appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and related agencies. The bill provides appropriations to Interior for the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, the Office of the Special Trustee For American Indians, Departmental Offices, and Department-Wide Programs. The bill also provides appropriations to the EPA and the Forest Service. Within the Department of Health and Human Services, the bill provides appropriations for the Indian Health Service, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The bill provides appropriations to several related agencies, including the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality, the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation, the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Commission of Fine Arts, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. the National Capital Planning Commission, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Presidio Trust, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission, and the World War I Centennial Commission. The bill also provides additional emergency funding to the Bureau of Indian Education, the EPA, and the Indian Health Service for school construction, infrastructure grants, and the construction of health care facilities. Additionally, the bill sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts.

SAVE Jobs Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2020

Save American Vital Energy Jobs Act or the SAVE Jobs Act This bill extends energy-related tax provisions and expands incentives for job creation in the energy sector during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency period. Specifically, the bill extends for one year the construction period for carbon oxide sequestration facilities for purposes of the tax credit, suspends capitalization rules in 2020 to permit immediate expensing of certain inventory costs, reduces the required deposit of certain motor fuel excise taxes from 95% to 25%, allows expensing of intangible drilling costs in 2020, permits extensions and suspensions of production and operations under onshore and offshore leases during the COVID-19 emergency period, requires a royalty rate reduction during the COVID-19 emergency period for a maximum 180-day period, and requires the Department of the Interior to delay until July 1, 2022, the effective date for compliance with the 2016 final rule titled Consolidated Federal Oil & Gas and Federal & Indian Coal Valuation Reform.

To direct the Secretary of Defense to provide budget information for incinerators and waste-to-energy waste disposal alternatives to burn pits.

United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2020

This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide budget information regarding incinerators and waste-to-energy waste disposal alternatives to burn pits. DOD must include the information as a dedicated budget line item in the President's FY2022 budget.

Clean Energy Innovation and Deployment Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2020

Clean Energy Innovation and Deployment Act of 2020 This bill addresses provisions related to clean energy and zero-emission electricity technology. Among these provisions, the bill (1) implements measures to deploy clean energy technologies and make them commercially available, including through the activities of a Clean Energy Deployment Administration within the Department of Energy; (2) sets forth requirements for a zero-emission electricity standard; (3) provides incentives to power companies for the accelerated deployment of a zero-emission electricity system, including tax credits and grants; (4) reauthorizes through FY2030 and revises the Weatherization Assistance Program; and (5) establishes a nationwide program to improve education and training for jobs in energy-related industries with existing or expected worker shortages.

Energy Tax Credit Direct Payment Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2020

Energy Tax Credit Direct Payment Act of 2020 This bill reinstates in 2020 the program authorizing the Department of the Treasury to convert certain alternative clean energy tax credits into cash grants.

Future of Agricultural Resiliency And Modernization Act

United States · United States Congress · 2 July 2020

Future of Agricultural Resiliency And Modernization Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to award grants to certain entities, including states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations, to carry out projects that further agricultural resiliency and modernization, such as projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions; improve air, water, and soil health; and increase carbon sequestration. Additionally, USDA must establish a program to award grants to governmental organizations and private entities in the agricultural sector to carry out at least 10 pilot projects with the potential to reduce or sequester greenhouse emissions that convert and valorize tree nut harvest by-products and waste into multiple higher value biocarbon products, including sustainable industrial applications, agrochemicals, repurposing process heat, energy, and construction materials.

Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act

United States · United States Congress · 1 July 2020

Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a Financing Energy Efficient Manufacturing Program that provides grants for energy efficiency improvement projects in the manufacturing sector. The following types of entities are eligible for grants: state energy offices; Native American tribes; nonprofit organizations that focus on providing energy efficiency or renewable energy services and receive funding from states, tribes, or utilities; electric cooperative groups; or entities with a public-private partnership under the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership. The entities that receive grants must then distribute subgrants to certain small- or medium-sized manufacturers (employing no more than 750 employees) located in the same states as the entities. Recipients of subgrants must carry out projects that (1) improve the energy efficiency of the manufacturers, and (2) develop technologies that reduce electricity or natural gas use by the manufacturers. The bill establishes labor requirements for projects that receive grant funding under this bill. In addition, grant projects may only use iron and steel products that are produced in the United States, unless DOE grants a waiver of the requirement.

Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act

United States · United States Congress · 1 July 2020

Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a Financing Energy Efficient Manufacturing Program that provides grants for energy efficiency improvement projects in the manufacturing sector. The following types of entities are eligible for grants: state energy offices; Native American tribes; nonprofit organizations that focus on providing energy efficiency or renewable energy services and receive funding from states, tribes, or utilities; electric cooperative groups; or entities with a public-private partnership under the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership. The entities that receive grants must then distribute subgrants to certain small- or medium-sized manufacturers (employing no more than 750 employees) located in the same states as the entities. Recipients of subgrants must carry out projects that (1) improve the energy efficiency of the manufacturers, and (2) develop technologies that reduce electricity or natural gas use by the manufacturers. The bill establishes labor requirements for projects that receive grant funding under this bill. In addition, grant projects may only use iron and steel products that are produced in the United States, unless DOE grants a waiver of the requirement.

Promoting Cross-border Energy Infrastructure Act

United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2020

Promoting Cross-border Energy Infrastructure Act This bill establishes a new process for approving the construction and operation of energy infrastructure across an international border of the United States and replaces the existing process established under specified executive orders. Specifically, this bill requires a person to obtain a certificate of crossing before constructing, connecting, operating, or maintaining a border-crossing facility for the import or export of oil, natural gas, or electricity across an international border. A certificate must be obtained from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a facility consisting of oil or natural gas pipelines or the Department of Energy (DOE) for an electric transmission facility. As a condition of issuing a certificate, DOE must require that an electric transmission facility be constructed, connected, operated, or maintained consistent with specified policies and standards. FERC and DOE must meet a deadline for issuing a certificate as set forth by this bill. The bill also requires FERC to meet a deadline for approving applications to import or export natural gas to or from Canada or Mexico.

Methane Emissions Reduction Act

United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2020

Methane Emissions Reduction Act This bill requires the Department of Energy to carry out a program to reduce methane emissions from flaring and venting natural gas during oil and natural gas production activities.

National Security Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2020

National Security Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2020 This bill, for FY2021 and any subsequent fiscal year, directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to improve its energy efficiency, including by reducing energy intensity in DOD buildings by 2.5% annually through the end of FY2027. It also adds requirements relating to clean energy including that electric energy and thermal energy in DOD buildings are comprised of clean energy. DOD must develop, implement, and annually update an integrated Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan for each of FY2021-FY2040.

Protecting American Energy Production Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2020

Protecting American Energy Production Act This bill prohibits the President from declaring a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing unless Congress authorizes the moratorium. The bill also expresses the sense of Congress that states should maintain primacy for the regulation of hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas production on state and private lands.

Nuclear Licensing Efficiency Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2020

Nuclear Licensing Efficiency Act This bill revises the permitting and licensing process for nuclear production or utilization facilities. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission must follow specified procedures when reviewing an application for an early site permit, construction permit, operating license, or combined construction permit and operating license for a nuclear production or utilization facility. The Government Accountability Office must study and report on the effects of eliminating mandatory hearings for uncontested licensing and construction permit applications under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. The bill revises the composition of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, and provides specific timelines for the committee to complete its review for a construction permit or an operating license for a nuclear facility. The bill also places a limit on the amount of annual fees that may be charged to a nuclear fuel facility, with specified exceptions.

Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2020

Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2020 This bill grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the authority to approve or deny applications for facilities, such as Liquefied Natural Gas terminals, to export natural gas from the United States to foreign countries or import natural gas from foreign countries.

Strengthening American Nuclear Competitiveness Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2020

Strengthening American Nuclear Competitiveness Act This bill requires expedited consideration of certain nuclear technology exports, and it requires the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to author specified reports. Specifically, DOE must establish procedures to expedite consideration of authorization requests regarding the transfer of a technology that involves specified low-proliferation-risk reactors to certain foreign countries. DOE must also report on U.S. civil nuclear commerce, including (1) an assessment of current practices with respect to the civilian nuclear industry and the impacts of such practices on both the industry and in foreign commerce, (2) a comparison of U.S. practices to the practices of foreign countries with respect to their own civilian nuclear industry, and (3) recommendations to improve the competitiveness of U.S. civil nuclear commerce. The GAO must report on the feasibility and implications of modifying or repealing specified restrictions on issuing licenses for certain nuclear facilities to an alien or an entity owned, controlled, or dominated by an alien, foreign corporation, or foreign government. The GAO must also report on actions by DOE with respect to the retrospective risk pooling program that requires each nuclear supplier to help cover the contingent cost resulting from certain nuclear incidents.

Promoting Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Pipelines Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2020

Promoting Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Pipelines Act This bill expands the authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to act as the lead agency for the purpose of coordinating all applicable federal authorizations and environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) with respect to authorizing a natural gas pipeline project under the Natural Gas Act. Federal, state, and local agencies involved in the environmental review process must defer to FERC's approved scope for a NEPA review. FERC must invite and designate the other participating agencies involved in the authorization process, and track and publicly display on its website specific information related to the actions required to complete an authorization. The bill establishes a 90 day deadline to complete an authorization application for other authorizing agencies and requires concurrent reviews when multiple agencies are involved in the authorization process. If a federal or state agency considering an aspect of an application for authorization requires the person applying for such authorization to submit data, the agency must consider any such data gathered by aerial or other remote means that the person submits.

Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2020

Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act This bill expands provisions related to hydropower production and revises the hydropower licensing process.

Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Clarification Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2020

Protecting Europe's Energy Security Clarification Act of 2020 This bill expands existing sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that engage in certain activities relating to the construction of the Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream energy pipelines. Current law generally imposes visa- and property-blocking sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that knowingly took actions such as selling or leasing vessels that engaged in pipe laying related to the pipelines. Under this bill, the President shall also impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that engage in other specified activities, such as (1) providing underwriting services or insurance for such vessels, or (2) installing welding equipment for such vessels.

GREEN Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2020

Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now Act of 2020 or the GREEN Act of 2020 This bill provides tax incentives for investment in renewable energy resources and energy efficiency programs. Among other provisions, the bill extends for five years the tax credit for production of electricity from certain renewable resources (e.g., wind facilities, biomass, landfill trash facilities), the election to treat certain tangible property as energy property for purposes of the energy tax credit, and certain provisions of the energy tax credit; expands the energy tax credit to include energy storage technology, waste energy recovery property, and qualified biogas property; extends for two years the tax credit for carbon oxide sequestration; allows elective payments in lieu of certain energy-related tax credits; modifies the phaseout provisions of the income and excise tax credits for biodiesel and renewable diesel and extends the termination date for such credits; extends for five years and increases the tax credit for nonbusiness energy property and the new energy efficient home tax credit; extends for six years the residential energy efficient property tax credit; extends for five years the tax deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings; modifies the limitations on new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles tax credit and allows a new credit for such vehicles that are previously-owned; allows a new tax credit for zero emission heavy vehicles (vehicles with a gross weight rating of not less than 14,000 pounds and not powered by an internal combustion engine); extends for five years the tax credits for qualified fuel cell motor vehicles and alternative fuel cell refueling property; provides for additional allocations of the advanced energy project tax credit; allows a new tax credit for the labor costs of installing mechanical insulation property; allows a new tax credit to promote environmental justice programs (programs to improve health and economic outcomes of individuals residing in low-income areas or areas populated disproportionately by racial or ethnic minorities); and requires the Department of the Treasury to report on the utility of data from the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program for determining the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by taxpayers for purposes of imposing a fee on them for such emissions.

RISE Act

United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2020

Research Investment to Spark the Economy Act or the RISE Act This bill authorizes the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, the Interior, and Health and Human Services and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation, and Environmental Protection Agency to provide support for research regarding COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) or research disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Support under this bill shall be provided through federal science agencies with at least $50 million in basic and applied research obligations in FY2020. Support may be used to provide supplemental funding to extend the duration of a grant to a research institution or national laboratory that was awarded prior to the enactment of this bill, or to expand the purposes of such a grant as specified; provide supplemental funding through existing competitively awarded cooperative agreements and contracts to cover the increased costs of construction of scientific facilities and equipment that have been delayed because of COVID-19; and award grants and cooperative agreements to institutions of higher education to conduct research on the behavioral, social, or economic effects of COVID-19 and the responses to the disease or on the effectiveness of such responses. Agencies must provide the support as rapidly as possible. Provided funds shall remain available for expenditure for up to two years.

Recognizing that for 45 years, Papua New Guinea and the United States have shared a close friendship based on shared goals of stability, prosperity, and peace in the region, and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States will continue to remain a strong, reliable, and active partner in the Pacific.

United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2020

This resolution commends the subsistence of democratic institutions in Papua New Guinea and encourages deepened U.S. cooperation with Papua New Guinea in areas of mutual interest. The resolution also recognizes Papua New Guinea's participation in multinational organizations and applauds the country's multilateral efforts to ensure access to electricity throughout the region.

Open Back Better Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2020

Open Back Better Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to provide grants to federal and state agencies and tribal organizations to implement building projects that increase resiliency, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and grid integration. It also provides grants for projects that may have combined heat and power and energy storage as project components. States must use at least 40% of grant funds to implement projects in environmental justice communities or low-income communities that have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. No funds may be used for a project unless all of the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in the project are produced in the United States, with specified exceptions. The bill also directs DOE to hire a specified number of employees to carry out the grant program, including at least 300 full-time employees in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Climate Action Planning for Ports Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2020

Climate Action Planning for Ports Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to award grants for developing climate action plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or other air pollutants at ports or port facilities or implementing plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at one or more ports or port facilities. Climate action plans must demonstrate that the measures proposed to be implemented through the grants will do at least two of the following: improve energy efficiency at ports or port facilities, deploy technology or processes that reduce idling of vehicles at ports or port facilities, or reduce the direct emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants with a goal of achieving zero emissions.

HOPE for HOMES Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2020

HOPE for HOMES Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of Energy to establish (1) criteria for a HOPE Qualification for contractors to advance their capabilities to efficiently retrofit homes, including a list of courses that meet the criteria and information on how individuals and entities may apply for grants to achieve such qualification; and (2) a Home Energy Savings Retrofit Rebate Program to provide rebates for homeowners to invest in energy efficiency improvements.

Open Back Better Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2020

Open Back Better Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to provide grants to federal and state agencies and tribal organizations to implement building projects that increase resiliency, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and grid integration. It also provides grants for projects that may have combined heat and power and energy storage as project components. States must use at least 40% of grant funds to implement projects in environmental justice communities or low-income communities that have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. No funds may be used for a project unless all of the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in the project are produced in the United States, with specified exceptions. The bill also directs DOE to hire a specified number of employees to carry out the grant program, including at least 300 full-time employees in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

DOE EPSCoR Modernization Act

United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2020

DOE EPSCoR Modernization Act This bill revises the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program of the Department of Energy (DOE). The objectives of the EPSCoR must include (1) increasing the number of researchers in specified jurisdictions (i.e., the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), especially at institutions of higher education (IHEs), capable of performing nationally competitive science and engineering research in support of the mission of DOE in the areas of applied energy research, environmental management, and basic science; and (2) improving science and engineering research and education programs at IHEs in such states and enhancing their capabilities to develop, plan, and execute research that is competitive. The EPSCoR must provide grants to such jurisdictions to carry out and support applied energy research and research in all areas of environmental management and basic science sponsored by DOE. DOE must contract with a federally funded research and development center, the National Academy of Sciences, or a a similar organization to carry out an assessment of the effectiveness of EPSCoR, including an assessment of the progress made towards achieving the objectives of the program.

HOPE for HOMES Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2020

HOPE for HOMES Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of Energy to establish (1) criteria for a HOPE Qualification for contractors to advance their capabilities to efficiently retrofit homes, including a list of courses that meet the criteria and information on how individuals and entities may apply for grants to achieve such qualification; and (2) a Home Energy Savings Retrofit Rebate Program to provide rebates for homeowners to invest in energy efficiency improvements.

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021

United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2020

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 This bill authorizes FY2021 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation. The bill authorizes appropriations to DOD for Procurement, including aircraft, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, shipbuilding and conversion, and missiles; Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation; Operation and Maintenance; Working Capital Funds; Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction; Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities; the Defense Inspector General; the Defense Health Program; the Armed Forces Retirement Home; Overseas Contingency Operations; and Military Construction. The bill authorizes the FY2021 personnel strengths for active duty and reserve forces and sets forth policies regarding military personnel; acquisition policy and management; Space Force matters; international programs; National Guard and Reserve Forces facilities; compensation and other personnel benefits; health care; DOD organization and management; civilian personnel matters; matters relating to foreign nations; and strategic programs, cyber, and intelligence matters. The bill authorizes appropriations for base realignment and closure activities, and maritime matters. The bill also authorizes appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Energy national security programs, including the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.

TREE Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2020

Tackling Residential Energy burdens Efficiently Act of 2020 or the TREE Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of Energy to establish a grant program for states, local governments, Indian tribes, and other entities to plant a minimum of 300,000 trees annually in residential neighborhoods throughout the United States.

SAVE Jobs Act

United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2020

Save American Vital Energy Jobs Act or the SAVE Jobs Act This bill extends energy-related tax provisions and expands incentives for job creation in the energy sector during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency period. Specifically, the bill extends for one year the construction period for carbon oxide sequestration facilities for purposes of the tax credit, suspends capitalization rules in 2020 to permit immediate expensing of certain inventory costs, reduces the required deposit of certain motor fuel excise taxes from 95% to 25%, allows expensing of intangible drilling costs in 2020, permits extensions and suspensions of production and operations under onshore and offshore leases during the COVID-19 emergency period, requires a royalty rate reduction during the COVID-19 emergency period for a maximum 180-day period, and requires the Department of the Interior to delay until July 1, 2022, the effective date for compliance with the 2016 final rule titled Consolidated Federal Oil & Gas and Federal & Indian Coal Valuation Reform.

A bill to express the sense of Congress regarding the need for a nationwide moratorium on electric and natural gas utility disconnections during the nationwide emergency relating to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2020

This bill calls for states and electric or natural gas utilities to place a moratorium on utility disconnections during the emergency relating to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak. In addition, the bill calls for states and utilities to ensure that reasonable efforts are made to safely reconnect electric and natural gas consumers that have lost service; fees for reconnection services, late fees, and other penalties are waived; and there are no increases in cost-of-service to consumers.