Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation Legislation in the 107th Congress

Order Code RL31127

CRS Report for Congress

Received through the CRS Web

Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation

Legislation in the 107th Congress

September 19, 2001

nae redacted

Specialist in Energy Policy

Resources, Science, and Industry

Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Legislation in the

107th Congress

Summary

This report reviews the status of energy efficiency and energy conservation

legislation introduced during the 107th Congress. Most of the focus thus far has

centered on omnibus energy bills introduced in the House (H.R. 4) and in the Senate

(S. 596/S. 597 and S. 388/S. 389).

The omnibus energy bills from both the House and the Senate have several

energy efficiency provisions. H.R. 4, the Securing America’s Energy Future (SAFE)

Act, comprises four major house bills: H.R. 2436, H.R. 2460, H.R. 2511, and H.R.

2587. This bill covers many provisions from the Bush Administration’s National

Energy Policy (NEP) report and legislates on several NEP administrative action

provisions. It passed the House on August 2, 2001, and had a second reading in the

Senate on September 4.

On Sept. 6, 2001, the Senate Energy Committee Chairman issued a “Chairman’s

Mark” for an omnibus Senate energy bill, summarizing “intended sections yet to be

marked up.” The Chairman’s statement says the forthcoming bill would have a major

focus on energy efficiency. Many of the forthcoming bill’s provisions are expected

to be derived from the Democratic energy bills, S. 597 and S. 596, and from the

Republican energy bills, S. 388 and S. 389.

More than 70 energy efficiency bills have been introduced so far. These bills are

listed in the report, with descriptions of their provisions and notations for committee

reports and hearings. Also, a selected list of hearings is added.

(This report supplements the tracking of energy efficiency policy issues that

appears in CRS Issue Brief IB10020.)

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

National Energy Policy Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Appropriations Bills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

House Bills (with Senate Companions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Senate Bills (with House Companions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Congressional Hearings, Reports, and Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

List of Tables

Table 1. Energy Efficiency Bills Listed by Topic: 107th Congress . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Energy Efficiency and Conservation

Legislation in the 107th Congress

Introduction

This report provides a list of more than 70 energy efficiency and energy

conservation bills introduced during the 107th Congress. These bills cover a wide

range of technologies including those for buildings, industry, power production, and

transportation. Also, they include a range of policies that cover tax credits,

regulation, funding, goals, and the environment. So far, tax credits for energy

efficiency, incentives for energy-efficient appliances, and measures to promote

electricity conservation are the policy topics that have generated the greatest number

of bills. The table on page 2 groups the bills by topic.

National Energy Policy Legislation

Energy efficiency provisions appear in omnibus energy bills from both the House

and the Senate. H.R. 4, the Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) Act,

comprises four major house bills: H.R. 2436, H.R. 2460, H.R. 2511, and H.R. 2587.

This bill covers many provisions from the Bush Administration’s National Energy

Policy (NEP) report and legislates on several NEP administrative action provisions.

The bill includes funding authorizations, goals, and incentives for energy efficiency

and conservation. It covers programs for federal conservation, grants, equipment

(consumer products, distributed power, lighting), and buildings. It passed the House

on August 2, 2001, and had a second reading in the Senate on September 4.

On September 6, 2001, the Senate Energy Committee Chairman issued a

“Chairman’s Mark” for an omnibus Senate energy bill, summarizing “intended

sections yet to be marked up.” This statement says the forthcoming bill would have

a major focus on energy efficiency, include grants, loan guarantees, federal agency

goals and purchase requirements, measures to increase appliance efficiency and

labeling, a public benefits fund to support distributed generation of electricity, and a

program to transfer energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies to

developing countries. Many of these provisions are expected to be derived from the

Democratic energy bills, S. 597 and S. 596, and some may also be drawn from the

Republican energy bills, S. 388 and S. 389.

Appropriations Bills

The FY2002 Interior appropriations bill (H.R. 2217) funds the Energy Efficiency

Program at the Department of Energy. This bill is described in greater detail in CRS

Issue Brief IB10020. The FY2002 Veterans, Housing and Urban Development

CRS-2

(HUD), and Independent Agencies appropriations bill (H.R. 2620/S. 1216) funds

energy efficiency (climate protection) programs at the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA). It is also discussed in more detail in CRS Issue Brief 10020. The

FY2002 Department of Defense (DOD) appropriations bill (S. 1416) includes funding

for energy efficiency programs. The FY2002 Foreign Operations appropriations bill

(H.R. 2506) includes funding for international energy efficiency programs.

For each bill listed in this report, there is a brief description and a summary of

action, including references to committee hearings and reports. Also, a selected list

of hearings on energy efficiency and energy conservation is included.

CRS-3

Table 1. Energy Efficiency Bills Listed by Topic:

107th Congress

Omnibus. H.R. 4, H.R. 2324, H.R. 2478, H.R. 2436, H.R. 2460, H.R. 2511,

H.R. 2587, S. 388/S. 389, S. 596/S. 597,

Appropriations. H.R. 2217, H.R. 2506, H.R. 2620/S. 1216, H.R. 2647/S.

1172, S.Res. 26, S. 1416

R&D/Technology Demonstrations. S. 517, S. 1131

Grants. H.R. 2224, H.R. 2731, S.Res. 26, S.Res. 148, S. 352, S. 420, S. 671,

S. 1213

Loans/Financial Assistance. H.R. 2233, S. 95, S. 196

Tax Credits. H.R. 1045, H.R. 1275/S. 828, H.R. 1316/S. 686, H.R. 1797,

H.R. 1945, H.R. 1967, H.R. 2040, H.R. 2147, H.R. 2179, H.R. 2206, H.R.

2392, H.R. 2393, S. 196, S. 207, S. 293/H.R. 778, S. 465, S. 596, S. 760, S.

1212.

Buildings. H.R. 1129, H.R. 1851, H.R. 2147, H.R. 2384, H.R. 2393,

H.R. 2731, S. 72, S. 95, S. 196, S. 293/H.R. 778, S. 671, S. 968, S. 1358

Housing. H.R. 2224, H..R. 2412

Federal Agencies. H.R. 683/S. 352, H.R. 2263, H.R. 2516, S. 72, S. 95,

S. 420, S. 1358

Defense Dept. H.R. 2141, S. 1416, S. 1418

Equipment/Appliances. H.Res. 43, H.R. 44, H.R. 1316/S. 686, H.R. 1479,

H.R. 2040, H.R. 2206, H.R. 2393, H.R. 2516, S.J.Res. 15, S. 207, S. 293/H.R.

778

Lighting. S. 1166

Electricity/Utilities Regulation. H.R. 381/S. 552, H.R. 416, H.R. 683,

H.R. 704, H.R. 954, H.R. 1256, H.R. 1647, H.R. 1797, H.R. 1945, H.R. 2141,

H.R. 2392, S. 556, S. 1212, S. 1213, S. 1333

Transportation. H.R. 1967, H.R. 2263

Environment - Air Quality. H.R. 1335, S. 556/H.R. 1256, S. 1131

Environment - Climate. H.R. 416, H.R. 1335, S. 556/H.R. 1256, S. 1131,

S. 1294

Goals/Plans. H.R. 1830, H.R. 2324

International. H.R. 2567/S. 1197, S. 1294

CRS-4

Legislation

House Bills (with Senate Companions)

H.R. 4 (Tauzin)

Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) Act of 2001. Incorporates H.R.

2436, Energy Security Act; H.R. 2460, Comprehensive Energy Research and

Technology Act; H. R. 2511, Energy Tax Policy Act; and H.R. 2587, Energy

Advancement and Conservation Act. Introduced July 27, 2001; referred to

Committee on Energy and Commerce, and to the Committees on Science, Ways and

Means, Resources, Education and the Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure,

the Budget, and Financial Services. Passed House, amended, August 2. Read second

time in Senate, September 4.

H.Res. 43 (Knollenberg)

Expressing disapproval of DOE rule on residential central air conditioners and

heat pumps. Introduced April 16, 2001; referred to Committee on Energy and

Commerce.

H.R. 44 (Knollenberg)

Expressing disapproval of DOE rule on clothes washers. Introduced April 16,

2001; referred to Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 381 (Stearns)

Ratepayer Protection Act. Repeals section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory

Policies Act (PURPA, P.L. 95-620), which set a power purchase requirement and an

avoided (marginal) cost price mechanism for qualifying cogeneration facilities.

Introduced January 31, 2001; referred to Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 416 (Andrews)

Environmental Priorities Act of 2001. With money from cost savings under

electricity competition, creates a fund at the Environmental Protection Agency.

Money from the fund can be used for “mitigating the deleterious effect of electricity

production on air quality” and other purposes. Introduced February 6, 2001; referred

to Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 683 (Markey)

Energy Emergency Response Act of 2001. To increase the authorization of

appropriations for low-income energy assistance, weatherization, and state energy

conservation grant programs, to expand the use of energy savings performance

contracts, and for other purposes. Introduced February 14, 2001; referred to House

Committees: House Education and the Workforce; House Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 704 (Sherman)

Energy Time Adjustment Authorization Act. Allows states in the Pacific time

zone to temporarily adjust the standard time on an emergency basis, to conserve

electric energy. Introduced March 14, 2001; referred to Committee on Energy and

Commerce.

CRS-5

H.R. 954 (Inslee)

Home Energy Generation Act. Provides net metering for fuel cells and other

small distributed power systems. Introduced March 8, 2001; referred to Committee

on Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 1045 (Wilson)

Energy Self-Sufficiency Act for the 21st Century. Section 201 provides an

investment tax incentive for distributed renewable energy equipment. Also, authorizes

appropriations for R&D programs from FY2002 through FY2007. Introduced March

15; referred to Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Science.

H.R. 1129 (Udall)

High Performance Schools Act of 2001. Establishes DOE program to provide

grants to states and school districts for the construction and renovation of school

buildings to improve energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and other features.

Introduced March 20, 2001; referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R. 1256 (Waxman)

Clean Smokestacks Act of 2001. Encourages the use of energy efficiency,

renewable energy, emissions trading, and other measures to reduce powerplant

emissions of sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and other gases. Introduced April 16,

2001; referred to Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 1275 (Johnson)/S. 828 (Lieberman)

Creates an income tax credit for certain stationary fuel cells. House bill

introduced March 28; referred to Committee on Ways and Means. Senate bill

introduced May 3; referred to Committee on Finance.

H.R. 1316 (Nussle)/S. 686 (Lincoln)

Resource Efficient Appliance Incentives Act. Creates a tax credit for energy

efficient refrigerators and clothes washers. House bill introduced March 29, 2001;

referred to Committee on Ways and Means. Senate bill introduced April 4, 2001;

referred to Committee on Finance.

H.R. 1335(Allen)/S. 1131 (Leahy)

Clean Power Plant and Modernization Act of 2001. Encourages the use of fuel

cells, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other measures to reduce powerplant

emissions of sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and other gases. House bill introduced

April 3, 2001; referred to Committee on Energy and Commerce and to Committees

on Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, Transportation and

Infrastructure, and Science. Senate bill introduced June 28, 2001; referred to

Committee on Finance.

H.R. 1479 (Knollenberg)

Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to eliminate energy efficiency

requirements for certain plumbing equipment. Introduced April 4, 2001; referred to

Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.

CRS-6

H.R. 1647 (Barton)

Electricity Emergency Relief Act. Title I includes an incentive for voluntary

curtailment. In affected states, Title II directs DOE to conduct a public awareness

campaign for conservation during peak demand periods and directs federal agencies

to apply conservation measures to reduce use by 10%. Introduced May 1, 2001;

referred to Committee on Energy and Commerce and to Committee on Resources.

Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality held hearing on May 1 and 3.

H.R. 1797 (Dunn)

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Incentives Act of 2001. Provides a tax

credit for qualified energy management devices, including meters. Introduced May

10, 2001; referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R. 1830 (Larson)

Energy Independence Act of 2001. Directs Secretary of Energy to prepare a

national plan for energy self-sufficiency and authorizes appropriations for a variety of

accelerated fuel cell demonstration and market transformation programs. Introduced

May 15, 2001; referred to Committees on Energy and Commerce, Science, and

Government Reform.

H.R. 1851 (Tauscher)

State Infrastructure Banks for Schools Act of 2001. Includes energy efficiency

measures as a qualifying project. Introduced May 15, 2001; referred to Committee

on Education and the Workforce.

H.R. 1945 (Quinn)

Combined Heat and Power Advancement Act of 2001. Creates investment tax

credit for combined heat and power systems and sets criteria for their connection to

electricity transmission systems. Introduced May 22, 2001; referred to Committee on

Ways and Means and Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 1967 (Kucinich)

Gas Price Spike Act of 2001. Allows income tax credit for purchases of

fuel-efficient passenger vehicles and grants for mass transit. Introduced May 24,

2001; referred to Committee on Ways and Means and to the Committees on

Transportation and Infrastructure and Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 2040 (Thompson)

Energy Efficient Appliances Act of 2001. Provides 50% income tax credit, up

to $1,000, for individuals who purchase energy efficient appliances. Introduced May

24, 2001, referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R. 2141 (Thompson)

Department of Defense Energy Reduction Act of 2001. Requires electric

generation facilities owned and operated by the Department of Defense in the Western

United States to generate electricity and conserve energy (by eliminating non-essential

activities that use significant amounts of energy) in electric emergencies. Introduced

June 12, 2001; referred to Committee on Armed Services and to Committee on

Energy and Commerce.

CRS-7

H.R. 2147 (Weller)

Save America's Valuable Energy Resources Act of 2001. Provides tax credits

for making energy efficiency improvements to existing homes and for constructing

new energy efficient homes. Introduced June 13, 2001; referred to Committee on

Ways and Means.

H.R. 2206 (Terry)

Energy Efficiency Investment Act of 2001. Provides a tax credit for certain

energy efficient property placed in service or installed in an existing principal

residence or property used by businesses. Introduced June 14, 2001; referred to

Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R. 2217 (Skeen)

Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2002.

Makes appropriations for DOE Energy Efficiency Program. Reported (H.Rept. 107103) June 19, 2001. Passed House, June 21, 2001.

H.R. 2224 (Ford)

Energy Efficiency and Assistance Act of 2001. Increases LIHEAP funding

authorization, provides residential energy efficiency loans, and creates financing

incentives for energy-efficient mortgages. Introduced June 19, 2001; referred to

Committee on Energy and Commerce and to Committees on Financial Services and

Education and the Workforce.

H.R. 2233 (Nadler)

For municipalities and local communities, creates community-based revolving

loan program that may include support for energy efficiency programs and other local

conservation measures. Introduced June 19, 2001; referred to Committee on Energy

and Commerce and to the Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R. 2263 (Gilman)

Requires that 10% of the vehicles purchased by executive branch agencies be

hybrid electric vehicles or high-efficiency vehicles. Introduced June 21, 2001; referred

to Committee on Government Reform.

H.R. 2324 (Woolsey)

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Act of 2001. Sets energy efficiency

R&D goals for housing, industry, and transportation. Creates commercialization

assistance for energy efficiency projects by private companies. Introduced June 26,

2001; referred to Committee on Science.

H.R. 2392 (Inslee)

Clean Energy Incentives Act. Creates tax credits for energy efficiency and

conservation, demand management, and distributive energy generation. Introduced

June 28, 2001; referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R. 2393 (Israel)

Energy Cost and Tax Relief Act. Creates tax credit for energy conservation

expenditures in residences and for purchases of energy efficient appliances.

Introduced June 28, 2001; referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

CRS-8

H.R. 2412 (Rahall)

Tribal Energy Self-Sufficiency Act. Promotes tribal energy efficiency, creates

incentives for energy efficiency in federally assistance housing, and provides other

energy measures. Introduced June 28, 2001; referred to Committee on Resources and

to Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Financial Services, and

Agriculture.

H.R. 2436 (Hansen)

Energy Security Act. Section 701 directs the Department of Interior to

implement energy conservation measures at its facilities. Introduced July 10, 2001;

referred to Committee on Resources and to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Committee on Resources reported (H. Rept. 107-160, Part I) July 25, 2001.

Incorporated in H.R. 4.

H.R. 2460 (Boehlert)

Comprehensive Energy Research and Technology Act of 2001. Title I

authorizes appropriations for energy efficiency R&D, energy conservation grants, and

distributed energy resources programs. Introduced July 11, 2001; referred to

Committee on Science. Reported July 18, 2001. Incorporated into H.R. 4.

H.R. 2478 (Woolsey)

Comprehensive Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Act of 2001. Creates

public benefits trust fund to support energy efficiency in electricity industry; creates

energy efficiency measures for schools and federal facilities; and provides tax credits

for energy efficiency in buildings, equipment, appliances, and transportation.

Introduced July 11, 2001; referred to Committee on Ways and Means and to

Committees on Science, and Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 2506 (Kolbe)

FY2002 appropriations bill for foreign operations, export financing, and related

programs. Includes funding for energy efficiency as part of climate change programs

of the Global Environment Facility. Reported (H. Rept. 107-142) July 10, 2001.

Passed House July 24, 2001. Reported in Senate (S. Rept. 107-58) July 26, 2001.

H.R. 2511 (McCrery)

Amends IRS tax code to create tax incentives. Title I creates tax incentives for

fuel cells, home improvements, appliances, and energy-efficient buildings. Introduced

July 17, 2001; referred to Committee on Ways and Means. Reported (H.Rept. 107157) July 24, 2001. Incorporated into H.R. 4.

H.R. 2516 (Barrett)

Air Conditioner Energy Efficiency Leadership Act. Requires federal agencies

to acquire central air conditioners and heat pumps that meet or exceed certain

efficiency standards. Introduced July 17, 2001; referred to Committee on

Government Reform and to Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 2567 (DeLauro)/S. 1197 (Dodd)

CASA Code and Safety for the Americas Act of 2001. Creates assistance

program to improve international building practices in eligible Latin American

countries, including energy conservation codes and standards. House bill introduced

CRS-9

July 19, 2001; referred to Committee on International Relations. Senate bill

introduced July 19, 2001; referred to Committee on Foreign Relations.

H.R. 2587 (Tauzin)

Creates a variety of energy conservation and other energy policy measures. Title

I includes provisions to reauthorize appropriations for energy efficiency and energy

conservation programs for federal facilities and energy conservation grant programs.

It also creates energy efficiency programs for consumer products and vehicles. Title

II increases fuel economy standards for certain highway vehicles. Introduced July 23,

2001; referred to Committee on Energy and Commerce and many other committees.

Reported (H.Rept. 107-162, Part I) July 25. Incorporated into H.R. 4.

H.R. 2620 (Tauzin)/S. 1216 (Mikulski)

Department of Veterans, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and

Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY2002. Makes appropriations for EPA

Energy Efficiency Programs. House bill reported (H.Rept. 107-159) July 17, 2001.

Passed House, July 30, 2001. Senate bill reported (S. Rept. 107-43) July 20, 2001.

Passed Senate, August 2, 2001.

H.R. 2647 (Taylor)/S. 1172 (Durbin)

Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill for FY2002. House bill reported July 26,

2001. Amended, July 31. H. Amdt. 281 (Rothman, H. Rept. 107-171) provides

resources from existing funds to allow House Members to request the installation of

energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs in their offices. Passed House,

amended, July 31, 2001. Senate bill reported (S. Rept. 107-37) July 12, 2001.

Senate passed H.R. 2647 in lieu of S. 1172 on July 31, 2001.

H.R. 2731 (Baird)

School Energy Assistance Act of 2001. Directs the Secretary of Education, in

consultation with the Secretary of Energy, to establish a 2-year grant program to

compensate schools for rising energy costs. Introduced August 2, 2001; referred to

Committee on Education and the Workforce.

H.R. 2834 (Andrews)

FHA Energy Efficiency Act. Provides that any certification of a property for

meeting energy efficiency requirements for mortgage insurance under such Act shall

be conducted by an individual certified by an accredited home energy rating system

provider. Introduced September 5, 2001; referred to Committee on Financial

Services.

Senate Bills (with House Companions)

Forthcoming Omnibus Energy Bill (Energy Committee Chairman’s Mark)

Energy Policy Bill. The Chairman’s Mark says this bill would include $200

million in energy efficiency grants for schools, $10 million in efficiency grants for

community development corporations, and a package of grants and loan guarantees

for Native American tribes. For federal agencies, the bill would include a new baseline

(2000) and energy efficiency goal of 20% improvement by 2010; a requirement to

purchase Energy Star products, and indefinite extension of authority to engage energy

CRS-10

saving performance contracts (ESPCs); and a requirement for federal fleets to

increase the percentage use of alternative fuels. For appliance efficiency, the bill

would include a higher efficiency standard for central air conditioners; a statutory

basis for the Energy Star program; a requirement for the Federal Trade Commission

to update energy use labels; and a public education program. For electricity, the bill

would include an interconnection requirement for distributed generation, including

wind and solar energy equipment; a federal public benefits fund that would be

distributed as a block grant to states and Native American tribes to fund demand-side

management and renewable energy; a requirement that renewable energy power

purchases by federal agencies increase to 7.5% by 2010; and a net metering provision

for combined heat and power and renewable energy equipment. For climate change,

the bill would create a program to transfer energy efficiency and renewable energy

technologies to developing countries.

S. Res. 26 (Kerry)

States Senate support for a supplemental appropriation bill to increase funding

for Weatherization, State Energy Conservation, and Low-Income Home Energy

Assistance Program. Introduced February 5, 2001; referred to Committee on

Appropriations.

S. Res. 148 (Biden)

Designates October 30, 2001, as "National Weatherization Day." Introduced

August 2, 2001; referred to Committee on the Judiciary.

S. J. Res. 15 (Boxer)

Expresses disapproval of the DOE rule that postpones the effective date of

energy conservation standards for central air conditioners. Introduced May 22, 2001;

referred to Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearing held July 13.

S. 72 (Bingaman)

Energy Efficient Cost Savings Improvement Act of 2001. Amends the National

Energy Conservation Policy Act to enhance and extend agencies’ authority to use

energy savings performance contracts in federal facilities. Introduced January 22,

2001; referred to Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

S. 95 (Kohl)

Federal Energy Bank Act. Creates a trust fund in the Department of the

Treasury to promote energy conservation in federal facilities. Introduced January 22,

2001; referred to Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

S. 196 (Boxer)

Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a refundable tax credit

worth up to $2,000 for expenditures on a variety of residential equipment, including

insulation, storm windows, and thermal storage. Also, authorizes $20 million per year

over five years in financial assistance for insulation and certain energy-saving

equipment used to retrofit elementary and secondary schools. Introduced January

29, 2001; referred to Committee on Finance.

CRS-11

S. 207 (Smith)

Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to create a refundable tax credit for

up to 50% of increased residential energy costs, applicable to a variety of residential

equipment, including electric and natural gas heat pumps, central air conditioners, and

natural gas water heaters. For commercial buildings, a credit applies to equipment

used for lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot water supply that cuts energy

and power costs by 50% relative to an American Society of Heating, Refrigerating,

and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) reference building. Introduced February

8, 2001; referred to Committee on Finance.

S. 293 (Harkin)/H.R. 778 (Cunningham)

Home Energy Assistance Tax Act. Similar to S. 207. Creates a refundable tax

credit for up to 50% of increased residential energy costs, applicable to a variety of

residential equipment, including including electric and natural gas heat pumps, central

air conditioners, and natural gas water heaters. For commercial buildings, a credit

applies to equipment used for lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot water

supply that cuts energy and power costs by 50% relative to an ASHRAE reference

building. Senate bill introduced February 8, 2001; referred to Committee on Finance.

House bill introduced February 28, 2001; referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

S. 352 (Bingaman)

Energy Emergency Response Act of 2001. Increases the authorization of

appropriations for low-income energy assistance, weatherization, and state energy

conservation grant programs, to expand the use of energy savings performance

contracts, and for other purposes. Introduced January 22, 2001; referred to

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

S. 388/S. 389 (Murkowski)

National Energy Security Act of 2001. Title VI provides grants for energy

efficiency in school buildings; authorizes funding for weatherization grants and state

energy grants; authorizes federal agencies to engage energy saving performance

contracts; and sets 50% energy efficiency improvement goals for federal agencies in

2020 relative to 1990. Also, section 704 requires federal agency fleets to increase

average fuel economy by 3 mpg by 2005, relative to 2000. Introduced February 26,

2001; referred to Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held May

24 through July 26, 2001.

S. 420 (Grassley)

Energy Emergency Response Act of 2001. Appears as Title XIV of the

Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2001. Provides increased funding through FY2005 for

low-income energy assistance, weatherization, and state energy conservation grant

programs. Reported from Committee on Judiciary, without a written report, March

1, 2001. Passed Senate, amended, March 15, 2001.

S. 556 (Jeffords)

Clean Power Act of 2001. Amends the Clean Air Act to require EPA

regulations that reduce air pollution emissions from powerplants. Section 132 directs

that the regulations shall include appropriate incentives to increase energy efficiency,

and to use renewable energy, to achieve the emission reduction objectives.

CRS-12

Introduced March 15, 2001; referred to Committee on Environment and Public

Works.

S. 596 (Bingaman)/H.R. 2108 (Matsui)

Energy Security and Tax Incentive Policy Act of 2001. Amends the Internal

Revenue Code of 1986 to create and revise tax incentives to encourage the efficient

production and use of energy. Includes incentives for equipment, appliances, and

building design in the commercial and residential sectors. Senate bill introduced

March 22, 2001; referred to Committee on Finance. House bill introduced June 7,

2001; referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

S. 597 (Bingaman)

Comprehensive and Balanced Energy Policy Act of 2001. Creates a variety of

support for energy efficiency in buildings, industry, and transportation. Includes net

metering and a public benefits charge that supports a fund for energy efficiency.

Introduced March 22, 2001; referred to Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Hearings held May 24 through August 1, 2001.

S. 671 (Schumer)

Amends the Library Services and Technology Act to provide grants to states for

library construction and technology enhancement, including measures designed to

conserve energy. Introduced April 2, 2001; referred to Committee on Health,

Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S. 968 (Clinton)

Healthy and High Performance Schools Act. Establishes program at the

Department of Education to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy in

schools. Similar to H.R. 1129. Introduced May 25, 2001; referred to Committee on

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S. 1166 (Bingaman)

Next Generation Lighting Initiative Act. Creates lighting initiative at DOE to

research, develop, and conduct demonstration activities on white light emitting

diodes. Introduced July 11, 2001; referred to Committee on Energy and Natural

Resources. Hearings held. July 18, 2001.

S. 1212 (Cantwell)

Smart Metering Promotion Act of 2001. Related to H.R. 1797. Provides tax

credit for qualified energy management devices. Introduced July 20, 2001; referred

to Committee on Finance.

S. 1213 (Cantwell)

Savings Through Energy Productivity (STEP) Act. Authorizes a short-term

program of grants to certain electric utilities to be passed through, in the form of

credits toward electric bills, to consumers that reduce electric energy use and to

establish an Electric Energy Conservation Fund to provide loans to utilities and

nonprofit organizations to fund energy productivity projects. Introduced July 20,

2001; referred to Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

CRS-13

S. 1294 (Murkowski)

Climate Change Risk Management Act of 2001. Creates a National Climate

Change Strategy with goals and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Authorizes funding for R,D&D and international deployment of energy-efficient

technologies and other measures. Introduced August 1, 2001; referred to Committee

on Energy and Natural Resources.

S. 1333 (Jeffords)

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Investment Act of 2001. Enhances the

benefits of the national electric system by encouraging and supporting state programs

for renewable energy sources, universal electric service, affordable electric service,

and energy conservation and efficiency. Introduced August 2, 2001; referred to

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

S. 1358 (Bayh)

Federal Facility Energy Management Act of 2001. Revises federal building

energy efficiency performance standards, to establish the Office of Federal Energy

Productivity within the Department of Energy, to amend Federal Energy Management

Program requirements under the National Energy Conservation Policy Act, to enact

into law certain requirements of Executive Order No. 13123, and for

other purposes. Introduced August 3, 2001; referred to Committee on Energy and

Natural Resources.

S. 1416 (Levin)

Department of Defense (DOD) Appropriations Bill for FY2002. Section 313

sets energy efficiency goals and strategies and creates a program to improve the

energy efficiency of DOD facilities through 2010. Reported (S. Rept. 107-62) from

Committee on Armed Services on September 12, 2001.

S. 1418 (Levin)

Military Construction Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002. Authorizes $35.6

million for energy conservation projects at DOD. Original measure reported, without

written report, from Committee on Armed Services on September 12, 2001.

Congressional Hearings, Reports, and Documents

U.S. Congress. House. Committee on Energy and Commerce. Subcommittee on

Energy and Air Quality. National Energy Policy: Conservation and Energy

Efficiency. Hearing held June 22, 2001.

U.S. Congress. House. Committee on Science. The Nation’s Energy Future: Role

of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. Hearing held February 28, 2001.

EveryCRSReport.com

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a federal legislative branch agency, housed inside the

Library of Congress, charged with providing the United States Congress non-partisan advice on

issues that may come before Congress.

EveryCRSReport.com republishes CRS reports that are available to all Congressional staff. The

reports are not classified, and Members of Congress routinely make individual reports available to

the public.

Prior to our republication, we redacted names, phone numbers and email addresses of analysts

who produced the reports. We also added this page to the report. We have not intentionally made

any other changes to any report published on EveryCRSReport.com.

CRS reports, as a work of the United States government, are not subject to copyright protection in

the United States. Any CRS report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without

permission from CRS. However, as a CRS report may include copyrighted images or material from a

third party, you may need to obtain permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or

otherwise use copyrighted material.

Information in a CRS report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public

understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to members of Congress in

connection with CRS' institutional role.

EveryCRSReport.com is not a government website and is not affiliated with CRS. We do not claim

copyright on any CRS report we have republished.