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# Legislative Bulletin.............................................\............February 8, 2007

**Contents:**

> **H.R. 547**---Amendments to the Advanced Fuels Infrastructure
> Research and Development Act

H.R. 547, the Advanced Fuels Infrastructure Research and Development Act
(sponsored by Rep. Gordon, D-TN), is scheduled to be considered on the
House floor today, February 8, 2007, subject to an open rule ([**H.Res.
133**](http://www.rules.house.gov/SpecialRules_details.aspx?NewsID=2508)).
Below are the summaries of the 2 amendments preprinted in the
Congressional Record, and other possible amendments. Amendments are
debatable for 10 minutes, unless otherwise noted. As other amendments
are considered through the day, the RSC will provide additional
information on these amendments. [Note]{.underline}: summaries are based
on RSC staff's review of *actual amendment text*. For a summary of the
underlying bill, see a separate RSC document released yesterday.

RSC Contact: Joelle Cannon; <joelle.cannon@mail.house.gov>; 202.226.0718

**1. Rogers (R-MI).** Inserts a new section into the bill, which would
establish a fund in the U.S. Treasury, to be called the "Energy Security
Fund." The Fund, **which would be used to fund a new federal grant
program,** would consist of:

-   amounts transferred to the Fund under paragraph (2); and

-   amounts credited to the Fund under paragraph (3)(C).

For FY 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of the
Treasury, subject to the availability of appropriations, would be
directed to transfer to the Fund an amount determined by the Secretary
to be equal to 50 percent of the total amount deposited in the general
fund of the Treasury during the preceding fiscal year from fines,
penalties, and other funds obtained through enforcement actions
conducted pursuant to section 32912 of title 49, United States Code.

The amendment would also direct the Secretary of the Treasury to invest
in interest-bearing obligations of the United States the portion of the
Fund that is not required to meet current withdrawals.

The Fund would be made available to the Secretary of Energy, subject to
the availability of appropriations, **to carry out a new federal grant
program**, the Alternative Fuels Grant Program.

The amendment would direct the Secretary of Energy, acting through the
Clean Cities Program of the Department of Energy, to establish and carry
out a program to provide grants, of up to \$30,000, "to expand the
availability to consumers of alternative fuels." The amendment provides
that, "A large, vertically-integrated oil company shall not be eligible
to receive a grant under this subsection." The amendment does not define
this term. In addition, an entity that receives any other federal funds
for the construction or expansion of alternative refueling
infrastructure is not eligible to receive a grant from this new program
for the construction or expansion of the same alternative refueling
infrastructure. An eligible entity could not receive more than \$90,000
in grants during any fiscal year.

Entities receiving a grant from this new program could use the funding
for the construction or expansion of alternative fueling infrastructure,
and not more than three percent could be used for administrative
expenses.

**2. Sali (R-ID).** Would strike the \$10 million authorization for new
funding to the EPA to create three new programs, and would insert "No
funds are authorized to be appropriated." According to the sponsor's
office, "While technology advances are critical to the future of our
economy and country, the act as proposed provides no fiscal road map to
achieve this worthy goal. Congress can not advance science by simply
creating new programs by federal fiat. This amendment recognizes the
fact that Congress has found no way to offset the expense of this
legislation and therefore, in the spirit of PAY-GO, declines to
fabricate the resources needed to fund them."

**3. Burgess (R-TX).** Adds the following as one of the issues to be
addressed by the new biofuel infrastructure program: "issues with
respect to increased volatile emissions or increased nitrogen oxide
emissions." According to the sponsor's office, "This amendment will
specify that the R&D program should examine clean air issues arising
from fuel additives resulting from research authorized in this program."

**4. Burgess (R-TX).** Would increase the income and excise tax credits
(specifically, the fuel mixture credit), from \$.50 to \$1.00 per
gallon. According to the sponsor's office, the tax credit is for making
biodeisel from recycled restaurant grease.

**5. Dent (R-PA).** Directs the Secretary of Energy **to create a new
federal demonstration program** that examines the challenges of changes
in quality of hydrogen fuel through the processes of reforming, storage,
handling, and dispensing from local and regional fueling stations,
including hydrogen from biomass.

The amendment would also insert the following new finding into the bill:
"fuel distributors and retailers may transform their business by
dispensing hydrogen, reformed on site from various feedstocks, or
delivered by pipeline or tube trucks, resulting in new storage,
handling, and equipment challenges." Finally, the amendment would also
add the following as one of the issues to be addressed by the new
biofuel infrastructure program: "challenges for design, reforming,
storage, handling, and dispensing hydrogen fuel from various feedstocks,
including biomass, from neighborhood fueling stations, including codes
and standards development necessary beyond that carried out under
section 809 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005."

### SEC. 809. CODES AND STANDARDS.

> \(a\) In General- The Secretary, in cooperation with the Task Force,
> shall provide grants to, or offer to enter into contracts with, such
> professional organizations, public service organizations, and
> government agencies as the Secretary determines appropriate to support
> timely and extensive development of safety codes and standards
> relating to fuel cell vehicles, hydrogen energy systems, and
> stationary, portable, and micro fuel cells.
>
> \(b\) Educational Efforts- The Secretary shall support educational
> efforts by organizations and agencies described in subsection (a) to
> share information, including information relating to best practices,
> among those organizations and agencies.
>
> \(c\) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be
> appropriated to carry out this section\--
>
> \(1\) \$4,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
>
> \(2\) \$7,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
>
> \(3\) \$8,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
>
> \(4\) \$10,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
>
> \(5\) \$9,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
>
> \(6\) such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2011 through
> 2020.

**6. Eshoo (D-CA)/Cardoza (D-CA).** Adds the following as one of the
issues to be addressed by the new biofuel infrastructure program:
"strategies to minimize emissions from infrastructure."

**7. Jindal (R-LA). Note: According to the sponsor's office, this
amendment will not be offered.** Inserts a new section into the bill,
which **would authorize \$10 million for FY 2008, and such sums as
necessary for each of FY 2009 through 2011, and would direct the
Secretary of Energy to create a new federal pilot grant program** to
award grants to individuals, businesses, and organizations in areas
damaged by the 2005 hurricanes for new construction of energy efficient
buildings, or major renovations of buildings, to demonstrate innovative
energy efficiency technologies. The grants would be awarded on a
competitive basis, based on certain considerations. The grants are to be
for up to 50 percent of design and energy modeling costs, not to exceed
\$50,000 per building, and no single grantee is eligible for more than
three grants per year under the program. The amendment would require the
Secretary to submit to Congress a report containing the total number and
dollar amount of grants awarded and an estimate of aggregate cost and
energy savings enabled by the pilot program.

**8. Jindal (R-LA). Note: According to the sponsor's office, this
amendment will not be offered.** Would direct the Secretary of Energy to
report to certain congressional committees on the effect on energy
prices, including oil and gas prices, resulting from the loss of coastal
wetlands in Louisiana. The report is to include a description of
historic, current status, and future anticipated prices of energy and
loss of coastal wetlands, and any current programs that the federal
government is undertaking to prevent the increase in energy prices
related to further loss of coastal wetlands.

**9. McCaul (R-TX)**. **Note: According to the sponsor's office, this
amendment will not be offered.** Would direct the Secretary of Energy
**to establish a new federal program** to research, develop, and
demonstrate commercial application on technologies needed for the
development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, including:

-   High capacity, high efficiency batteries to improve battery life and
    minimize waste and hazardous material production;

-   High efficiency onboard and offboard charging components;

-   High power drive train systems for passenger and commercial vehicles
    and for supporting equipment;

-   Onboard energy management systems, power trains, and systems
    integration for plug-in hybrid vehicles; and

-   Lightweight materials, including research, development,
    demonstration, and commercial application to reduce the costs of
    materials such as steel alloys and carbon fibers/

**10. McCaul (R-TX). Note: According to the sponsor's office, this
amendment will not be offered.** Would add a new section to the bill,
**authorizing the Secretary of Energy to contribute funds** to the
National Science Foundation for the Integrative Graduate Education and
Research Traineeship program to support projects that enable graduate
education related to such activities. The amendment states that the
funds may be used "for the purpose of improving undergraduate or
graduate interdisciplinary engineering and architecture education
related to the design and construction of high performance buildings,
among other studies.