**Inslee Energy Bill (July 31 deadline)**

*Section-by-section Summary*

**[TITLE I---BUILDING CODES]{.underline}**

**Sec. 101. Encouraging stronger building codes.**

Amend Section 304 of the Energy Conservation and Production Act

**Sec 304. Updating State Building Energy Codes**

> Updates the national model residential and commercial building energy
> efficiency codes.  DOE updates standards every three years to achieve
> 30% efficiency improvements by 2010 and 50% improvements by 2020. 
>
> Within two years after DOE sets new standards, States must certify to
> DOE that it has reviewed and updated their building codes regarding
> energy efficiency. 
>
> Within 3 years states must demonstrate to the DOE that they have
> achieved the standards through documented independent inspections. 

The DOE reports to Congress and the Federal Register annually on state
compliance status.

DOE provides technical assistance to states to implement building code
requirements. 

> Incentive funding is also available to states and local governments to
> help with the implementation and verifying compliance with this
> section.  \$35m of annual incentive funding is authorized for a five
> year period.  Only \$500k may be used by the DOE per state, per year
> providing technical assistance and training on code implementation
> (the rest is used as incentive funding).

**[TITLE II---TRANSMISSION]{.underline}**

**Sec. 201. Findings.**

It is in the national interest to connect remotely located renewable
energy resources to load centers.

**Sec. 202. National renewable energy zones.**

Amend Title II of the Federal Power Act.

**Sec. 231 Definitions.**

**Sec. 232 Designation of National Renewable Energy Zones.**

> Within 18 months, the President must designate, as National Renewable
> Energy Zones (NREZs), areas with the potential to generate over 1 GW
> of renewable electricity with an insufficient amount of electric
> transmission capacity. Within three years after the date of enactment,
> the President must identify specifically where high voltage
> transmission facilities are needed to connect renewable electric
> generation within each NREZ to appropriate load centers.
>
> *\[NOTE: No additional authority is given to the federal government to
> construct new lines\].*

**[TITLE III---EXPEDITED INTERCONNECTION STANDARDS]{.underline}**

**Sec. 301. Adoption of expedited interconnection standards for small
generators.**

> Establishes national interconnection standards to be adopted by state
> regulatory authorities and non-FERC regulated electric utilities under
> section 113(b) of PURPA. The standard would apply to interconnections
> not subject to Federal Power Act jurisdiction, requiring each electric
> utility to establish interconnection standards for devices below 20
> MW, which must be consistent with FERC's Order 2006. The standards
> include provisions for three levels of interconnection, including
> expedited standards for devices below 10 kW and 2000 kW.
>
> The FERC Order 2006 contains technical procedures that the small
> generator and utility must follow in the course of connecting the
> generator with the utility\'s lines. Also included are contractual
> provisions for interconnection, clarifying who pays for any necessary
> improvements to the grid.
>
> *\[NOTES: Order 2006 currently applies in the handful of states that
> have adopted it and otherwise only for interconnections with
> facilities already subject to FERC jurisdiction. Expanding the
> adoption of this rule would remove barriers to the development of
> distributed generation by reducing interconnection uncertainty, time
> and costs.*
>
> *Order 2006 reflects input from a broad-based group of utilities,
> small generators, state commission representatives, and other
> interested entities who recommend a unified approach to small
> generator interconnection. This rule reflects many of these consensus
> positions as well as those of the National Association of Regulatory
> Utility Commissioners.\]*

**[TITLE IV---BIOENERGY PARTNERSHIP]{.underline}**

**Sec. 401. National Bioenergy Partnership.**

> Codifies into law the continuation of the National Bioenergy
> Partnership (Partnership), which has depended on sporadic annual
> earmarks for over 20 years.  The Partnership is a union of five
> regional bioenergy programs, including four governors' organizations,
> plus the Pacific Regional Biomass Energy Partnership. It encompasses
> all 50 states, two U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
>
> The Partnership funds grants to individual states to assist with
> initiatives for the production and use of the full range of existing
> and emerging bioenergy technologies. In addition, regional Partnership
> funding supports ongoing technical assistance to facilitate
> informational exchanges among the states, federal government and
> private sectors. \$20m is authorized for annual appropriations.

**[TITLE V---REDUCTION OF BLACK CARBON EMISSIONS TO PRESERVE THE
ARCTIC]{.underline}**

**Sec. 501. Findings.**

> Finds that unchecked global warming poses a significant threat, and
> black carbon is particulate pollutant with powerful global warming
> properties that particularly affect the Arctic.

**Sec. 502. Purposes.**

> The purpose of reducing black carbon emissions is to stem and reverse
> the melting of Arctic Sea ice, contribute to reduction of overall
> global warming, and establish the U.S. as a leader in protecting the
> Arctic environment.

**Sec. 503. Definitions.**

Black carbon is a type of soot that attracts the sun's rays and
increases global warming.

**Sec. 504. Black Carbon Abatement Study**.

> Within six months, the EPA shall conduct a study of black carbon
> missions in consultation with other agencies to identify the latest
> scientific data on climate impacts of black carbon, major sources of
> black carbon, and control strategies as well as costs of those
> measures.

**Sec. 505. Appropriations**.

\$3m is authorized to carry out this title.