I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 83 

To require the Secretary of the Interior to assemble a team of technical, 

policy, and financial experts to address the energy needs of the insular 

areas of the United States and the Freely Associated States through 

the development of action plans aimed at reducing reliance on imported 

fossil fuels and increasing use of indigenous clean-energy resources, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 3, 2013 

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN (for herself, Mr. PIERLUISI, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. 

SABLAN, and Ms. BORDALLO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of the Interior to assemble a team 

of technical, policy, and financial experts to address the 

energy needs of the insular areas of the United States 

and the Freely Associated States through the development of action plans aimed at reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels and increasing use of indigenous cleanenergy resources, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. INSULAR AREAS AND FREELY ASSOCIATED 

2 STATES ENERGY DEVELOPMENT. 

3 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

4 (1) COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY PLAN.—The term 

5 ‘‘comprehensive energy plan’’ means a comprehen6 sive energy plan prepared and updated under sub7 sections (c) and (e) of section 604 of the Act entitled 

8 ‘‘An Act to authorize appropriations for certain in9 sular areas of the United States, and for other pur10 poses’’, approved December 24, 1980 (48 U.S.C. 

11 1492). 

12 (2) ENERGY ACTION PLAN.—The term ‘‘energy 

13 action plan’’ means the plan required by subsection 

14 (d). 

15 (3) FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES.—The term 

16 ‘‘Freely Associated States’’ means the Federated 

17 States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall 

18 Islands, and the Republic of Palau. 

19 (4) INSULAR AREAS.—The term ‘‘insular areas’’ 

20 means American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the 

21 Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of 

22 Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. 

23 (5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

24 the Secretary of the Interior. 

25 (6) TEAM.—The term ‘‘team’’ means the team 

26 established by the Secretary under subsection (b). 


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1 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 

2 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall es3 tablish a team of technical, policy, and financial experts— 

4 (1) to develop an energy action plan addressing 

5 the energy needs of each of the insular areas and 

6 Freely Associated States; and 

7 (2) to assist each of the insular areas and Free8 ly Associated States in implementing such plan. 

9 (c) PARTICIPATION OF REGIONAL UTILITY ORGANI10 ZATIONS.—In establishing the team, the Secretary shall 

11 consider including regional utility organizations. 

12 (d) ENERGY ACTION PLAN.—In accordance with sub13 section (b), the energy action plan shall include— 

14 (1) recommendations, based on the comprehen15 sive energy plan where applicable, to— 

16 (A) reduce reliance and expenditures on 

17 imported fossil fuels; 

18 (B) develop indigenous, nonfossil fuel en19 ergy sources; and 

20 (C) improve performance of energy infra21 structure and overall energy efficiency; 

22 (2) a schedule for implementation of such rec23 ommendations and identification and prioritization 

24 of specific projects; 


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•HR 83 IH

1 (3) a financial and engineering plan for imple2 menting and sustaining projects; and 

3 (4) benchmarks for measuring progress toward 

4 implementation. 

5 (e) REPORTS TO SECRETARY.—Not later than 1 year 

6 after the date on which the Secretary establishes the team 

7 and annually thereafter, the team shall submit to the Sec8 retary a report detailing progress made in fulfilling its 

9 charge and in implementing the energy action plan. 

10 (f) ANNUAL REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Not later 

11 than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary re12 ceives a report submitted by the team under subsection 

13 (e), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate commit14 tees of Congress a summary of the report of the team. 

Æ 


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