I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5191 

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a renewable energy grant 

program for territories of the United States, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 11, 2023 

Mr. LIEU (for himself, Ms. PLASKETT, Mrs. GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N, Mr. SABLAN, 

Mr. MOYLAN, and Mrs. RADEWAGEN) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the 

Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a renewable energy grant program for territories of the United 

States, 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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Renewable Energy for 

5 U.S. Territories Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. RENEWABLE ENERGY GRANT PROGRAM. 

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 

3 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agri4 culture shall establish a renewable energy program (in this 

5 section referred to as the ‘‘program’’) under which the 

6 Secretary may award grants to covered entities to facili7 tate projects, in territories of the United States, described 

8 in subsection (c). 

9 (b) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 

10 the program, a covered entity shall submit to the Sec11 retary an application at such time, in such form, and con12 taining such information as the Secretary may require. 

13 (c) GRANT USES.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—A covered entity receiving a 

15 grant under the program may use grant funds for 

16 a project, in a territory of the United States— 

17 (A) to develop or construct a renewable en18 ergy system; 

19 (B) to carry out an activity to increase en20 ergy efficiency; 

21 (C) to develop or construct an energy stor22 age system or device for— 

23 (i) a system developed or constructed 

24 under subparagraph (A); or 

25 (ii) an activity carried out under sub26 paragraph (B); 


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1 (D) to develop or construct— 

2 (i) a smart grid; or 

3 (ii) a microgrid; or 

4 (E) to train residents of the territory of 

5 the United States to develop, construct, main6 tain, or operate a renewable energy system. 

7 (2) LIMITATION.—A covered entity receiving a 

8 grant under the program may not use grant funds 

9 to develop or construct a facility that generates elec10 tricity using energy derived from— 

11 (A) fossil fuels; or 

12 (B) nuclear power. 

13 (d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of En14 ergy shall ensure that Department of Energy national lab15 oratories offer to provide technical assistance to each cov16 ered entity carrying out a project assisted with a grant 

17 under the program. 

18 (e) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the estab19 lishment of the program, and on an annual basis there20 after, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report con21 taining— 

22 (1) an estimate of the amount of funds dis23 bursed under the program; 

24 (2) an estimate of the energy conservation 

25 achieved as a result of the program; 


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1 (3) a description of challenges encountered in 

2 implementing projects described in subsection (c)(1); 

3 and 

4 (4) recommendations as to additional legislative 

5 measures to increase the use of renewable energy in 

6 territories of the United States, as appropriate. 

7 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

8 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 

9 necessary to carry out this section. 

10 SEC. 3. GAO STUDY AND REPORT. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.— 

12 (1) STUDY AND REPORT.—Not later than 180 

13 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 

14 Comptroller General of the United States shall— 

15 (A) conduct a study regarding renewable 

16 energy and energy efficiency in territories of the 

17 United States; and 

18 (B) submit to Congress a report con19 taining— 

20 (i) the findings of the study; and 

21 (ii) related recommendations. 

22 (2) COMPONENTS.—The study conducted under 

23 paragraph (1) shall consider, in relation each terri24 tory of the United States, the potential— 


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1 (A) to modify existing electric power sys2 tems to use renewable energy sources; 

3 (B) to expand the use of microgrids; and 

4 (C) to improve energy resiliency. 

5 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

6 authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000 to carry out this 

7 section. 

8 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 

9 In this Act, the following definitions apply: 

10 (1) COVERED ENTITY.—The term ‘‘covered en11 tity’’ means a not-for-profit organization determined 

12 eligible by the Secretary of Agriculture for purposes 

13 of this Act. 

14 (2) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NATIONAL LAB15 ORATORIES.—The term ‘‘Department of Energy na16 tional laboratories’’ has the same meaning as the 

17 term ‘‘National Laboratory’’ under section 2 of the 

18 Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801). 

19 (3) MICROGRID.—The term ‘‘microgrid’’ means 

20 an electric system— 

21 (A) that serves the local community with a 

22 power generation and distribution system; and 

23 (B) that has the ability— 

24 (i) to disconnect from a traditional 

25 electric grid; and 


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1 (ii) to operate autonomously when dis2 connected. 

3 (4) RENEWABLE ENERGY; RENEWABLE ENERGY

4 SYSTEM.—The terms ‘‘renewable energy’’ and ‘‘re5 newable energy system’’ have the meanings given 

6 those terms in section 9001 of the Farm Security 

7 and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101). 

8 (5) SMART GRID.—The term ‘‘smart grid’’ 

9 means an intelligent electric grid that uses digital 

10 communications technology, information systems, 

11 and automation to, while maintaining high system 

12 reliability— 

13 (A) detect and react to local changes in 

14 usage; 

15 (B) improve system operating efficiency; 

16 and 

17 (C) reduce spending costs. 

18 (6) TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES.—The 

19 term ‘‘territory of the United States’’ means the 

20 Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the United 

21 States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the 

22 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 

Æ 


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