Fossil Energy Encouragement and Accountability Act of 2014

To authorize appropriations for fossil energy research and development programs at the Department of Energy, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Fossil Energy Encouragement and Accountability Act of 2014 2. Findings The Congress finds that— (1) the United States depends on fossil resources for over 80 percent of its energy needs; (2) the Department of Energy’s Fossil Energy Research and Development program focuses on developing affordable, safe, and clean mechanisms to enhance and utilize domestic fossil energy resources in the most efficient manner; (3) the investment in this program supports an existing research and development portfolio of over 1,000 projects that includes nearly $7 billion in private sector-contributed costs and that represents over 55,000 job years; (4) the Fossil Energy Research and Development program is responsible for developing innovative control technologies that are now in operation on three out of every four coal-burning power plants in the United States; (5) as a result of these technology innovations, emissions of criterion pollutants such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide have decreased by an average of 85 percent, which eliminated problems associated with acid rain; (6) hydraulic fracturing of natural gas shale is a product of research and technological innovations initiated under the Department of Energy’s Fossil Energy Research and Development program; (7) the Fossil Energy Research and Development program is currently developing advanced technologies to support a competitive future for our low-cost coal and gas resources for use in power generation and industrial applications; (8) these advanced technologies will support new power platforms of the future that will be highly efficient, including technologies such as ultra supercritical materials production, advanced gas turbines, gasification platforms that can also enable the expansion of domestic fuels, the liquids and chemical industry, and advanced energy platforms including pressured oxycoal combustion and chemical looping; and (9) it is important that the Department of Energy continue to develop these technologies and have sufficient funds to ensure that a diverse portfolio of options are available to ensure that the United States can compete in a clean energy future, one which will include significant fossil fuel resources. 3. Fossil energy research and development There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy for fiscal year 2015 for fossil energy research and development $734,000,000, of which— (1) $435,000,000 shall be for coal research and development; (2) $171,000,000 shall be for program direction; (3) $100,000,000 shall be for natural gas and oil research and development; (4) $17,000,000 shall be for plant and capital equipment; and (5) $11,000,000 shall be for environmental restoration. 4. National Energy Technology Laboratory None of the funds authorized by section 2 may be used to— (1) transform any element of the National Energy Technology Laboratory into a government-owned, contractor-operated laboratory, or to consider or plan for any such transformation; (2) consolidate or close any element of the National Energy Technology Laboratory; or (3) transfer National Energy Technology Laboratory human resources functions from any laboratory.

Summary: Fossil Energy Encouragement and Accountability Act of 2014 - Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of Energy (DOE) for FY2015 for coal, natural gas, and oil research and development.Prohibits the use of such funds, however, to: (1) transform any element of the National Energy Technology Laboratory into a government-owned, contractor-operated laboratory, or to consider or plan for any such transformation; (2) consolidate or close any element of the Laboratory; or (3) transfer the Laboratory's human resources functions from any laboratory.