Energy Poverty Prevention and Accountability Act

To prevent energy poverty in at-risk communities, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Energy Poverty Prevention and Accountability Act 2. Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States that— (1) all citizens should have equal access to affordable and reliable energy to maintain personal health and economic security; (2) the United States should mitigate the disparate impact of increases in the cost of energy on at-risk communities because such communities are more likely to have a fixed income and spend a higher percentage of their income on energy than the general population; and (3) to prevent energy poverty and to ensure that each at-risk community has access to affordable energy, the United States should ensure that laws relating to environmental and energy policy, including the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 16 U.S.C. 1531 16 U.S.C. 703 3. Department of the Interior report on access to reliable and affordable energy Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to Congress a report that— (1) identifies barriers to the ability of at-risk communities that live on or near Federal land or Tribal land to access reliable and affordable energy, including how the presence of adequate energy transmission infrastructure affects such access; and (2) recommends actions that the Secretary of the Interior and the Chief of the Forest Service could take to reduce the barriers described in paragraph (1), including by— (A) establishing lower fees or lowering other costs; (B) streamlining the approval of rights-of-way on Federal land and Tribal land; (C) encouraging private energy sector investment in Federal land and Tribal land; and (D) rapidly developing electric transmission and delivery systems in remote areas. 4. Congressional Budget Office estimates for effects on energy prices The Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall include in each applicable estimate required under section 402 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 ( 2 U.S.C. 653 5. Government Accountability Office identification of energy poverty (a) Analysis (1) In general The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an analysis of Federal energy and environmental laws, regulations issued by the Secretary of the Interior and the Chief of the Forest Service that relate to energy and environmental policy, and State renewable portfolio standards to determine how such laws, regulations, and standards affect the following prices for at-risk communities during the preceding fiscal year: (A) Electricity prices. (B) Home heating prices. (C) Gasoline prices. (D) Motor vehicle prices. (E) Natural gas prices. (F) Household appliance prices. (2) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the analysis conducted under paragraph (1). (b) Energy poverty (1) In general The Comptroller General of the United States shall develop criteria to determine whether an at-risk community is experiencing energy poverty. (2) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report that— (A) identifies, by location and type of at-risk community, which at-risk communities are experiencing energy poverty; and (B) provides recommendations on how to reduce such energy poverty. 6. Office of Management and Budget review of energy regulations (a) In general The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall review each applicable energy regulation to determine if any applicable energy regulation imposes, relative to the general population, disproportionate costs on at-risk communities. (b) Publication The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall publish in the Federal Register the results of the review required under subsection (a). 7. Definitions In this Act: (1) At-risk community The term at-risk community (A) A low-income community. (B) A minority community. (C) A rural community. (D) An elderly community. (E) A Native American community. (2) Applicable energy regulation The term applicable energy regulation (A) has an annual effect on the economy of at least $100,000,000; (B) results in a major increase in costs or prices for any consumer, industry, government agency, or geographic region; or (C) has a significant adverse effect on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of an enterprise based in the United States to compete with a foreign-based enterprise in a domestic or international market. (3) Energy poverty The term energy poverty (4) Federal land The term Federal land (5) State renewable portfolio standard The term State renewable portfolio standard (6) Tribal land The term Tribal land Indian land 25 U.S.C. 3501

Summary: Energy Poverty Prevention and Accountability Act This bill addresses energy poverty (i.e., insufficient access to affordable energy) in at-risk communities. An at-risk community is a community that is low-income, minority, rural, elderly, or Native American. The Department of the Interior must submit to Congress a report that (1) identifies barriers to the ability of at-risk communities that live on or near federal land or tribal land to access reliable and affordable energy, including how the presence of adequate energy transmission infrastructure affects such access; and (2) recommends actions that it and the Forest Service may take to reduce such barriers. The Congressional Budget Office must report how a bill or resolution will affect the cost of energy for at-risk communities. The Government Accountability Office must (1) analyze federal energy and environmental laws and regulations, and state renewable portfolio standards, to determine how such laws, regulations, and standards affect electricity prices, home heating prices, gasoline prices, motor vehicle prices, natural gas prices, and household appliance prices in at-risk communities; and (2) develop criteria to determine whether an at-risk community is experiencing energy poverty. The Office of Management and Budget must review each applicable energy regulation to determine if any regulation imposes, relative to the general population, disproportionate costs on at-risk communities.