1578 
TITLE III—ENERGY AND ENVI-
RONMENT INFRASTRUCTURE 
Subtitle A—Infrastructure 
CHAPTER 1—DRINKING WATER 
Subchapter A—PFAS Infrastructure Grant 
Program 
SEC. 33101. ESTABLISHMENT OF PFAS INFRASTRUCTURE 
GRANT PROGRAM. 
Part E of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
300j et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘SEC. 1459E. ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITY WATER SYS-
TEMS AFFECTED BY PFAS. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Adminis-
trator shall establish a program to award grants to af-
fected community water systems to pay for capital costs 
associated with the implementation of eligible treatment 
technologies. 
‘‘(b) APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 12 months 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Ad-
ministrator shall publish guidance describing the 
form and timing for community water systems to 
apply for grants under this section.
1579 
‘‘(2) REQUIRED INFORMATION.—The Adminis-
trator shall require a community water system ap-
plying for a grant under this section to submit— 
‘‘(A) information showing the presence of 
PFAS in water of the community water system; 
and 
‘‘(B) a certification that the treatment 
technology in use by the community water sys-
tem at the time of application is not sufficient 
to remove all detectable amounts of PFAS. 
‘‘(c) 
LIST
OF
ELIGIBLE
TREATMENT
TECH-
NOLOGIES.—Not later than 150 days after the date of en-
actment of this section, and every 2 years thereafter, the 
Administrator shall publish a list of treatment tech-
nologies that the Administrator determines are effective 
at removing all detectable amounts of PFAS from drink-
ing water. 
‘‘(d) PRIORITY FOR FUNDING.—In awarding grants 
under this section, the Administrator shall prioritize af-
fected community water systems that— 
‘‘(1) serve a disadvantaged community; 
‘‘(2) will provide at least a 10 percent cost 
share for the cost of implementing an eligible treat-
ment technology; or
1580 
‘‘(3) demonstrate the capacity to maintain the 
eligible treatment technology to be implemented 
using the grant. 
‘‘(e) NO EFFECT ON CLEANUP RESPONSIBILITY.— 
Receipt by a community water system of a grant under 
this section shall have no effect on any responsibility of 
the Department of Defense relating to the cleanup of the 
applicable PFAS. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
not more than $500,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 
2021 through 2025. 
‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) AFFECTED COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEM.— 
The term ‘affected community water system’ means 
a community water system that is affected by the 
presence of PFAS in the water in the community 
water system. 
‘‘(2) DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY.—The term 
‘disadvantaged community’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 1452. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE
TREATMENT
TECHNOLOGY.— 
The term ‘eligible treatment technology’ means a 
treatment technology included on the list published 
under subsection (c).’’.
1581 
SEC. 33102. DEFINITION. 
Section 1401 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300f) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(17) PFAS.—The term ‘PFAS’ means a 
perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance with at 
least one fully fluorinated carbon atom.’’. 
Subchapter B—Extensions 
SEC. 33103. FUNDING. 
(a) STATE
REVOLVING
LOAN
FUNDS.—Section 
1452(m)(1) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
300j–12(m)(1)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘2021.’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2021;’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(D) $4,140,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; 
‘‘(E) $4,800,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; 
and 
‘‘(F) $5,500,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2024 and 2025.’’. 
(b) INDIAN RESERVATION DRINKING WATER PRO-
GRAM.—Section 2001(d) of America’s Water Infrastruc-
ture Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–270) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2022’’ and inserting ‘‘2025’’.
1582 
(c) VOLUNTARY SCHOOL AND CHILD CARE PROGRAM 
LEAD TESTING GRANT PROGRAM.—Section 1464(d)(8) of 
the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–24(d)(8)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘2021’’ and inserting ‘‘2025’’. 
(d) DRINKING WATER FOUNTAIN REPLACEMENT 
FOR SCHOOLS.—Section 1465(d) of the Safe Drinking 
Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–25(d)) is amended by striking 
‘‘2021’’ and inserting ‘‘2025’’. 
(e) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND GRANTS.—Section 
1433(g)(6) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
300i–2(g)(6)) is amended by striking ‘‘2021’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘2025’’. 
(f) 
GRANTS
FOR
STATE
PROGRAMS.—Section 
1443(a)(7) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
300j–2(a)(7)) is amended by striking ‘‘2021’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘2025’’. 
SEC. 33104. AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS. 
Section 1452(a)(4)(A) of the Safe Drinking Water 
Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–12(a)(4)(A)) is amended by striking 
‘‘During fiscal years 2019 through 2023, funds’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Funds’’. 
SEC. 33105. COMPREHENSIVE LEAD SERVICE LINE RE-
PLACEMENT. 
Section 1459B of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300j–19b) is amended—
1583 
(1) in subsection (d)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘$60,000,000’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$4,500,000,000’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘2021’’ and inserting 
‘‘2025’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) 
COMPREHENSIVE
LEAD
REDUCTION 
PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(1) GRANTS.—The Administrator shall make 
grants available to eligible entities for comprehensive 
lead reduction projects that, notwithstanding any 
other provision in this section, pay to fully replace 
all lead service lines served by the eligible entity, ir-
respective of the ownership of the service line and 
without requiring a contribution to the cost of re-
placement of any portion of the service line by any 
individual homeowner. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—In making grants under para-
graph (1), the Administrator shall give priority to el-
igible entities serving disadvantaged communities, 
consistent with subsection (b)(3), and environmental 
justice communities (with significant representation 
of communities of color, low-income communities, or 
Tribal and indigenous communities, that experience,
1584 
or are at risk of experiencing, higher or more ad-
verse human health or environmental effects). 
‘‘(3) NO COST-SHARING.—The Federal share of 
the cost of a project carried out pursuant to this 
subsection shall be 100 percent.’’. 
Subchapter C—Other Matters 
SEC. 33106. DRINKING WATER FOUNTAIN REPLACEMENT IN 
PUBLIC PLAYGROUNDS AND PARKS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part F of the Safe Drinking 
Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–21 et seq.) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1466. DRINKING WATER FOUNTAIN REPLACEMENT IN 
PUBLIC PLAYGROUNDS AND PARKS. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator 
shall establish a grant program to provide assistance to 
States and municipalities for the replacement, in play-
grounds or parks owned by States or municipalities, of 
drinking water fountains manufactured prior to 1988. 
‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Funds awarded under the 
grant program— 
‘‘(1) shall be used to pay the costs of replace-
ment of drinking water fountains in playgrounds or 
parks owned by a State or municipality receiving 
such funds; and
1585 
‘‘(2) may be used to pay the costs of monitoring 
and reporting of lead levels in the drinking water of 
playgrounds or parks owned by a State or munici-
pality receiving such funds, as determined appro-
priate by the Administrator. 
‘‘(c) PRIORITY.—In awarding funds under the grant 
program, the Administrator shall give priority to projects 
and activities that benefit an underserved community or 
a disadvantaged community. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2025’’. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1461 of the Safe Drink-
ing Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–21) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY.—The term 
‘disadvantaged community’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 1452(d)(3). 
‘‘(9) PLAYGROUND OR PARK.—The term ‘play-
ground or park’ means an indoor or outdoor park, 
building, site, or other facility, including any parking 
lot appurtenant thereto, that is intended for recre-
ation purposes.
1586 
‘‘(10) UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY.—The term 
‘underserved community’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 1459A.’’. 
Subchapter D—Other Matters 
SEC. 33107. ASSISTANCE FOR AREAS AFFECTED BY NAT-
URAL DISASTERS. 
Section 2020 of America’s Water Infrastructure Act 
of 2018 (Public Law 115–270) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘subsection 
(e)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (f)(1)’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsections (c) through (e) 
as subsections (d) through (f), respectively; 
(3) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(c) ASSISTANCE FOR TERRITORIES.—The Adminis-
trator may use funds made available under subsection 
(f)(1) to make grants to Guam, the Virgin Islands, Amer-
ican Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands for the 
purposes of providing assistance to eligible systems to re-
store or increase compliance with national primary drink-
ing water regulations.’’; and 
(4) in subsection (f), as so redesignated— 
(A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘STATE 
REVOLVING FUND CAPITALIZATION’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (1)—
1587 
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A), by inserting ‘‘and to make 
grants under subsection (c) of this sec-
tion,’’ before ‘‘to be available’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 
‘‘or subsection (c), as applicable’’ after 
‘‘subsection (b)(1)’’. 
Subchapter E—Other Matters 
SEC. 33108. ALLOTMENTS FOR TERRITORIES. 
Section 1452(j) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300j–12(j)) is amended by striking ‘‘0.33 percent’’ 
and inserting ‘‘1.5 percent’’. 
CHAPTER 2—GRID SECURITY AND 
MODERNIZATION 
SEC. 33111. 21ST CENTURY POWER GRID. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy shall es-
tablish a program to provide financial assistance to eligible 
partnerships to carry out projects related to the mod-
ernization of the electric grid, including— 
(1) projects for the deployment of technologies 
to improve monitoring of, advanced controls for, and 
prediction of performance of, a distribution system; 
and 
(2) projects related to transmission system 
planning and operation.
1588 
(b) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—Projects for which an eli-
gible partnership may receive financial assistance under 
subsection (a)— 
(1) shall be designed to improve the resiliency, 
performance, or efficiency of the electric grid, while 
ensuring the continued provision of safe, secure, reli-
able, and affordable power; 
(2) may be designed to deploy a new product or 
technology that could be used by customers of an 
electric utility; and 
(3) shall demonstrate— 
(A) secure integration and management of 
energy resources, including through distributed 
energy generation, combined heat and power, 
microgrids, energy storage, electric vehicles, en-
ergy efficiency, demand response, or control-
lable loads; or 
(B) secure integration and interoperability 
of communications and information technologies 
related to the electric grid. 
(c) CYBERSECURITY PLAN.—Each project carried 
out with financial assistance provided under subsection (a) 
shall include the development of a cybersecurity plan writ-
ten in accordance with guidelines developed by the Sec-
retary of Energy.
1589 
(d) PRIVACY EFFECTS ANALYSIS.—Each project car-
ried out with financial assistance provided under sub-
section (a) shall include a privacy effects analysis that 
evaluates the project in accordance with the Voluntary 
Code of Conduct of the Department of Energy, commonly 
known as the ‘‘DataGuard Energy Data Privacy Pro-
gram’’, or the most recent revisions to the privacy pro-
gram of the Department. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIP.—The term ‘‘eligi-
ble partnership’’ means a partnership consisting of 
two or more entities, which— 
(A) may include— 
(i) any institution of higher education; 
(ii) a National Laboratory; 
(iii) a State or a local government or 
other public body created by or pursuant 
to State law; 
(iv) an Indian Tribe; 
(v) a Federal power marketing admin-
istration; or 
(vi) an entity that develops and pro-
vides technology; and 
(B) shall include at least one of any of— 
(i) an electric utility;
1590 
(ii) a Regional Transmission Organi-
zation; or 
(iii) an Independent System Operator. 
(2) ELECTRIC
UTILITY.—The term ‘‘electric 
utility’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
3(22) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 
796(22)), except that such term does not include an 
entity described in subparagraph (B) of such sec-
tion. 
(3) FEDERAL POWER MARKETING ADMINISTRA-
TION.—The term ‘‘Federal power marketing admin-
istration’’ means the Bonneville Power Administra-
tion, the Southeastern Power Administration, the 
Southwestern Power Administration, or the Western 
Area Power Administration. 
(4) INDEPENDENT
SYSTEM
OPERATOR; RE-
GIONAL TRANSMISSION ORGANIZATION.—The terms 
‘‘Independent System Operator’’ and ‘‘Regional 
Transmission Organization’’ have the meanings 
given those terms in section 3 of the Federal Power 
Act (16 U.S.C. 796). 
(5) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
1591 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy 
to carry out this section $700,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2021 through 2025, to remain available until ex-
pended. 
SEC. 33112. ENERGY EFFICIENT TRANSFORMER REBATE 
PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) QUALIFIED
ENERGY
EFFICIENT
TRANS-
FORMER.—The term ‘‘qualified energy efficient 
transformer’’ means a transformer that meets or ex-
ceeds the applicable energy conservation standards 
described in the tables in subsection (b)(2) and 
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (c) of section 
431.196 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (as 
in effect on the date of enactment of this Act). 
(2) QUALIFIED ENERGY INEFFICIENT TRANS-
FORMER.—The term ‘‘qualified energy inefficient 
transformer’’ means a transformer with an equal 
number of phases and capacity to a transformer de-
scribed in any of the tables in subsection (b)(2) and 
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (c) of section 
431.196 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (as 
in effect on the date of enactment of this Act) 
that—
1592 
(A) does not meet or exceed the applicable 
energy conservation standards described in 
paragraph (1); and 
(B)(i) was manufactured between January 
1, 1985, and December 31, 2006, for a trans-
former with an equal number of phases and ca-
pacity as a transformer described in the table 
in subsection (b)(2) of section 431.196 of title 
10, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on 
the date of enactment of this Act); or 
(ii) was manufactured between January 1, 
1990, and December 31, 2009, for a trans-
former with an equal number of phases and ca-
pacity as a transformer described in the table 
in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (c) of that 
section (as in effect on the date of enactment 
of this Act). 
(3) QUALIFIED ENTITY.—The term ‘‘qualified 
entity’’ means an owner of industrial or manufac-
turing facilities, commercial buildings, or multifamily 
residential buildings, a utility, or an energy service 
company, that fulfills the requirements of subsection 
(c). 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy
1593 
shall establish a program to provide rebates to qualified 
entities for expenditures made by the qualified entity for 
the replacement of a qualified energy inefficient trans-
former with a qualified energy efficient transformer. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS.—To be eligible to receive a re-
bate under this section, an entity shall submit to the Sec-
retary of Energy an application in such form, at such 
time, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require, including demonstrated evidence— 
(1) that the entity purchased a qualified energy 
efficient transformer; 
(2) of the core loss value of the qualified energy 
efficient transformer; 
(3) of the age of the qualified energy inefficient 
transformer being replaced; 
(4) of the core loss value of the qualified energy 
inefficient transformer being replaced— 
(A) as measured by a qualified professional 
or verified by the equipment manufacturer, as 
applicable; or 
(B) for transformers described in sub-
section (a)(2)(B)(i), as selected from a table of 
default values as determined by the Secretary 
in consultation with applicable industry; and
1594 
(5) that the qualified energy inefficient trans-
former has been permanently decommissioned and 
scrapped. 
(d) 
AUTHORIZED
AMOUNT
OF
REBATE.—The 
amount of a rebate provided under this section shall be— 
(1) for a 3-phase or single-phase transformer 
with a capacity of not less than 10 and not greater 
than 2,500 kilovolt-amperes, twice the amount equal 
to the difference in watts between the core loss value 
(as measured in accordance with paragraphs (2) and 
(4) of subsection (c)) of— 
(A) the qualified energy inefficient trans-
former; and 
(B) the qualified energy efficient trans-
former; or 
(2) for a transformer described in subsection 
(a)(2)(B)(i), the amount determined using a table of 
default rebate values by rated transformer output, 
as measured in kilovolt-amperes, as determined by 
the Secretary in consultation with applicable indus-
try. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025, 
to remain available until expended.
1595 
SEC. 33113. INTERREGIONAL TRANSMISSION PLANNING RE-
PORT. 
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to Con-
gress a report that— 
(1) examines the effectiveness of interregional 
transmission planning processes for identifying 
transmission projects across regions that provide 
economic, reliability, or operational benefits, taking 
into consideration the public interest, the integrity of 
markets, and the protection of consumers; 
(2) evaluates the current architecture of re-
gional electricity grids (including international trans-
mission connections of such grids) that together 
comprise the Nation’s electricity grid, with respect 
to— 
(A) potential growth in renewable energy 
generation, including energy generation from 
offshore wind; 
(B) potential growth in electricity demand; 
and 
(C) retirement of existing electricity gen-
eration assets; 
(3) analyzes— 
(A) the range of benefits that interregional 
transmission provides;
1596 
(B) the impact of basing transmission 
project approvals on a comprehensive assess-
ment of the multiple benefits provided; 
(C) synchronization of processes described 
in paragraph (1) among neighboring regions; 
(D) how often interregional transmission 
planning should be completed; 
(E) whether voltage, size, or cost require-
ments should be a factor in the approval of 
interregional transmission projects; 
(F) cost allocation methodologies for inter-
regional transmission projects; and 
(G) current barriers and challenges to con-
struction of interregional transmission projects; 
and 
(4) identifies potential changes, based on the 
analysis under paragraph (3), to the processes de-
scribed in paragraph (1) to ensure the most effi-
cient, cost effective, and broadly beneficial trans-
mission projects are selected for construction. 
SEC. 33114. PROMOTING GRID STORAGE. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘en-
ergy storage system’’ means equipment or facilities 
relating to the electric grid that are capable of ab-
1597 
sorbing and converting energy, as applicable, storing 
the energy for a period of time, and dispatching the 
energy, that— 
(A) use mechanical, electrochemical, bio-
chemical, or thermal processes, to convert and 
store energy that was generated at an earlier 
time for use at a later time; 
(B) use mechanical, electrochemical, bio-
chemical, or thermal processes to convert and 
store energy generated from mechanical proc-
esses that would otherwise be wasted for deliv-
ery at a later time; or 
(C) convert and store energy in an electric, 
thermal, or gaseous state for direct use for 
heating or cooling at a later time in a manner 
that avoids the need to use electricity or other 
fuel sources at that later time, as is offered by 
grid-enabled water heaters. 
(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
(A) a State, territory, or possession of the 
United States; 
(B) a State energy office (as defined in 
section 124(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
(42 U.S.C. 15821(a)));
1598 
(C) a tribal organization (as defined in sec-
tion 3765 of title 38, United States Code); 
(D) an institution of higher education (as 
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)); 
(E) an electric utility, including— 
(i) a rural electric cooperative; 
(ii) a political subdivision of a State, 
such as a municipally owned electric util-
ity, or any agency, authority, corporation, 
or instrumentality of one or more State po-
litical subdivisions; and 
(iii) an investor-owned utility; and 
(F) a private energy storage company that 
is a small business concern (as defined in sec-
tion 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
632)). 
(3) ISLAND MODE.—The term ‘‘island mode’’ 
means a mode in which a distributed generator or 
energy storage system continues to power a location 
in the absence of electric power from the primary 
source. 
(4) MICROGRID.—The term ‘‘microgrid’’ means 
an integrated energy system consisting of inter-
connected loads and distributed energy resources, in-
1599 
cluding generators and energy storage systems, with-
in clearly defined electrical boundaries that— 
(A) acts as a single controllable entity with 
respect to the electric grid; and 
(B) can connect to, and disconnect from, 
the electric grid to operate in both grid-con-
nected mode and island mode. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
(b) ENERGY STORAGE RESEARCH PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
a cross-cutting national program within the Depart-
ment of Energy for the research of energy storage 
systems, including components and materials of such 
systems. 
(2) ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS.—In estab-
lishing the program under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary shall— 
(A) identify and coordinate across all rel-
evant program offices throughout the Depart-
ment of Energy key areas of existing and future 
research with respect to a portfolio of tech-
nologies and approaches; 
(B) adopt long-term cost, performance, 
and demonstration targets for different types of
1600 
energy storage systems and for use in a variety 
of regions, including rural areas; 
(C) incorporate considerations of sustain-
ability, sourcing, recycling, reuse, and disposal 
of materials, including critical elements, in the 
design of energy storage systems; 
(D) identify energy storage duration needs; 
(E) analyze the need for various types of 
energy storage to improve electric grid resil-
ience and reliability; and 
(F) support research and development of 
advanced manufacturing technologies that have 
the potential to improve United States competi-
tiveness in energy storage manufacturing. 
(3) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall establish within the Office of 
Electricity of the Department of Energy a re-
search, development, and demonstration pro-
gram of grid-scale energy storage systems, in 
accordance with this subsection. 
(B) GOALS, PRIORITIES, COST TARGETS.— 
The Secretary shall develop goals, priorities, 
and cost targets for the program.
1601 
(4) STRATEGIC PLAN.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
and the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives a 
10-year strategic plan for the program. 
(B) CONTENTS.—The strategic plan sub-
mitted under subparagraph (A) shall— 
(i) identify Department of Energy 
programs that— 
(I) support the research and de-
velopment activities described in para-
graph (5) and the demonstration 
projects under paragraph (3) under 
subsection (e); and 
(II)(aa) do not support the ac-
tivities or projects described in sub-
clause (I); but 
(bb) are important to the devel-
opment of grid-scale energy storage 
systems and the mission of the Office 
of Electricity of the Department of
1602 
Energy, as determined by the Sec-
retary; and 
(ii) include expected timelines for— 
(I) the accomplishment of rel-
evant objectives under current pro-
grams of the Department of Energy 
relating to grid-scale energy storage 
systems; and 
(II) the commencement of any 
new initiatives within the Department 
of Energy relating to grid-scale energy 
storage systems to accomplish those 
objectives. 
(C) UPDATES
TO
PLAN.—Not less fre-
quently than once every 2 years, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
the House of Representatives an updated 10- 
year strategic plan, which shall identify, and 
provide a justification for, any major deviation 
from a previous strategic plan submitted under 
this paragraph. 
(5) RESEARCH
AND
DEVELOPMENT.—In car-
rying out the program, the Secretary shall focus re-
1603 
search and development activities on developing cost 
effective energy storage systems that— 
(A)(i) to balance day-scale needs, are capa-
ble of highly flexible power output for not less 
than 6 hours; and 
(ii) have a lifetime of— 
(I) not less than 8,000 cycles of dis-
charge at full output; and 
(II) 20 years of operation; 
(B)(i) can provide power to the electric 
grid for durations of approximately 10 to 100 
hours; and 
(ii) have a lifetime of— 
(I) not less than 1,500 cycles of dis-
charge at full output; and 
(II) 20 years of operation; and 
(C) can store energy over several months 
and address seasonal scale variations in supply 
and demand. 
(6) COST TARGETS.—Cost targets developed by 
the Secretary under paragraph (3)(B) shall— 
(A) be for energy storage costs across all 
types of energy storage technology; and 
(B) include technology costs, installation 
costs, balance of services costs, and soft costs.
1604 
(7) TESTING AND VALIDATION.—The Secretary 
shall support the standardized testing and validation 
of energy storage systems under the program 
through collaboration with 1 or more National Lab-
oratories, including the development of methodolo-
gies to independently validate energy storage tech-
nologies by performance of energy storage systems 
on the electric grid, including when appropriate, 
testing of application-driven charge and discharge 
protocols. 
(8) TARGET UPDATES; SUBTARGETS.—Not less 
frequently than once every 5 years during the 10- 
year period beginning on the date of enactment of 
this section, the Secretary shall— 
(A) revise the cost targets developed under 
paragraph (3)(B) to be more stringent, based 
on— 
(i) a technology-neutral approach that 
considers all types of energy storage de-
ployment scenarios, including individual 
technologies, technology combination use 
profiles, and integrated control system ap-
plications; 
(ii) input from a variety of stake-
holders;
1605 
(iii) the inclusion and use of existing 
infrastructure; and 
(iv) the ability to optimize the integra-
tion of intermittent renewable energy gen-
eration technology and distributed energy 
resources; and 
(B) establish cost subtargets for tech-
nologies and applications relating to the energy 
storage systems described in paragraph (5), 
taking into consideration— 
(i) electricity market prices; and 
(ii) the goal of being cost-competitive 
in specific markets for electric grid prod-
ucts and services. 
(c) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE
AND
GRANT
PRO-
GRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish a technical assistance and grant pro-
gram (referred to in this subsection as the 
‘‘program’’)— 
(i) to disseminate information and 
provide technical assistance directly to eli-
gible entities so the eligible entities can 
identify, evaluate, plan, design, and de-
1606 
velop processes to procure energy storage 
systems; and 
(ii) to make grants to eligible entities 
so that the eligible entities may contract to 
obtain technical assistance to identify, 
evaluate, plan, design, and develop proc-
esses to procure energy storage systems. 
(B) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—The technical as-
sistance described in subparagraph (A) 
shall include assistance with one or more 
of the following activities relating to energy 
storage systems: 
(I) Identification of opportunities 
to use energy storage systems. 
(II) Assessment of technical and 
economic characteristics. 
(III) Utility interconnection. 
(IV) Permitting and siting issues. 
(V) Business planning and finan-
cial analysis. 
(VI) Engineering design. 
(ii) EXCLUSION.—The technical as-
sistance described in subparagraph (A) 
shall not include assistance relating to
1607 
modification of Federal, State, or local reg-
ulations or policies relating to energy stor-
age systems. 
(C) INFORMATION
DISSEMINATION.—The 
information dissemination under subparagraph 
(A)(i) shall include dissemination of— 
(i) information relating to the topics 
described in subparagraph (B), including 
case studies of successful examples; 
(ii) computer software for assessment, 
design, and operation and maintenance of 
energy storage systems; and 
(iii) public databases that track the 
operation of existing and planned energy 
storage systems. 
(2) APPLICATIONS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity desir-
ing technical assistance or grants under the 
program shall submit to the Secretary an appli-
cation at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may 
require. 
(B) APPLICATION
PROCESS.—The Sec-
retary shall seek applications for technical as-
sistance and grants under the program—
1608 
(i) on a competitive basis; and 
(ii) on a periodic basis, but not less 
frequently than once every 12 months. 
(C) PRIORITIES.—In selecting eligible enti-
ties for technical assistance and grants under 
the program, the Secretary shall give priority to 
eligible entities with projects that have the 
greatest potential for— 
(i) strengthening the reliability of en-
ergy infrastructure and the resilience of 
energy infrastructure to the effects of ex-
treme weather events, power grid failures, 
and interruptions in supply of fossil fuels; 
(ii) reducing the cost of energy stor-
age systems; 
(iii) facilitating the use of renewable 
energy resources; 
(iv) minimizing environmental impact, 
including regulated air pollutants and 
greenhouse gas emissions; 
(v) 
improving 
the 
feasibility 
of 
microgrids or islanding, particularly in 
rural areas, including rural areas with high 
energy costs; and 
(vi) maximizing local job creation.
1609 
(3) GRANTS.—On application by an eligible en-
tity, the Secretary may award grants to the eligible 
entity to provide funds to cover not more than— 
(A) 100 percent of the costs of carrying 
out an initial assessment to identify net system 
benefits of using energy storage systems; 
(B) 75 percent of the cost of obtaining 
guidance relating to methods to assess energy 
storage in long-term resource planning and re-
source procurement; 
(C) 60 percent of the cost of carrying out 
studies to assess the cost-benefit ratio of energy 
storage systems; and 
(D) 50 percent of the cost of obtaining 
guidance on complying with State and local reg-
ulatory technical standards, including siting 
and permitting standards. 
(4) RULES AND PROCEDURES.— 
(A) RULES.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall, by rule, establish procedures for 
carrying out the program. 
(B) GRANTS.—Not later than 120 days 
after the date on which the Secretary estab-
lishes procedures for the program under sub-
1610 
paragraph (A), the Secretary shall issue grants 
under this subsection. 
(5) REPORTS.—The Secretary shall submit to 
Congress and make available to the public— 
(A) not less frequently than once every 2 
years, a report describing the performance of 
the program under this subsection, including a 
synthesis and analysis of any information the 
Secretary requires grant recipients to provide to 
the Secretary as a condition of receiving a 
grant; and 
(B) on termination of the program under 
this subsection, an assessment of the success of, 
and education provided by, the measures car-
ried out by eligible entities under the program. 
(d) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY WORKSHOPS.—The 
Secretary shall hold one or more workshops during each 
of calendar years 2021 and 2023 to facilitate the sharing, 
across the Department of Energy, the States, local and 
Tribal governments, industry, and the academic research 
community, of research developments and new technical 
knowledge gained in carrying out subsections (b) and (c). 
(e) ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM DEMONSTRATION 
PROGRAM.— 
(1) ENERGY STORAGE GRANT PROGRAM.—
1611 
(A) 
ESTABLISHMENT.—The 
Secretary 
shall establish a competitive grant program for 
pilot energy storage systems, as identified by 
the Secretary, that use either— 
(i) a single system; or 
(ii) aggregations of multiple systems. 
(B) SELECTION
REQUIREMENTS.—In se-
lecting eligible entities to receive a grant under 
this subsection, the Secretary shall, to the max-
imum extent practicable— 
(i) ensure regional diversity among el-
igible entities that receive the grants, in-
cluding participation by rural States and 
small States; 
(ii) ensure that specific projects se-
lected for grants— 
(I) expand on the existing tech-
nology demonstration programs of the 
Department of Energy; and 
(II) are designed to achieve one 
or more of the objectives described in 
subparagraph (C); 
(iii) prioritize projects from eligible 
entities that do not have an energy storage 
system;
1612 
(iv) give consideration to proposals 
from eligible entities for securing energy 
storage through competitive procurement 
or contracts for service; 
(v) prioritize projects that coordinate 
with the local incumbent electric utility for 
in-front-of-the-meter projects that do not 
formally involve an electric utility; and 
(vi) prioritize projects that leverage 
matching funds from non-Federal sources. 
(C) 
OBJECTIVES.—Each 
demonstration 
project selected for a grant under subparagraph 
(A) shall include one or more of the following 
objectives: 
(i) To improve the security and resil-
iency of critical infrastructure and emer-
gency response systems. 
(ii) To improve the reliability of the 
electricity transmission and distribution 
system, particularly in rural areas, includ-
ing rural areas with high energy costs. 
(iii) To optimize electricity trans-
mission or distribution system operation 
and power quality to defer or avoid costs 
of replacing or upgrading electric grid in-
1613 
frastructure, including transformers and 
substations. 
(iv) To supply energy at peak periods 
of demand on the electric grid or during 
periods of significant variation of electric 
grid supply. 
(v) To reduce peak residential and 
commercial loads, particularly to defer or 
avoid investments in new electric grid ca-
pacity. 
(vi) To advance power conversion sys-
tems to make the systems internet-con-
nected, more efficient, able to communicate 
with other inverters, and able to control 
voltage. 
(vii) To provide ancillary services for 
grid stability and management. 
(viii) To integrate a renewable energy 
resource production source into the grid at 
the source or away from the source. 
(ix) To increase the feasibility of 
microgrids or islanding. 
(x) To enable the use of stored energy 
in forms other than electricity to support
1614 
the natural gas system and other industrial 
processes. 
(D) RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS.— 
Any eligible entity that receives a grant under 
subparagraph (A) may only use the grant to 
fund programs relating to the demonstration of 
energy storage systems connected to the electric 
grid, including energy storage systems sited be-
hind a customer revenue meter. 
(E) FUNDING LIMITATIONS.— 
(i) FEDERAL COST SHARE.—The Fed-
eral cost share of a project carried out 
with a grant under subparagraph (A) shall 
be not more than 50 percent of the total 
costs incurred in connection with the devel-
opment, construction, acquisition of com-
ponents for, or engineering of a dem-
onstration project. 
(ii) MAXIMUM
GRANT.—The max-
imum amount of a grant awarded under 
subparagraph (A) shall be $5,000,000. 
(F) NO PROJECT OWNERSHIP INTEREST.— 
The United States shall hold no equity or other 
ownership interest in an energy storage system
1615 
for which a grant is provided under subpara-
graph (A). 
(G) COMPARABLE WAGE RATES.—Each la-
borer and mechanic employed by a contractor 
or subcontractor in performance of construction 
work financed, in whole or in part, by the grant 
shall be paid wages at rates not less than the 
rates prevailing on similar construction in the 
locality as determined by the Secretary of 
Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of 
chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code. 
(2) RULES AND PROCEDURES; AWARDING OF 
GRANTS.— 
(A) RULES AND PROCEDURES.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall, by rule, establish 
procedures for carrying out the grant program 
under paragraph (1). 
(B) AWARDING
OF
GRANTS.—Not later 
than 1 year after the date on which the Sec-
retary establishes procedures under subpara-
graph (A), the Secretary shall award the initial 
grants provided under this subsection. 
(3) REPORTS.—The Secretary shall submit to 
Congress and make publicly available—
1616 
(A) not less frequently than once every 2 
years for the duration of the grant program 
under paragraph (1), a report describing the 
performance of the grant program, including a 
synthesis and analysis of any information the 
Secretary requires grant recipients to provide to 
the Secretary as a condition of receiving a 
grant; and 
(B) on termination of the grant program 
under paragraph (1), an assessment of the suc-
cess of, and education provided by, the meas-
ures carried out by grant recipients under the 
grant program. 
(4) DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than Sep-
tember 30, 2023, under the program, the Sec-
retary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
enter into agreements to carry out not more 
than 5 grid-scale energy storage system dem-
onstration projects. 
(B) 
OBJECTIVES.—Each 
demonstration 
project carried out under subparagraph (A) 
shall be designed to further the development of 
the energy storage systems described in sub-
section (b)(5).
1617 
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated— 
(1) for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025, 
$175,000,000 to carry out subsection (b); 
(2) for the period of fiscal years 2021 through 
2025, $100,000,000 to carry out subsection (c), to 
remain available until expended; and 
(3) for the period of fiscal years 2021 through 
2025, $150,000,000 to carry out subsection (e), to 
remain available until expended. 
SEC. 33115. EXPANDING ACCESS TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
(A) a rural electric cooperative; or 
(B) a nonprofit organization working with 
at least six or more rural electric cooperatives. 
(2) ENERGY
STORAGE.—The term ‘‘energy 
storage’’ means the use of equipment or facilities re-
lating to the electric grid that are capable of absorb-
ing and converting energy, as applicable, storing the 
energy for a period of time, and dispatching the en-
ergy, that— 
(A) use mechanical, electrochemical, bio-
chemical, or thermal processes, to convert and
1618 
store energy that was generated at an earlier 
time for use at a later time; 
(B) use mechanical, electrochemical, bio-
chemical, or thermal processes to convert and 
store energy generated from mechanical proc-
esses that would otherwise be wasted for deliv-
ery at a later time; or 
(C) convert and store energy in an electric, 
thermal, or gaseous state for direct use for 
heating or cooling at a later time in a manner 
that avoids the need to use electricity or other 
fuel sources at that later time, as is offered by 
grid-enabled water heaters. 
(3) ISLAND.—The term ‘‘island mode’’ means a 
mode in which a distributed generator or energy 
storage device continues to power a location in the 
absence of electric power from the primary source. 
(4) MICROGRID.—The term ‘‘microgrid’’ means 
an interconnected system of loads and distributed 
energy resources, including generators and energy 
storage devices, within clearly defined electrical 
boundaries that— 
(A) acts as a single controllable entity with 
respect to the electric grid; and
1619 
(B) can connect to, and disconnect from, 
the electric grid to operate in both grid-con-
nected mode and island mode. 
(5) RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE.—The term 
‘‘renewable energy source’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 609(a) of the Public Utility Reg-
ulatory Policies Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 918c(a)). 
(6) RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE.—The term 
‘‘rural electric cooperative’’ means an electric coop-
erative (as defined in section 3 of the Federal Power 
Act (16 U.S.C. 796)) that sells electric energy to 
persons in rural areas. 
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
(b) ENERGY STORAGE AND MICROGRID ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall establish a program under which the 
Secretary shall— 
(A) provide grants to eligible entities under 
paragraph (3); 
(B) provide technical assistance to eligible 
entities under paragraph (4); and
1620 
(C) disseminate information to eligible en-
tities on— 
(i) the activities described in para-
graphs (3)(A) and (4); and 
(ii) potential and existing energy stor-
age and microgrid projects. 
(2) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.—The Secretary 
may enter into a cooperative agreement with an eli-
gible entity to carry out paragraph (1). 
(3) GRANTS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
award grants to eligible entities for identifying, 
evaluating, designing, and demonstrating en-
ergy storage and microgrid projects that utilize 
energy from renewable energy sources. 
(B) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a grant under subparagraph (A), an eligi-
ble entity shall submit to the Secretary an ap-
plication at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary 
may require. 
(C) USE
OF
GRANT.—An eligible entity 
that receives a grant under subparagraph (A)— 
(i) shall use the grant—
1621 
(I) to conduct feasibility studies 
to assess the potential for implemen-
tation or improvement of energy stor-
age or microgrid projects; 
(II) to analyze and implement 
strategies to overcome barriers to en-
ergy storage or microgrid project im-
plementation, including financial, con-
tracting, siting, and permitting bar-
riers; 
(III) to conduct detailed engi-
neering of energy storage or microgrid 
projects; 
(IV) to perform a cost-benefit 
analysis with respect to an energy 
storage or microgrid project; 
(V) to plan for both the short- 
and long-term inclusion of energy 
storage or microgrid projects into the 
future development plans of the eligi-
ble entity; or 
(VI) to purchase and install nec-
essary equipment, materials, and sup-
plies for demonstration of emerging 
technologies; and
1622 
(ii) may use the grant to obtain tech-
nical assistance from experts in carrying 
out the activities described in clause (i). 
(D) CONDITION.—As a condition of receiv-
ing a grant under subparagraph (A), an eligible 
entity shall— 
(i) implement a public awareness cam-
paign, in coordination with the Secretary, 
about the project implemented under the 
grant in the community in which the eligi-
ble entity is located; 
(ii) submit to the Secretary, and make 
available to the public, a report that de-
scribes— 
(I) any energy cost savings and 
environmental benefits achieved under 
the project; and 
(II) the results of the project, in-
cluding quantitative assessments to 
the extent practicable, associated with 
each activity described in subpara-
graph (C)(i); and 
(iii) create and disseminate tools and 
resources that will benefit other rural elec-
tric cooperatives, which may include cost
1623 
calculators, guidebooks, handbooks, tem-
plates, and training courses. 
(E) COST-SHARE.—Activities under this 
paragraph shall be subject to the cost-sharing 
requirements of section 988 of the Energy Pol-
icy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352). 
(4) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—In carrying out the 
program established under paragraph (1), the 
Secretary shall provide eligible entities with 
technical assistance relating to— 
(i) identifying opportunities for energy 
storage and microgrid projects; 
(ii) understanding the technical and 
economic characteristics of energy storage 
or microgrid projects; 
(iii) understanding financing alter-
natives; 
(iv) permitting and siting issues; 
(v) obtaining case studies of similar 
and successful energy storage or microgrid 
projects; 
(vi) reviewing and obtaining computer 
software for assessment, design, and oper-
1624 
ation and maintenance of energy storage 
or microgrid systems; and 
(vii) understanding and utilizing the 
reliability and resiliency benefits of energy 
storage and microgrid projects. 
(B) EXTERNAL CONTRACTS.—In carrying 
out subparagraph (A), the Secretary may enter 
into contracts with third-party experts, includ-
ing engineering, finance, and insurance experts, 
to provide technical assistance to eligible enti-
ties relating to the activities described in such 
subparagraph, or other relevant activities, as 
determined by the Secretary. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 
(2) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Not more than 5 
percent of the amount appropriated under para-
graph (1) for each fiscal year shall be used for ad-
ministrative expenses. 
SEC. 33116. INTERREGIONAL TRANSMISSION PLANNING 
RULEMAKING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Federal Energy
1625 
Regulatory Commission (hereinafter referred to as ‘‘the 
Commission’’) shall initiate a rulemaking to increase the 
effectiveness of the interregional transmission planning 
process. 
(b) ASSESSMENT.—In conducting the rulemaking 
under subsection (a), the Commission shall assess— 
(1) the effectiveness of interregional trans-
mission planning processes for identifying trans-
mission planning solutions that provide economic, re-
liability, operation, and public policy benefits, taking 
into consideration— 
(A) the public interest; 
(B) the integrity of markets; and 
(C) the protection of consumers; and 
(2) proposed changes to the processes described 
in paragraph (1) to ensure that efficient, cost-effec-
tive, and broadly beneficial transmission solutions 
are selected for construction, taking into consider-
ation— 
(A) the public interest; 
(B) the integrity of markets; 
(C) the protection of consumers; and 
(D) the range of benefits that interregional 
transmission provides.
1626 
(c) EMPHASIS.—In conducting the rulemaking under 
subsection (a), the Commission shall develop rules that 
emphasize— 
(1) the need for a solution to secure approval 
based on a comprehensive assessment of the multiple 
benefits the solution is expected to provide; 
(2) that interregional benefit analyses made be-
tween multiple regions should not be subject to reas-
sessment by a single regional entity; 
(3) the importance of synchronizing the plan-
ning processes between regions that neighbor one 
another, including using one timeline with a single 
set of needs, input assumptions, and benefit metrics; 
(4) that evaluation of long-term scenarios 
should align with the expected life of an inter-
regional transmission solution; 
(5) that transmission planning authorities 
should allow for the identification and joint evalua-
tion between regions of alternative proposals; 
(6) that the interregional transmission planning 
process should take place not less frequently than 
once every 3 years; 
(7) the elimination of arbitrary voltage, size, or 
cost requirements for an interregional transmission 
solution; and
1627 
(8) cost allocation methodologies that reflect 
the multiple benefits provided by an interregional 
transmission solution. 
(d) TIMING.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Commission 
shall complete the rulemaking initiated under subsection 
(a). 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) INTERREGIONAL BENEFIT ANALYSIS.—The 
term ‘‘interregional benefit analysis’’ means the 
identification and evaluation of the estimated bene-
fits of interregional transmission facilities in two or 
more neighboring transmission planning regions to 
meet the needs for transmission system reliability, 
resilience, economic, and public policy requirements. 
(2) INTERREGIONAL TRANSMISSION PLANNING 
PROCESS.—The term ‘‘interregional transmission 
planning process’’ means an evaluation of trans-
mission needs established by public utility trans-
mission providers in two or more neighboring trans-
mission planning regions that are jointly evaluated 
by those regions. 
(3) 
INTERREGIONAL
TRANSMISSION
SOLU-
TION.—The term ‘‘interregional transmission solu-
tion’’ means an interregional transmission facility
1628 
that is evaluated by two or more neighboring trans-
mission planning regions and determined by each of 
those regions for the ability of the project to effi-
ciently or cost effectively meet regional transmission 
needs or to provide substantial benefits that are not 
addressed in either of the region’s regional planning 
processes. 
(4) TRANSMISSION
PLANNING
AUTHORITY.— 
The term ‘‘transmission planning authority’’ means 
the public utility transmission provider within a 
transmission planning region that is required to cre-
ate a regional transmission plan that identifies 
transmission facilities and nontransmission alter-
natives needed to meet regional needs. 
(5) TRANSMISSION
PLANNING
REGIONS.—The 
term ‘‘transmission planning regions’’ means the 
transmission planning regions recognized by the 
Commission as compliant with the final rule entitled 
‘‘Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation by 
Transmission Owning and Operating Public Utili-
ties’’ located at part 35 of title 18, Code of Federal 
Regulations (or any successor regulation).
1629 
CHAPTER 3—CONTROLLING METHANE 
LEAKS FROM PIPELINES 
SEC. 33121. IMPROVING THE NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION 
SYSTEM. 
(a) PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Energy shall estab-
lish a grant program to provide financial assistance to 
States to offset the incremental rate increases paid by low- 
income households resulting from the implementation of 
State-approved infrastructure replacement, repair, and 
maintenance programs designed to accelerate the nec-
essary replacement, repair, or maintenance of natural gas 
distribution systems. 
(b) DATE OF ELIGIBILITY.—Awards may be provided 
under this section to offset rate increases described in sub-
section (a) occurring on or after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
(c) PRIORITIZATION.—The Secretary shall collabo-
rate with States to prioritize the distribution of grants 
made under this section. At a minimum, the Secretary 
shall consider prioritizing the distribution of grants to 
States which have— 
(1) authorized or adopted enhanced infrastruc-
ture replacement programs or innovative rate recov-
ery mechanisms, such as infrastructure cost trackers 
and riders, infrastructure base rate surcharges, de-
1630 
ferred regulatory asset programs, and earnings sta-
bility mechanisms; and 
(2) a viable means for delivering financial as-
sistance to low-income households. 
(d) AUDITING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 
The Secretary shall establish auditing and reporting re-
quirements for States with respect to the performance of 
eligible projects funded pursuant to grants awarded under 
this section. 
(e) PREVAILING WAGES.—All laborers and mechanics 
employed by contractors or subcontractors in the perform-
ance of construction, alteration, or repair work assisted, 
in whole or in part, by a grant under this section shall 
be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on 
similar construction in the locality as determined by the 
Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of 
chapter 31 of title 40. With respect to the labor standards 
in this subsection, the Secretary of Labor shall have the 
authority and functions set forth in Reorganization Plan 
Numbered 14 of 1950 (64 Stat. 1267; 5 U.S.C. App.) and 
section 3145 of title 40. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) INNOVATIVE
RATE
RECOVERY
MECHA-
NISMS.—The term ‘‘innovative rate recovery mecha-
nisms’’ means rate structures that allow State public
1631 
utility commissions to modify tariffs and recover 
costs of investments in utility replacement incurred 
between rate cases. 
(2) 
LOW-INCOME
HOUSEHOLD.—The 
term 
‘‘low-income household’’ means a household that is 
eligible to receive payments under section 2605(b)(2) 
of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 
1981 (42 U.S.C. 8624(b)(2)). 
(g) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
$250,000,000 to carry out this section in each fiscal year 
beginning in fiscal year 2021 and ending in fiscal year 
2025. 
CHAPTER 4—RENEWABLE ENERGY 
SEC. 33131. GRANT PROGRAM FOR SOLAR INSTALLATIONS 
LOCATED IN, OR THAT SERVE, LOW-INCOME 
AND UNDERSERVED AREAS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) BENEFICIARY.—The term ‘‘beneficiary’’ 
means a low-income household or a low-income 
household in an underserved area. 
(2) COMMUNITY
SOLAR
FACILITY.—The term 
‘‘community solar facility’’ means a solar generating 
facility that—
1632 
(A) through a voluntary program, has mul-
tiple subscribers that receive financial benefits 
that are directly attributable to the facility; 
(B) has a nameplate rating of 5 megawatts 
AC or less; and 
(C) is located in the utility distribution 
service territory of subscribers. 
(3) COMMUNITY
SOLAR
SUBSCRIPTION.—The 
term ‘‘community solar subscription’’ means a share 
in the capacity, or a proportional interest in the elec-
tricity generation, of a community solar facility. 
(4) COVERED
FACILITY.—The term ‘‘covered 
facility’’ means— 
(A) a community solar facility— 
(i) that is located in an underserved 
area; or 
(ii) at least 50 percent of the capacity 
of which is reserved for low-income house-
holds; 
(B) a solar generating facility located at a 
residence of a low-income household; or 
(C) a solar generating facility located at a 
multi-family affordable housing complex. 
(5) COVERED
STATE.—The term ‘‘covered 
State’’ means a State with processes in place to en-
1633 
sure that covered facilities deliver financial benefits 
to low-income households. 
(6) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
(A) a nonprofit organization that provides 
services to low-income households or multi-fam-
ily affordable housing complexes; 
(B) a developer, owner, or operator of a 
community solar facility that reserves a portion 
of the capacity of the facility for subscribers 
who are members of low-income households or 
for low-income households that otherwise finan-
cially benefit from the facility; 
(C) a covered State, or political subdivision 
thereof; 
(D) an Indian Tribe or a tribally owned 
electric utility; 
(E) a Native Hawaiian community-based 
organization; 
(F) any other national or regional entity 
that has experience developing or installing 
solar generating facilities for low-income house-
holds that maximize financial benefits to those 
households; and
1634 
(G) an electric cooperative or municipal 
electric utility (as such terms are defined in sec-
tion 3 of the Federal Power Act). 
(7) ELIGIBLE
INSTALLATION
PROJECT.—The 
term ‘‘eligible installation project’’ means a project 
to install a covered facility in a covered State. 
(8) ELIGIBLE PLANNING PROJECT.—The term 
‘‘eligible planning project’’ means a project to carry 
out pre-installation activities for the development of 
a covered facility in a covered State. 
(9) ELIGIBLE
PROJECT.—The term ‘‘eligible 
project’’ means— 
(A) an eligible planning project; or 
(B) an eligible installation project. 
(10) FEASIBILITY
STUDY.—The term ‘‘feasi-
bility study’’ means any activity to determine the 
feasibility of a specific solar generating facility, in-
cluding a customer interest assessment and a siting 
assessment, as determined by the Secretary. 
(11) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
means any Indian Tribe, band, nation, or other or-
ganized group or community, including any Alaska 
Native village, Regional Corporation, or Village Cor-
poration (as defined in, or established pursuant to, 
the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C.
1635 
1601 et seq.)), that is recognized as eligible for the 
special programs and services provided by the 
United States to Indians because of their status as 
Indians. 
(12) INTERCONNECTION
SERVICE.—The term 
‘‘interconnection service’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 111(d)(15) of the Public Utility 
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
2621(d)(15)). 
(13) LOW-INCOME
HOUSEHOLD.—The term 
‘‘low-income household’’ means that income in rela-
tion to family size which— 
(A) is at or below 200 percent of the pov-
erty level determined in accordance with criteria 
established by the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget, except that the Sec-
retary may establish a higher level if the Sec-
retary determines that such a higher level is 
necessary to carry out the purposes of this sec-
tion; 
(B) is the basis on which cash assistance 
payments have been paid during the preceding 
12-month period under titles IV and XVI of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.,
1636 
1381 et seq.) or applicable State or local law; 
or 
(C) if a State elects, is the basis for eligi-
bility for assistance under the Low-Income 
Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42 
U.S.C. 8621 et seq.), provided that such basis 
is at least 200 percent of the poverty level de-
termined in accordance with criteria established 
by the Director of the Office of Management 
and Budget. 
(14) MULTI-FAMILY
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING 
COMPLEX.—The term ‘‘multi-family affordable hous-
ing complex’’ means any federally subsidized afford-
able housing complex in which at least 50 percent of 
the units are reserved for low-income households. 
(15) NATIVE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY-BASED OR-
GANIZATION.—The term ‘‘Native Hawaiian commu-
nity-based organization’’ means any organization 
that is composed primarily of Native Hawaiians 
from a specific community and that assists in the 
social, cultural, and educational development of Na-
tive Hawaiians in that community. 
(16) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 
the program established under subsection (b).
1637 
(17) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means the Secretary of Energy. 
(18) SOLAR GENERATING FACILITY.—The term 
‘‘solar generating facility’’ means— 
(A) a generator that creates electricity 
from light photons; and 
(B) the accompanying hardware enabling 
that electricity to flow— 
(i) onto the electric grid; 
(ii) into a facility or structure; or 
(iii) into an energy storage device. 
(19) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mar-
iana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and American 
Samoa. 
(20) SUBSCRIBER.—The term ‘‘subscriber’’ 
means a person who— 
(A) owns a community solar subscription, 
or an equivalent unit or share of the capacity 
or generation of a community solar facility; or 
(B) financially benefits from a community 
solar facility, even if the person does not own 
a community solar subscription for the facility.
1638 
(21) UNDERSERVED AREA.—The term ‘‘under-
served area’’ means— 
(A) a geographical area with low or no 
photovoltaic solar deployment, as determined by 
the Secretary; 
(B) a geographical area that has low or no 
access to electricity, as determined by the Sec-
retary; 
(C) a geographical area with an average 
annual residential retail electricity price that 
exceeds the national average annual residential 
retail electricity price (as reported by the En-
ergy Information Agency) by 50 percent or 
more; or 
(D) trust land, as defined in section 3765 
of title 38, United States Code. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
a program to provide financial assistance to eligible enti-
ties— 
(1) carry out planning projects that are nec-
essary to establish the feasibility, obtain required 
permits, identify beneficiaries, or secure subscribers 
to install a covered facility; or 
(2) install a covered facility for beneficiaries in 
accordance with this section.
1639 
(c) APPLICATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive as-
sistance under the program, an eligible entity shall 
submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may require. 
(2) INCLUSION
FOR
INSTALLATION
ASSIST-
ANCE.— 
(A) REQUIREMENTS.—For an eligible enti-
ty to receive assistance for a project to install 
a covered facility, the Secretary shall require 
the eligible entity to include— 
(i) information in the application that 
is sufficient to demonstrate that the eligi-
ble entity has obtained, or has the capacity 
to obtain, necessary permits, subscribers, 
access to an installation site, and any other 
items or agreements necessary to comply 
with an agreement under subsection (g)(1) 
and to complete the installation of the ap-
plicable covered facility; 
(ii) a description of the mechanism 
through which financial benefits will be 
distributed to beneficiaries or subscribers; 
and
1640 
(iii) an estimate of the anticipated fi-
nancial benefit for beneficiaries or sub-
scribers. 
(B) 
CONSIDERATION
OF
PLANNING 
PROJECTS.—The Secretary shall consider the 
successful completion of an eligible planning 
project pursuant to subsection (b)(1) by the eli-
gible entity to be sufficient to demonstrate the 
ability of the eligible entity to meet the require-
ments of subparagraph (A)(i). 
(d) SELECTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In selecting eligible projects 
to receive assistance under the program, the Sec-
retary shall— 
(A) prioritize— 
(i) eligible installation projects that 
will result in the most financial benefit for 
subscribers, as determined by the Sec-
retary; 
(ii) eligible installation projects that 
will result in development of covered facili-
ties in underserved areas; and 
(iii) eligible projects that include ap-
prenticeship, job training, or community
1641 
participation as part of their application; 
and 
(B) ensure that such assistance is provided 
in a manner that results in eligible projects 
being carried out on a geographically diverse 
basis within and among covered States. 
(2) DETERMINATION
OF
FINANCIAL
BEN-
EFIT.—In determining the amount of financial ben-
efit for low-income households of an eligible installa-
tion project, the Secretary shall ensure that all cal-
culations for estimated household energy savings are 
based solely on electricity offsets from the applicable 
covered facility and use formulas established by the 
State or local government with jurisdiction over the 
applicable covered facility for verifiable household 
energy savings estimates that accrue to low-income 
households. 
(e) ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) FORM.—The Secretary may provide assist-
ance under the program in the form of a grant 
(which may be in the form of a rebate) or a low-in-
terest loan. 
(2) MULTIPLE
PROJECTS
FOR
SAME
FACIL-
ITY.—
1642 
(A) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity may 
apply for assistance under the program for an 
eligible planning project and an eligible installa-
tion project for the same covered facility. 
(B) SEPARATE SELECTIONS.—Selection by 
the Secretary for assistance under the program 
of an eligible planning project does not require 
the Secretary to select for assistance under the 
program an eligible installation project for the 
same covered facility. 
(f) USE OF ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) ELIGIBLE PLANNING PROJECTS.—An eligi-
ble entity receiving assistance for an eligible plan-
ning project under the program may use such assist-
ance to pay the costs of pre-installation activities as-
sociated with an applicable covered facility, includ-
ing— 
(A) feasibility studies; 
(B) permitting; 
(C) site assessment; 
(D) on-site job training, or other commu-
nity-based activities directly associated with the 
eligible planning project; or 
(E) such other costs determined by the 
Secretary to be appropriate.
1643 
(2) ELIGIBLE
INSTALLATION
PROJECTS.—An 
eligible entity receiving assistance for an eligible in-
stallation project under the program may use such 
assistance to pay the costs of— 
(A) installation of a covered facility, in-
cluding costs associated with materials, permit-
ting, labor, or site preparation; 
(B) storage technology sited at a covered 
facility; 
(C) interconnection service expenses; 
(D) on-site job training, or other commu-
nity-based activities directly associated with the 
eligible installation project; 
(E) offsetting the cost of a subscription for 
a covered facility described in subparagraph (A) 
of subsection (a)(4) for subscribers that are 
members of a low income household; or 
(F) such other costs determined by the 
Secretary to be appropriate. 
(g) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) AGREEMENTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—As a condition of re-
ceiving assistance under the program, an eligi-
ble entity shall enter into an agreement with 
the Secretary.
1644 
(B) REQUIREMENTS.—An agreement en-
tered into under this paragraph— 
(i) shall require the eligible entity to 
maintain such records and adopt such ad-
ministrative practices as the Secretary may 
require to ensure compliance with the re-
quirements of this section and the agree-
ment; 
(ii) with respect to an eligible installa-
tion project shall require that any solar 
generating facility installed using assist-
ance provided pursuant to the agreement 
comply with local building and safety codes 
and standards; and 
(iii) shall contain such other terms as 
the Secretary may require to ensure com-
pliance with the requirements of this sec-
tion. 
(C) TERM.—An agreement under this 
paragraph shall be for a term that begins on 
the date on which the agreement is entered into 
and ends on the date that is 2 years after the 
date on which the eligible entity receives assist-
ance pursuant to the agreement, which term 
may be extended once for a period of not more
1645 
than 1 year if the eligible entity demonstrates 
to the satisfaction of the Secretary that such an 
extension is necessary to complete the activities 
required by the agreement. 
(2) USE OF FUNDS.—Of the funds made avail-
able to provide assistance to eligible installation 
projects under this section over the period of fiscal 
years 2021 through 2025, the Secretary shall use— 
(A) not less than 50 percent to provide as-
sistance for eligible installation projects with re-
spect to which low-income households make up 
at least 50 percent of the subscribers to the 
project; and 
(B) not more than 50 percent to provide 
assistance for eligible installation projects with 
respect to which low-income households make 
up at least 25 percent of the subscribers to the 
project. 
(3) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 120 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall publish in the Federal Register regula-
tions to carry out this section, which shall take ef-
fect on the date of publication. 
(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
1646 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this sec-
tion $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 
through 2025, to remain available until expended. 
(2) AMOUNTS FOR PLANNING PROJECTS.—Of 
the amounts appropriated pursuant to this section 
over the period of fiscal years 2021 through 2025, 
the Secretary shall use not more than 15 percent of 
funds to provide assistance to eligible planning 
projects. 
(i) RELATIONSHIP
TO OTHER ASSISTANCE.—The 
Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, encourage eligi-
ble entities that receive assistance under this section to 
leverage such funds by seeking additional funding through 
federally or locally subsidized weatherization and energy 
efficiency programs. 
CHAPTER 5—SMART COMMUNITIES 
SEC. 33141. 3C ENERGY PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Energy 
shall establish a program to be known as the Cities, Coun-
ties, and Communities Energy Program (or the 3C Energy 
Program) to provide technical assistance and competitively 
awarded grants to local governments, public housing au-
thorities, nonprofit organizations, and other entities the 
Secretary determines to be eligible, to incorporate clean
1647 
energy into community development and revitalization ef-
forts. 
(b) BEST PRACTICE MODELS.—The Secretary of En-
ergy shall— 
(1) provide a recipient of technical assistance or 
a grant under the program established under sub-
section (a) with best practice models that are used 
in jurisdictions of similar size and situation; and 
(2) assist such recipient in developing and im-
plementing strategies to achieve its clean energy 
technology goals. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 
SEC. 33142. FEDERAL TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE. 
(a) SMART CITY OR COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PILOT 
PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy 
shall develop and implement a pilot program under 
which the Secretary shall contract with the national 
laboratories to provide technical assistance to cities 
and communities, to improve the access of such cit-
ies and communities to expertise, competencies, and 
infrastructure of the national laboratories for the
1648 
purpose of promoting smart city or community tech-
nologies. 
(2) PARTNERSHIPS.—In carrying out the pro-
gram under this subsection, the Secretary of Energy 
shall prioritize assistance for cities and communities 
that have partnered with small business concerns. 
(b) TECHNOLOGIST
IN RESIDENCE PILOT PRO-
GRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy 
shall expand the Technologist in Residence pilot pro-
gram of the Department of Energy to include part-
nerships between national laboratories and local gov-
ernments with respect to research and development 
relating to smart cities and communities. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—For purposes of the part-
nerships entered into under paragraph (1), tech-
nologists in residence shall work with an assigned 
unit of local government to develop an assessment of 
smart city or community technologies available and 
appropriate to meet the objectives of the city or 
community, in consultation with private sector enti-
ties implementing smart city or community tech-
nologies.
1649 
(c) GUIDANCE.—The Secretary of Energy, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Commerce, shall issue 
guidance with respect to— 
(1) the scope of the programs established and 
implemented under subsections (a) and (b); and 
(2) requests for proposals from local govern-
ments interested in participating in such programs. 
(d) CONSIDERATIONS.—In establishing and imple-
menting the programs under subsections (a) and (b), the 
Secretary of Energy shall seek to address the needs of 
small- and medium-sized cities. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 
SEC. 33143. TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce shall 
establish a smart city or community regional demonstra-
tion grant program under which the Secretary shall con-
duct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart 
city or community technologies and systems in a variety 
of communities, including small- and medium-sized cities. 
(b) GOALS.—The goals of the program established 
under subsection (a) are— 
(1) to demonstrate—
1650 
(A) potential benefits of concentrated in-
vestments in smart city or community tech-
nologies relating to public safety that are re-
peatable and scalable; and 
(B) the efficiency, reliability, and resilience 
of civic infrastructure and services; 
(2) to facilitate the adoption of advanced smart 
city or community technologies and systems; and 
(3) to demonstrate protocols and standards that 
allow for the measurement and validation of the cost 
savings and performance improvements associated 
with the installation and use of smart city or com-
munity technologies and practices. 
(c) DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.— 
(1) ELIGIBILITY.—Subject to paragraph (2), a 
unit of local government shall be eligible to receive 
a grant for a demonstration project under this sec-
tion. 
(2) COOPERATION.—To qualify for a dem-
onstration project under this section, a unit of local 
government shall agree to follow applicable best 
practices identified by the Secretary of Commerce 
and the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with in-
dustry entities, to evaluate the effectiveness of the
1651 
implemented smart city or community technologies 
to ensure that— 
(A) technologies and interoperability can 
be assessed; 
(B) best practices can be shared; and 
(C) data can be shared in a public, inter-
operable, and transparent format. 
(3) FEDERAL SHARE OF COST OF TECHNOLOGY 
INVESTMENTS.—The Secretary of Commerce— 
(A) subject to subparagraph (B), shall pro-
vide to a unit of local government selected 
under this section for the conduct of a dem-
onstration project a grant in an amount equal 
to not more than 50 percent of the total cost 
of technology investments to incorporate and 
assess smart city or community technologies in 
the applicable jurisdiction; but 
(B) may waive the cost-share requirement 
of subparagraph (A) as the Secretary deter-
mines to be appropriate. 
(d) REQUIREMENT.—In conducting demonstration 
projects under this section, the Secretary shall— 
(1) develop competitive, technology-neutral re-
quirements;
1652 
(2) seek to leverage ongoing or existing civic in-
frastructure investments; and 
(3) take into consideration the non-Federal cost 
share as a competitive criterion in applicant selec-
tion in order to leverage non-Federal investment. 
(e) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY
OF
DATA
AND
RE-
PORTS.—The Secretary of Commerce shall ensure that re-
ports, public data sets, schematics, diagrams, and other 
works created using a grant provided under this section 
are— 
(1) available on a royalty-free, non-exclusive 
basis; and 
(2) open to the public to reproduce, publish, or 
otherwise use, without cost. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection 
(c) $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 
2025. 
SEC. 33144. SMART CITY OR COMMUNITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In this chapter, the term ‘‘smart 
city or community’’ means a community in which innova-
tive, advanced, and trustworthy information and commu-
nication technologies and related mechanisms are ap-
plied— 
(1) to improve the quality of life for residents;
1653 
(2) to increase the efficiency and cost effective-
ness of civic operations and services; 
(3) to promote economic growth; and 
(4) to create a community that is safer and 
more secure, sustainable, resilient, livable, and work-
able. 
(b) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘smart city or commu-
nity’’ includes a local jurisdiction that— 
(1) gathers and incorporates data from sys-
tems, devices, and sensors embedded in civic systems 
and infrastructure to improve the effectiveness and 
efficiency of civic operations and services; 
(2) aggregates and analyzes gathered data; 
(3) communicates the analysis and data in a va-
riety of formats; 
(4) makes corresponding improvements to civic 
systems and services based on gathered data; and 
(5) integrates measures— 
(A) to ensure the resilience of civic systems 
against cybersecurity threats and physical and 
social vulnerabilities and breaches; 
(B) to protect the private data of resi-
dents; and
1654 
(C) to measure the impact of smart city or 
community technologies on the effectiveness and 
efficiency of civic operations and services. 
SEC. 33145. CLEAN CITIES COALITION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out a 
program to be known as the Clean Cities Coalition Pro-
gram. 
(b) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—In carrying out the pro-
gram under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) establish criteria for designating local and 
regional Clean Cities Coalitions; 
(2) designate local and regional Clean Cities 
Coalitions that the Secretary determines meet the 
criteria established under paragraph (1); 
(3) make awards to each designated Clean Cit-
ies Coalition for administrative and program ex-
penses of the coalition; 
(4) make competitive awards to designated 
Clean Cities Coalitions for projects and activities de-
scribed in subsection (c); 
(5) provide technical assistance and training to 
designated Clean Cities Coalitions; 
(6) provide opportunities for communication 
and sharing of best practices among designated 
Clean Cities Coalitions; and
1655 
(7) maintain, and make available to the public, 
a centralized database of information included in the 
reports submitted under subsection (d). 
(c) PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES.—Projects and activi-
ties eligible for awards under subsection (b)(4) are 
projects and activities that reduce petroleum consumption, 
improve air quality, promote energy and economic secu-
rity, and encourage deployment of a diverse, domestic sup-
ply of alternative fuels in the transportation sector by— 
(1) encouraging the purchase and use of alter-
native fuel vehicles and alternative fuels, including 
by fleet managers; 
(2) expediting the establishment of local, re-
gional, and national infrastructure to fuel alternative 
fuel vehicles; 
(3) advancing the use of other petroleum fuel 
reduction technologies and strategies; 
(4) conducting outreach and education activities 
to advance the use of alternative fuels and alter-
native fuel vehicles; 
(5) providing training and technical assistance 
and tools to users that adopt petroleum fuel reduc-
tion technologies; or 
(6) collaborating with and training officials and 
first responders with responsibility for permitting
1656 
and enforcing fire, building, and other safety codes 
related to the deployment and use of alternative 
fuels or alternative fuel vehicles. 
(d) ANNUAL REPORT.—Each designated Clean Cities 
Coalition shall submit an annual report to the Secretary 
on the activities and accomplishments of the coalition. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ALTERNATIVE
FUEL.—The term ‘‘alter-
native fuel’’ has the meaning given such term in sec-
tion 32901 of title 49, United States Code. 
(2) ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE.—The term 
‘‘alternative fuel vehicle’’ means any vehicle that is 
capable of operating, partially or exclusively, on an 
alternative fuel. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
(f) FUNDING.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this section— 
(A) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; 
(B) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; 
(C) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; 
(D) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and 
(E) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2025.
1657 
(2) ALLOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall allo-
cate funds made available to carry out this section 
in each fiscal year as follows: 
(A) Thirty percent of such funds shall be 
distributed as awards under subsection (b)(3). 
(B) Fifty percent of such funds shall be 
distributed as competitive awards under sub-
section (b)(4). 
(C) Twenty percent of such funds shall be 
used to carry out the duties of the Secretary 
under this section. 
CHAPTER 6—BROWNFIELDS 
SEC. 33151. BROWNFIELDS FUNDING. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
104(k)(13) of the Comprehensive Environmental Re-
sponse, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 
U.S.C. 9604(k)(13)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(13) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subsection— 
‘‘(A) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; 
‘‘(B) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; 
‘‘(C) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; 
‘‘(D) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; 
and
1658 
‘‘(E) $550,000,000 for fiscal year 2025.’’. 
(b) 
STATE
RESPONSE
PROGRAMS.—Section 
128(a)(3) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 
9628(a)(3)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(3) FUNDING.—There are authorized to be ap-
propriated to carry out this subsection— 
‘‘(A) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; 
‘‘(B) $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; 
‘‘(C) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; 
‘‘(D) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; 
and 
‘‘(E) $110,000,000 for fiscal year 2025.’’. 
CHAPTER 7—INDIAN ENERGY 
SEC. 33161. INDIAN ENERGY. 
(a) DEFINITION OF INDIAN LAND.—Section 2601(2) 
of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3501(2)) 
is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B)(iii), by striking ‘‘and’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘land.’’ 
and inserting ‘‘land; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(D) any land in a census tract in which 
the majority of the residents are Natives (as de-
1659 
fined in section 3(b) of the Alaska Native 
Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602(b))).’’. 
(b) 
REDUCTION
OF
COST
SHARE.—Section 
2602(b)(5) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 
3502(b)(5)) is amended by adding at the end the following 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(D) The Director may reduce any applicable 
cost share required of an Indian tribe, intertribal or-
ganization, or tribal energy development organiza-
tion in order to receive a grant under this subsection 
to not less than 10 percent if the Indian tribe, inter-
tribal organization, or tribal energy development or-
ganization meets criteria developed by the Director, 
including financial need. 
‘‘(E) Section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352) shall not apply to grants 
provided under this subsection.’’. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION.—Section 2602(b)(7) of the En-
ergy Policy Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3502(b)(7)) is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘$20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 
through 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘$50,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2021 through 2025’’.
1660 
SEC. 33162. REPORT ON ELECTRICITY ACCESS AND RELI-
ABILITY. 
(a) ASSESSMENT.—The Secretary of Energy shall 
conduct an assessment of the status of access to electricity 
by households residing in Tribal communities or on Indian 
land, and the reliability of electric service available to 
households residing in Tribal communities or on Indian 
land, as compared to the status of access to and reliability 
of electricity within neighboring States or within the State 
in which Indian land is located. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary of Energy shall 
consult with Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, the 
North American Electricity Reliability Corporation, and 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the devel-
opment and conduct of the assessment under subsection 
(a). Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations shall have the 
opportunity to review and make recommendations regard-
ing the development of the assessment and the findings 
of the assessment, prior to the submission of the report 
under subsection (c). 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy 
shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on
1661 
the results of the assessment conducted under subsection 
(a), which shall include— 
(1) a description of generation, transmission, 
and distribution assets available to provide electricity 
to households residing in Tribal communities or on 
Indian land; 
(2) a survey of the retail and wholesale prices 
of electricity available to households residing in 
Tribal communities or on Indian land; 
(3) a description of participation of Tribal 
members in the electric utility workforce, including 
the workforce for construction and maintenance of 
renewable energy resources and distributed energy 
resources; 
(4) the percentage of households residing in 
Tribal communities or on Indian land that do not 
have access to electricity; 
(5) the potential of distributed energy resources 
to provide electricity to households residing in Tribal 
communities or on Indian land; 
(6) the potential for tribally-owned electric utili-
ties or electric utility assets to participate in or ben-
efit from regional electricity markets;
1662 
(7) a description of the barriers to providing ac-
cess to electric service to households residing in 
Tribal communities or on Indian land; and 
(8) recommendations to improve access to and 
reliability of electric service for households residing 
in Tribal communities or on Indian land. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) TRIBAL MEMBER.—The term ‘‘Tribal mem-
ber’’ means a person who is an enrolled member of 
a federally recognized Tribe or village. 
(2) TRIBAL
COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘Tribal 
community’’ means a community in a United States 
census tract in which the majority of residents are 
persons who are enrolled members of a federally rec-
ognized Tribe or village. 
CHAPTER 8—HYDROPOWER AND DAM 
SAFETY 
SEC. 33171. HYDROELECTRIC PRODUCTION INCENTIVES 
AND EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS. 
(a) HYDROELECTRIC PRODUCTION INCENTIVES.— 
Section 242 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
15881) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (1) 
and inserting the following:
1663 
‘‘(1) QUALIFIED HYDROELECTRIC FACILITY.— 
The term ‘qualified hydroelectric facility’ means a 
turbine or other generating device owned or solely 
operated by a non-Federal entity— 
‘‘(A) that generates hydroelectric energy 
for sale; and 
‘‘(B)(i) that is added to an existing dam or 
conduit; or 
‘‘(ii)(I) that has a generating capacity of 
not more than 10 megawatts; 
‘‘(II) for which the non-Federal entity has 
received a construction authorization from the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, if ap-
plicable; and 
‘‘(III) that is constructed in a region in 
which there is inadequate electric service, as de-
termined by the Secretary.’’; 
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘10’’ and in-
serting ‘‘22’’; 
(3) in subsection (e)(2), by striking ‘‘section 
29(d)(2)(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 45K(d)(2)(B)’’; 
(4) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘20’’ and in-
serting ‘‘32’’; and
1664 
(5) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘each of the 
fiscal years 2006 through 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘each 
of fiscal years 2019 through 2036’’. 
(b) HYDROELECTRIC EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT.— 
Section 243(c) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 15882(c)) is amended by striking ‘‘each of the fis-
cal years 2006 through 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘each of fis-
cal years 2019 through 2036’’. 
SEC. 33172. FERC BRIEFING ON EDENVILLE DAM AND SAN-
FORD DAM FAILURES. 
Not later than 90 days after the date on which the 
Forensic Investigation Team submits to the Federal En-
ergy Regulatory Commission the reports on the root 
causes, and any other contributing causes, of the Edenville 
Dam and Sanford Dam failures, the Federal Energy Reg-
ulatory Commission shall conduct a briefing for, and sub-
mit a report summarizing such briefing to, the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives 
that includes— 
(1) an explanation of the findings of the Foren-
sic Investigation Team reports on the root causes, 
and any other contributing causes, of the Edenville 
Dam and Sanford Dam failures; 
(2) a determination of whether the dam safety 
procedures of the Federal Energy Regulatory Com-
1665 
mission should be revised in light of the lessons 
learned from such reports; 
(3) a determination of whether additional safety 
inspections of dams should be required after large 
storms; 
(4) a determination of whether the safety re-
quirements and testing protocols for dams ade-
quately account for the projected effects of climate 
change and atmospheric rivers on dams; and 
(5) a determination of whether additional ac-
tions should be taken to ensure the safety of dams 
that operate without an emergency spillway. 
SEC. 33173. DAM SAFETY CONDITIONS. 
Section 10 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 803) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(k) That the dam and other project works meet the 
Commission’s dam safety requirements and that the li-
censee shall continue to manage, operate, and maintain 
the dam and other project works in a manner that ensures 
dam safety and public safety under the operating condi-
tions of the license.’’. 
SEC. 33174. DAM SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. 
Section 15 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 808) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
1666 
‘‘(g) The Commission may issue a new license under 
this section only if the Commission determines that the 
dam and other project works covered by the license meet 
the Commission’s dam safety requirements and that the 
licensee can continue to manage, operate, and maintain 
the dam and other project works in a manner that ensures 
dam safety and public safety under the operating condi-
tions of the new license.’’. 
SEC. 33175. VIABILITY PROCEDURES. 
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shall es-
tablish procedures to assess the financial viability of an 
applicant for a license under the Federal Power Act to 
meet applicable dam safety requirements and to operate 
the dam and project works under the license. 
SEC. 33176. FERC DAM SAFETY TECHNICAL CONFERENCE 
WITH STATES. 
(a) TECHNICAL CONFERENCE.—Not later than April 
1, 2021, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, act-
ing through the Office of Energy Projects, shall hold a 
technical conference with the States to discuss and provide 
information on— 
(1) dam maintenance and repair; 
(2) Risk Informed Decision Making (RIDM); 
(3) climate and hydrological regional changes 
that may affect the structural integrity of dams; and
1667 
(4) high hazard dams. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$1,000,000 for fiscal year 2021. 
(c) STATE DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘State’’ has the meaning given such term in section 3 of 
the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 796). 
SEC. 33177. REQUIRED DAM SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS BE-
TWEEN FERC AND STATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission, acting through 
the Office of Energy Projects, shall notify a State within 
which a project is located when— 
(1) the Commission issues a finding, following 
a dam safety inspection, that requires the licensee 
for such project to take actions to repair the dam 
and other project works that are the subject of such 
finding; 
(2) after a period of 5 years starting on the 
date a finding under paragraph (1) is issued, the li-
censee has failed to take actions to repair the dam 
and other project works, as required by such finding; 
and 
(3) the Commission initiates a non-compliance 
proceeding or otherwise takes steps to revoke a li-
cense issued under section 4 of the Federal Power
1668 
Act (16 U.S.C. 797) due to the failure of a licensee 
to take actions to repair a dam and other project 
works. 
(b) NOTICE UPON REVOCATION, SURRENDER, OR IM-
PLIED SURRENDER OF A LICENSE.—If the Commission 
issues an order to revoke a license or approve the sur-
render or implied surrender of a license under the Federal 
Power Act (16 U.S.C. 792 et seq.), the Commission shall 
provide to the State within which the project that relates 
to such license is located— 
(1) all records pertaining to the structure and 
operation of the applicable dam and other project 
works, including, as applicable, any dam safety in-
spection reports by independent consultants, speci-
fications for required repairs or maintenance of such 
dam and other project works that have not been 
completed, and estimates of the costs for such re-
pairs or maintenance; 
(2) all records documenting the history of main-
tenance or repair work for the applicable dam and 
other project works; 
(3) information on the age of the dam and 
other project works and the hazard classification of 
the dam and other project works;
1669 
(4) the most recent assessment of the condition 
of the dam and other project works by the Commis-
sion; 
(5) as applicable, the most recent hydrologic in-
formation used to determine the potential maximum 
flood for the dam and other project works; and 
(6) the results of the most recent risk assess-
ment completed on the dam and other project works. 
(c) DEFINITION.—In this section: 
(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. 
(2) LICENSEE.—The term ‘‘licensee’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 3 of the Federal 
Power Act (16 U.S.C. 796). 
(3) PROJECT.—The term ‘‘project’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 3 of the Federal 
Power Act (16 U.S.C. 796). 
SEC. 33178. CONSIDERATION OF INVASIVE SPECIES. 
Section 18 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 811) 
is amended by inserting ‘‘In prescribing a fishway, the 
Secretary of Commerce or the Secretary of the Interior, 
as appropriate, shall consider the threat of invasive spe-
cies.’’ before ‘‘The license applicant and any party to the 
proceeding shall be entitled to a determination on the 
record,’’.
1670 
CHAPTER 9—LOAN PROGRAM OFFICE 
REFORM 
SEC. 33181. LOAN PROGRAM OFFICE TITLE XVII REFORM. 
(a) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—Section 1702 of the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16512) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by amending subsection (b) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(b) SPECIFIC
APPROPRIATION
OR
CONTRIBU-
TION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the cost of a guarantee shall be paid by 
the Secretary using an appropriation made for the 
cost of the guarantee, subject to the availability of 
such an appropriation. 
‘‘(2) INSUFFICIENT APPROPRIATIONS.—If suffi-
cient appropriated funds to pay the cost of a guar-
antee are not available, then the guarantee shall not 
be made unless— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary has received from the 
borrower a payment in full for the cost of the 
guarantee and deposited the payment into the 
Treasury; or 
‘‘(B) a combination of one or more appro-
priations and one or more payments from the
1671 
borrower under this subsection has been made 
that is sufficient to cover the cost of the guar-
antee.’’; 
(2) in subsection (h)(1), by striking ‘‘charge 
and collect fees’’ and inserting ‘‘charge, and collect 
at the financial close of the obligation, fees’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(l) APPLICATION STATUS.— 
‘‘(1) REQUEST.—If the Secretary does not 
make a final decision on an application for a guar-
antee under this section by the date that is 270 days 
after receipt of the application by the Secretary, on 
that date and every 90 days thereafter until the 
final decision is made, the applicant may request 
that the Secretary provide to the applicant a de-
scription of the status of the application. 
‘‘(2) RESPONSE.—Not later than 10 days after 
receiving a request from an applicant under para-
graph (1), the Secretary shall provide to the appli-
cant a response that includes— 
‘‘(A) a summary of any factors that are 
delaying a final decision on the application; and 
‘‘(B) an estimate of when review of the ap-
plication will be completed.’’.
1672 
(b) PROJECT
ELIGIBILITY
EXPANSION.—Section 
1703 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16513) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘, uti-
lize’’ after ‘‘reduce’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘.’’ and 
inserting the following: ‘‘which may include— 
‘‘(A) a system of technologies that combine 
existing technologies in an innovative manner; 
‘‘(B) projects containing elements of com-
mercial technologies in combination with new or 
significantly improved technologies; or 
‘‘(C) projects that incorporate new and in-
novative platform technologies developed outside 
the energy sector that enable modernization of 
existing energy infrastructure and systems.’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (5)— 
(i) by adding ‘‘, utilization,’’ after 
‘‘capture’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘and technologies 
that capture greenhouse gases already air-
borne’’ after ‘‘sequester carbon’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following:
1673 
‘‘(11) Energy storage technologies, including 
battery storage technologies, for residential, indus-
trial, and transportation applications. 
‘‘(12) Technologies and systems for reducing 
high global warming potential pollutants, including 
methane leakage from natural gas transmission and 
distribution infrastructure. 
‘‘(13) Manufacturing and deployment of nuclear 
supply components for advanced nuclear reactors. 
‘‘(14) System-level energy management solu-
tions. 
‘‘(15) Application of platform technologies, in-
cluding data analytics, artificial intelligence, and 
other software to improve the energy efficiency and 
effectiveness of energy infrastructure, including elec-
tric grid operations. 
‘‘(16) Energy-water use efficiency in water re-
sources infrastructure and water-using technologies. 
‘‘(17) Innovative technologies for improving the 
resilience or reliability of existing energy infrastruc-
ture.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) REGIONAL VARIATION.—The Secretary shall ac-
count for regional variation in commercial technology de-
ployment such that no project shall be ineligible for assist-
1674 
ance under this title because a similar project exists in 
a different region than the proposed project.’’. 
(c) STATE LOAN ELIGIBILITY.— 
(1) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1701 of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16511) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) STATE.—The term ‘State’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 202 of the Energy 
Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6802). 
‘‘(7) STATE
ENERGY
FINANCING
INSTITU-
TION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘State en-
ergy financing institution’ means a quasi-inde-
pendent entity or an entity within a State agen-
cy or financing authority established by a 
State— 
‘‘(i) to provide financing support or 
credit enhancements, including loan guar-
antees and loan loss reserves, for eligible 
projects; and 
‘‘(ii) to create liquid markets for eligi-
ble projects, including warehousing and 
securitization, or take other steps to reduce 
financial barriers to the deployment of ex-
isting and new eligible projects.
1675 
‘‘(B) INCLUSION.—The term ‘State energy 
financing institution’ includes an entity or orga-
nization established to achieve the purposes de-
scribed in clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph 
(A) by an Indian tribal entity or an Alaska Na-
tive Corporation.’’. 
(2) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 1702 of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16512) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘, in-
cluding projects receiving financial support or 
credit enhancements from a State energy fi-
nancing institution,’’ after ‘‘for projects’’; 
(B) in subsection (d)(1), by inserting ‘‘, in-
cluding a guarantee for a project receiving fi-
nancial support or credit enhancements from a 
State energy financing institution,’’ after ‘‘No 
guarantee’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(m) STATE ENERGY FINANCING INSTITUTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for a guar-
antee under this title, a project receiving financial 
support or credit enhancements from a State energy 
financing institution— 
‘‘(A) shall meet the requirements of section 
1703(a)(1); and
1676 
‘‘(B) shall not be required to meet the re-
quirements of section 1703(a)(2). 
‘‘(2) PARTNERSHIPS
AUTHORIZED.—In car-
rying out a project receiving a guarantee under this 
title, State energy financing institutions may enter 
into partnerships with private entities, Tribal enti-
ties, and Alaska Native corporations.’’. 
CHAPTER 10—CLIMATE ACTION 
PLANNING FOR PORTS 
SEC. 33191. GRANTS TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMIS-
SIONS AT PORTS. 
(a) GRANTS.—The Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency may award grants to eligible en-
tities— 
(1) to implement plans to reduce greenhouse 
gas emissions at one or more ports or port facilities 
within the jurisdictions of the respective eligible enti-
ties; and 
(2) to develop climate action plans described in 
subsection (b)(2). 
(b) APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To seek a grant under this 
section, an eligible entity shall submit an application 
to the Administrator of the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency at such time, in such manner, and con-
1677 
taining such information and assurances as the Ad-
ministrator may require. 
(2) CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.—At a minimum, 
each such application shall contain— 
(A) a detailed and strategic plan, to be 
known as a climate action plan, that outlines 
how the eligible entity will develop and imple-
ment climate change mitigation or adaptation 
measures through the grant; or 
(B) a request pursuant to subsection 
(a)(2) for funding for the development of a cli-
mate action plan. 
(3) REQUIRED COMPONENTS.—A climate action 
plan under paragraph (2) shall demonstrate that the 
measures proposed to be implemented through the 
grant— 
(A) will reduce greenhouse gas emissions 
at the port or port facilities involved pursuant 
to greenhouse gas emission reduction goals set 
forth in the climate action plan; 
(B) will reduce other air pollutants at the 
port or port facilities involved pursuant to cri-
teria pollutant emission reduction goals set 
forth in the climate action plan;
1678 
(C) will implement emissions accounting 
and inventory practices to determine baseline 
emissions and measure progress; and 
(D) will ensure labor protections for work-
ers employed directly at the port or port facili-
ties involved, including by— 
(i) demonstrating that implementation 
of the measures proposed to be imple-
mented through the grant will not result in 
a net loss of jobs at the port or port facili-
ties involved; 
(ii) ensuring that laborers and me-
chanics employed by contractors and sub-
contractors on construction projects to im-
plement the plan will be paid wages not 
less than those prevailing on similar con-
struction in the locality, as determined by 
the Secretary of Labor under sections 
3141 through 3144, 3146, and 3147 of 
title 40, United States Code; and 
(iii) requiring any projects initiated to 
carry out the plan with total capital costs 
of $1,000,000 or greater to utilize a 
project labor agreement and not impact 
any preexisting project labor agreement.
1679 
(4) OTHER COMPONENTS.—In addition to the 
components required by paragraph (3), a climate ac-
tion plan under paragraph (2) shall demonstrate 
that the measures proposed to be implemented 
through the grant will do at least two of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) Improve energy efficiency at a port or 
port facility, including by using— 
(i) energy-efficient vehicles, such as 
hybrid, low-emission, or zero-emission vehi-
cles; 
(ii) energy efficient cargo-handling, 
harbor vessels, or storage facilities such as 
energy-efficient refrigeration equipment; 
(iii) energy-efficient lighting; 
(iv) shore power; or 
(v) other energy efficiency improve-
ments. 
(B) Deploy technology or processes that 
reduce idling of vehicles at a port or port facil-
ity. 
(C) Reduce the direct emissions of green-
house gases and other air pollutants with a goal 
of achieving zero emissions, including by replac-
ing and retrofitting equipment (including vehi-
1680 
cles onsite, cargo-handling equipment, or harbor 
vessels) at a port or port facility. 
(5) PROHIBITED USE.—An eligible entity may 
not use a grant provided under this section— 
(A) to purchase fully automated cargo han-
dling equipment; 
(B) to build, or plan to build, terminal in-
frastructure that is designed for fully auto-
mated cargo handling equipment; 
(C) to purchase, test, or develop highly 
automated trucks, chassis, or any related equip-
ment that can be used to transport container-
ized freight; or 
(D) to utilize any independent contractor, 
independent owner-operator, or other entity 
that does not use employees to perform any 
work on the port or port facilities. 
(6) COORDINATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS.—In 
developing a climate action plan under paragraph 
(2), an eligible entity shall— 
(A) identify and collaborate with stake-
holders who may be affected by the plan, in-
cluding local environmental justice communities 
and other near-port communities;
1681 
(B) address the potential cumulative ef-
fects of the plan on stakeholders when those ef-
fects may have a community-level impact; and 
(C) ensure effective advance communica-
tion with stakeholders to avoid and minimize 
conflicts. 
(c) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency shall give priority to applicants proposing— 
(1) to strive for zero emissions as a key strat-
egy within the grantee’s climate action plan under 
paragraph (2); 
(2) to take a regional approach to reducing 
greenhouse gas emissions at ports; 
(3) to collaborate with near-port communities to 
identify and implement mutual solutions to reduce 
air pollutants at ports or port facilities affecting 
such communities, with emphasis given to implemen-
tation of such solutions in near-port communities 
that are environmental justice communities; 
(4) to implement activities with off-site benefits, 
such as by reducing air pollutants from vehicles, 
equipment, and vessels at sites other than the port 
or port facilities involved; and
1682 
(5) to reduce localized health risk pursuant to 
health risk reduction goals that are set within the 
grantee’s climate action plan under paragraph (2). 
(d) MODEL METHODOLOGIES.—The Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency shall— 
(1) develop model methodologies which grantees 
under this section may choose to use for emissions 
accounting and inventory practices referred to in 
subsection (b)(3)(C); and 
(2) ensure that such methodologies are designed 
to measure progress in reducing air pollution at 
near-port communities. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad-
ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. 
(2) The term ‘‘cargo-handling equipment’’ in-
cludes— 
(A) ship-to-shore container cranes and 
other cranes; 
(B) container-handling equipment; and 
(C) equipment for moving or handling 
cargo, 
including 
trucks, 
reachstackers, 
toploaders, and forklifts. 
(3) The term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means— 
(A) a port authority;
1683 
(B) a State, regional, local, or Tribal agen-
cy that has jurisdiction over a port authority or 
a port; 
(C) an air pollution control district; or 
(D) a private entity (including any non-
profit organization) that— 
(i) applies for a grant under this sec-
tion in collaboration with an entity de-
scribed in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) ; 
and 
(ii) owns, operates, or uses a port fa-
cility, cargo equipment, transportation 
equipment, related technology, or a ware-
house facility at a port or port facility. 
(4) The term ‘‘environmental justice commu-
nity’’ means a community with significant represen-
tation of communities of color, low-income commu-
nities, or Tribal and indigenous communities, that 
experiences, or is at risk of experiencing, higher or 
more adverse human health or environmental effects. 
(5) The term ‘‘harbor vessel’’ includes a ship, 
boat, lighter, or maritime vessel designed for service 
at and around harbors and ports. 
(6) The term ‘‘inland port’’ means a logistics or 
distribution hub that is located inland from navi-
1684 
gable waters, where cargo, such as break-bulk cargo 
or cargo in shipping containers, is processed, stored, 
and transferred between trucks, rail cars, or air-
craft. 
(7) The term ‘‘port’’ includes an inland port. 
(8) The term ‘‘stakeholder’’ means residents, 
community groups, businesses, business owners, 
labor unions, commission members, or groups from 
which a near-port community draws its resources 
that— 
(A) have interest in the climate action plan 
of a grantee under this section; or 
(B) can affect or be affected by the objec-
tives and policies of such a climate action plan. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $250,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 
(2) 
DEVELOPMENT
OF
CLIMATE
ACTION 
PLANS.—In addition to the authorization of appro-
priations in paragraph (1), there is authorized to be 
appropriated for grants pursuant to subsection 
(a)(2) to develop climate action plans $50,000,000 
for fiscal year 2021, to remain available until ex-
pended.
1685 
CHAPTER 11—CLEAN ENERGY AND 
SUSTAINABILITY ACCELERATOR 
SEC. 33192. CLEAN ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY ACCEL-
ERATOR. 
Title XVI of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public 
Law 109–58, as amended) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subtitle: 
‘‘Subtitle C—Clean Energy and 
Sustainability Accelerator 
‘‘SEC. 1621. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this subtitle: 
‘‘(1) ACCELERATOR.—The term ‘Accelerator’ 
means the Clean Energy and Sustainability Accel-
erator established under section 1622. 
‘‘(2) BOARD.—The term ‘Board’ means the 
Board of Directors of the Accelerator. 
‘‘(3) CHIEF
EXECUTIVE
OFFICER.—The term 
‘chief executive officer’ means the chief executive of-
ficer of the Accelerator. 
‘‘(4) CLIMATE-IMPACTED
COMMUNITIES.—The 
term ‘climate-impacted communities’ includes— 
‘‘(A) communities of color, which include 
any geographically distinct area the population 
of color of which is higher than the average
1686 
population of color of the State in which the 
community is located; 
‘‘(B) communities that are already or are 
likely to be the first communities to feel the di-
rect negative effects of climate change; 
‘‘(C) 
distressed 
neighborhoods, 
dem-
onstrated by indicators of need, including pov-
erty, childhood obesity rates, academic failure, 
and rates of juvenile delinquency, adjudication, 
or incarceration; 
‘‘(D) low-income communities, defined as 
any census block group in which 30 percent or 
more of the population are individuals with low 
income; 
‘‘(E) low-income households, defined as a 
household with annual income equal to, or less 
than, the greater of— 
‘‘(i) an amount equal to 80 percent of 
the median income of the area in which the 
household is located, as reported by the 
Department of Housing and Urban Devel-
opment; and 
‘‘(ii) 200 percent of the Federal pov-
erty line; and
1687 
‘‘(F) rural areas, which include any area 
other than— 
‘‘(i) a city or town that has a popu-
lation of greater than 50,000 inhabitants; 
and 
‘‘(ii) any urbanized area contiguous 
and adjacent to a city or town described in 
clause (i). 
‘‘(5) CLIMATE RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE.— 
The term ‘climate resilient infrastructure’ means 
any project that builds or enhances infrastructure so 
that such infrastructure— 
‘‘(A) is planned, designed, and operated in 
a way that anticipates, prepares for, and adapts 
to changing climate conditions; and 
‘‘(B) can withstand, respond to, and re-
cover rapidly from disruptions caused by these 
climate conditions. 
‘‘(6) ELECTRIFICATION.—The term ‘electrifica-
tion’ means the installation, construction, or use of 
end-use electric technology that replaces existing fos-
sil-fuel-based technology. 
‘‘(7) ENERGY EFFICIENCY.—The term ‘energy 
efficiency’ means any project, technology, function, 
or measure that results in the reduction of energy
1688 
use required to achieve the same level of service or 
output prior to the application of such project, tech-
nology, function, or measure, or substantially re-
duces greenhouse gas emissions relative to emissions 
that would have occurred prior to the application of 
such project, technology, function, or measure. 
‘‘(8) FUEL SWITCHING.—The term ‘fuel switch-
ing’ means any project that replaces a fossil-fuel- 
based heating system with an electric-powered sys-
tem or one powered by biomass-generated heat. 
‘‘(9) GREEN
BANK.—The term ‘green bank’ 
means a dedicated public or nonprofit specialized fi-
nance entity that— 
‘‘(A) is designed to drive private capital 
into market gaps for low- and zero-emission 
goods and services; 
‘‘(B) uses finance tools to mitigate climate 
change; 
‘‘(C) does not take deposits; 
‘‘(D) is funded by government, public, pri-
vate, or charitable contributions; and 
‘‘(E) invests or finances projects— 
‘‘(i) alone; or 
‘‘(ii) in conjunction with other inves-
tors.
1689 
‘‘(10) 
QUALIFIED
PROJECTS.—The 
terms 
‘qualified projects’ means the following kinds of 
technologies and activities that are eligible for fi-
nancing and investment from the Clean Energy and 
Sustainability Accelerator, either directly or through 
State and local green banks funded by the Clean 
Energy and Sustainability Accelerator: 
‘‘(A) Renewable energy generation, includ-
ing the following: 
‘‘(i) Solar. 
‘‘(ii) Wind. 
‘‘(iii) Geothermal. 
‘‘(iv) Hydropower. 
‘‘(v) Ocean and hydrokinetic. 
‘‘(vi) Fuel cell. 
‘‘(B) 
Building 
energy 
efficiency, 
fuel 
switching, and electrification. 
‘‘(C) Industrial decarbonization. 
‘‘(D) Grid technology such as trans-
mission, distribution, and storage to support 
clean energy distribution, including smart-grid 
applications. 
‘‘(E) Agriculture and forestry projects that 
reduce net greenhouse gas emissions.
1690 
‘‘(F) Clean transportation, including the 
following: 
‘‘(i) Battery electric vehicles. 
‘‘(ii) Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. 
‘‘(iii) Hydrogen vehicles. 
‘‘(iv) Other zero-emissions fueled vehi-
cles. 
‘‘(v) Related vehicle charging and 
fueling infrastructure. 
‘‘(G) Climate resilient infrastructure. 
‘‘(H) Any other key areas identified by the 
Board as consistent with the mandate of the 
Accelerator as described in section 1623. 
‘‘(11) RENEWABLE
ENERGY
GENERATION.— 
The term ‘renewable energy generation’ means elec-
tricity created by sources that are continually replen-
ished by nature, such as the sun, wind, and water. 
‘‘SEC. 1622. ESTABLISHMENT. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this subtitle, there shall be estab-
lished a nonprofit corporation to be known as the ‘Clean 
Energy and Sustainability Accelerator’. 
‘‘(b) LIMITATION.—The Accelerator shall not be an 
agency or instrumentality of the Federal Government.
1691 
‘‘(c) FULL FAITH AND CREDIT.—The full faith and 
credit of the United States shall not extend to the Accel-
erator. 
‘‘(d) NONPROFIT STATUS.—The Accelerator shall 
maintain its status as an organization exempt from tax-
ation under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 
1 et seq.). 
‘‘SEC. 1623. MANDATE. 
‘‘The Accelerator shall make the United States a 
world leader in combating the causes and effects of climate 
change through the rapid deployment of mature tech-
nologies and scaling of new technologies by maximizing 
the reduction of emissions in the United States for every 
dollar deployed by the Accelerator, including by— 
‘‘(1) providing financing support for invest-
ments in the United States in low- and zero-emis-
sions technologies and processes in order to rapidly 
accelerate market penetration; 
‘‘(2) catalyzing and mobilizing private capital 
through Federal investment and supporting a more 
robust marketplace for clean technologies, while 
avoiding competition with private investment; 
‘‘(3) enabling climate-impacted communities to 
benefit from and afford projects and investments 
that reduce emissions;
1692 
‘‘(4) providing support for workers and commu-
nities impacted by the transition to a low-carbon 
economy; 
‘‘(5) supporting the creation of green banks 
within the United States where green banks do not 
exist; and 
‘‘(6) causing the rapid transition to a clean en-
ergy economy without raising energy costs to end 
users and seeking to lower costs where possible. 
‘‘SEC. 1624. FINANCE AND INVESTMENT DIVISION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There shall be within the Accel-
erator a finance and investment division, which shall be 
responsible for— 
‘‘(1) the Accelerator’s greenhouse gas emissions 
mitigation efforts by directly financing qualifying 
projects or doing so indirectly by providing capital to 
State and local green banks; 
‘‘(2) originating, evaluating, underwriting, and 
closing the Accelerator’s financing and investment 
transactions in qualified projects; 
‘‘(3) partnering with private capital providers 
and capital markets to attract coinvestment from 
private banks, investors, and others in order to drive 
new investment into underpenetrated markets, to in-
crease the efficiency of private capital markets with
1693 
respect to investing in greenhouse gas reduction 
projects, and to increase total investment caused by 
the Accelerator; 
‘‘(4) managing the Accelerator’s portfolio of as-
sets to ensure performance and monitor risk; 
‘‘(5) ensuring appropriate debt and risk mitiga-
tion products are offered; and 
‘‘(6) overseeing prudent, noncontrolling equity 
investments. 
‘‘(b) PRODUCTS AND INVESTMENT TYPES.—The fi-
nance and investment division of the Accelerator may pro-
vide capital to qualified projects in the form of— 
‘‘(1) senior, mezzanine, and subordinated debt; 
‘‘(2) credit enhancements including loan loss re-
serves and loan guarantees; 
‘‘(3) aggregation and warehousing; 
‘‘(4) equity capital; and 
‘‘(5) any other financial product approved by 
the Board. 
‘‘(c) STATE AND LOCAL GREEN BANK CAPITALIZA-
TION.—The finance and investment division of the Accel-
erator shall make capital available to State and local green 
banks to enable such banks to finance qualifying projects 
in their markets that are better served by a locally based
1694 
entity, rather than through direct investment by the Accel-
erator. 
‘‘(d) INVESTMENT COMMITTEE.—The debt, risk miti-
gation, and equity investments made by the Accelerator 
shall be— 
‘‘(1) approved by the investment committee of 
the Board; and 
‘‘(2) consistent with an investment policy that 
has been established by the investment committee of 
the Board in consultation with the risk management 
committee of the Board. 
‘‘SEC. 1625. START-UP DIVISION. 
‘‘There shall be within the Accelerator a Start-up Di-
vision, which shall be responsible for providing technical 
assistance and start-up funding to States and other polit-
ical subdivisions that do not have green banks to establish 
green banks in those States and political subdivisions, in-
cluding by working with relevant stakeholders in those 
States and political subdivisions. 
‘‘SEC. 1626. ZERO-EMISSIONS FLEET AND RELATED INFRA-
STRUCTURE FINANCING PROGRAM. 
‘‘Not later than 1 year after the date of establishment 
of the Accelerator, the Accelerator shall explore the estab-
lishment of a program to provide low- and zero-interest 
loans, up to 30 years in length, to any school, metropolitan
1695 
planning organization, or nonprofit organization seeking 
financing for the acquisition of zero-emissions vehicle 
fleets or associated infrastructure to support zero-emis-
sions vehicle fleets. 
‘‘SEC. 1627. PROJECT PRIORITIZATION AND REQUIRE-
MENTS. 
‘‘(a) EMISSIONS REDUCTION MANDATE.—In invest-
ing in projects that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, the 
Accelerator shall maximize the reduction of emissions in 
the United States for every dollar deployed by the Accel-
erator. 
‘‘(b) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PRIORITIZATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to address envi-
ronmental justice needs, the Accelerator shall, as ap-
plicable, prioritize the provision of program benefits 
and investment activity that are expected to directly 
or indirectly result in the deployment of projects to 
serve, as a matter of official policy, climate-impacted 
communities. 
‘‘(2) MINIMUM PERCENTAGE.—The Accelerator 
shall ensure that over the 30-year period of its char-
ter 20 percent of its investment activity is directed 
to serve climate-impacted communities. 
‘‘(c) CONSUMER PROTECTION.—
1696 
‘‘(1) PRIORITIZATION.—Consistent with man-
date under section 1623 to maximize the reduction 
of emissions in the United States for every dollar de-
ployed by the Accelerator, the Accelerator shall 
prioritize qualified projects according to benefits 
conferred on consumers and affected communities. 
‘‘(2) CONSUMER
CREDIT
PROTECTION.—The 
Accelerator shall ensure that any residential energy 
efficiency or distributed clean energy project in 
which the Accelerator invests directly or indirectly 
complies with the requirements of the Consumer 
Credit Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), in-
cluding, in the case of a financial product that is a 
residential mortgage loan, any requirements of title 
I of that Act relating to residential mortgage loans 
(including any regulations promulgated by the Bu-
reau of Consumer Financial Protection under sec-
tion 
129C(b)(3)(C) 
of 
that 
Act 
(15 
U.S.C. 
1639c(b)(3)(C))). 
‘‘(d) LABOR.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Accelerator shall en-
sure that laborers and mechanics employed by con-
tractors and subcontractors in construction work fi-
nanced directly by the Accelerator will be paid wages 
not less than those prevailing on similar construction
1697 
in the locality, as determined by the Secretary of 
Labor under sections 3141 through 3144, 3146, and 
3147 of title 40, United States Code. 
‘‘(2) PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT.—The Accel-
erator shall ensure that projects financed directly by 
the 
Accelerator 
with 
total 
capital 
costs 
of 
$100,000,000 or greater utilize a project labor 
agreement. 
‘‘SEC. 1628. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Accelerator shall operate 
under the direction of a Board of Directors, which shall 
be composed of seven members. 
‘‘(b) INITIAL COMPOSITION AND TERMS.— 
‘‘(1) SELECTION.—The initial members of the 
Board shall be selected as follows: 
‘‘(A) APPOINTED MEMBERS.—Three mem-
bers shall be appointed by the President, with 
the advice and consent of the Senate, of whom 
no more than two shall belong to the same po-
litical party. 
‘‘(B) ELECTED MEMBERS.—Four members 
shall be elected unanimously by the three mem-
bers appointed and confirmed pursuant to sub-
paragraph (A).
1698 
‘‘(2) TERMS.—The terms of the initial members 
of the Board shall be as follows: 
‘‘(A) The three members appointed and 
confirmed under paragraph (1)(A) shall have 
initial 5-year terms. 
‘‘(B) Of the four members elected under 
paragraph (1)(B), two shall have initial 3-year 
terms, and two shall have initial 4-year terms. 
‘‘(c) SUBSEQUENT COMPOSITION AND TERMS.— 
‘‘(1) SELECTION.—Except for the selection of 
the initial members of the Board for their initial 
terms under subsection (b), the members of the 
Board shall be elected by the members of the Board. 
‘‘(2) DISQUALIFICATION.—A member of the 
Board shall be disqualified from voting for any posi-
tion on the Board for which such member is a can-
didate. 
‘‘(3) TERMS.—All members elected pursuant to 
paragraph (1) shall have a term of 5 years. 
‘‘(d) QUALIFICATIONS.—The members of the Board 
shall collectively have expertise in— 
‘‘(1) the fields of clean energy, electric utilities, 
industrial decarbonization, clean transportation, re-
siliency, and agriculture and forestry practices; 
‘‘(2) climate change science;
1699 
‘‘(3) finance and investments; and 
‘‘(4) environmental justice and matters related 
to the energy and environmental needs of climate- 
impacted communities. 
‘‘(e) RESTRICTION ON MEMBERSHIP.—No officer or 
employee of the Federal or any other level of government 
may be appointed or elected as a member of the Board. 
‘‘(f) QUORUM.—Five members of the Board shall 
constitute a quorum. 
‘‘(g) BYLAWS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall adopt, and 
may amend, such bylaws as are necessary for the 
proper management and functioning of the Accel-
erator. 
‘‘(2) OFFICERS.—In the bylaws described in 
paragraph (1), the Board shall— 
‘‘(A) designate the officers of the Accel-
erator; and 
‘‘(B) prescribe the duties of those officers. 
‘‘(h) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy on the Board shall 
be filled through election by the Board. 
‘‘(i) INTERIM APPOINTMENTS.—A member elected to 
fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term 
for which the predecessor of that member was appointed 
or elected shall serve for the remainder of the term for
1700 
which the predecessor of that member was appointed or 
elected. 
‘‘(j) REAPPOINTMENT.—A member of the Board may 
be elected for not more than one additional term of service 
as a member of the Board. 
‘‘(k) CONTINUATION OF SERVICE.—A member of the 
Board whose term has expired may continue to serve on 
the Board until the date on which a successor member 
is elected. 
‘‘(l) CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER.—The Board shall 
appoint a chief executive officer who shall be responsible 
for— 
‘‘(1) hiring employees of the Accelerator; 
‘‘(2) establishing the two divisions of the Accel-
erator described in sections 1624 and 1625; and 
‘‘(3) performing any other tasks necessary for 
the day-to-day operations of the Accelerator. 
‘‘(m) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Accelerator shall 
establish an advisory committee (in this subsection 
referred to as the ‘advisory committee’), which shall 
be composed of not more than 13 members ap-
pointed by the Board on the recommendation of the 
president of the Accelerator.
1701 
‘‘(2) MEMBERS.—Members of the advisory com-
mittee shall be broadly representative of interests 
concerned with the environment, production, com-
merce, finance, agriculture, forestry, labor, services, 
and State Government. Of such members— 
‘‘(A) not fewer than three shall be rep-
resentatives of the small business community; 
‘‘(B) not fewer than two shall be rep-
resentatives of the labor community, except that 
no two members may be from the same labor 
union; 
‘‘(C) not fewer than two shall be represent-
atives of the environmental nongovernmental 
organization community, except that no two 
members may be from the same environmental 
organization; 
‘‘(D) not fewer than two shall be rep-
resentatives of the environmental justice non-
governmental organization community, except 
that no two members may be from the same en-
vironmental organization; 
‘‘(E) not fewer than two shall be rep-
resentatives of the consumer protection and fair 
lending community, except that no two mem-
1702 
bers may be from the same consumer protection 
or fair lending organization; and 
‘‘(F) not fewer than two shall be represent-
atives of the financial services industry with 
knowledge of and experience in financing trans-
actions for clean energy and other sustainable 
infrastructure assets. 
‘‘(3) MEETINGS.—The advisory committee shall 
meet not less frequently than once each quarter. 
‘‘(4) DUTIES.—The advisory committee shall— 
‘‘(A) advise the Accelerator on the pro-
grams undertaken by the Accelerator; and 
‘‘(B) submit to the Congress an annual re-
port with comments from the advisory com-
mittee on the extent to which the Accelerator is 
meeting the mandate described in section 1623, 
including any suggestions for improvement. 
‘‘(n) CHIEF RISK OFFICER.— 
‘‘(1) APPOINTMENT.—Subject to the approval 
of the Board, the chief executive officer shall appoint 
a chief risk officer from among individuals with ex-
perience at a senior level in financial risk manage-
ment, who— 
‘‘(A) shall report directly to the Board; 
and
1703 
‘‘(B) shall be removable only by a majority 
vote of the Board. 
‘‘(2) DUTIES.—The chief risk officer, in coordi-
nation with the risk management and audit commit-
tees established under section 1631, shall develop, 
implement, and manage a comprehensive process for 
identifying, assessing, monitoring, and limiting risks 
to the Accelerator, including the overall portfolio di-
versification of the Accelerator. 
‘‘SEC. 1629. ADMINISTRATION. 
‘‘(a) CAPITALIZATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To the extent and in the 
amounts provided in advance in appropriations Acts, 
the Secretary of Energy shall transfer to the Accel-
erator— 
‘‘(A) $10,000,000,000 on the date on 
which the Accelerator is established under sec-
tion 1622; and 
‘‘(B) $2,000,000,000 on October 1 of each 
of the 5 fiscal years following that date. 
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
For purposes of the transfers under paragraph (1), 
there are authorized to be appropriated—
1704 
‘‘(A) $10,000,000,000 for the fiscal year in 
which the Accelerator is established under sec-
tion 1622; and 
‘‘(B) $2,000,000,000 for each of the 5 suc-
ceeding fiscal years. 
‘‘(b) CHARTER.—The Accelerator shall establish a 
charter, the term of which shall be 30 years. 
‘‘(c) OPERATIONAL FUNDS.—To sustain operations, 
the Accelerator shall manage revenue from financing fees, 
interest, repaid loans, and other types of funding. 
‘‘(d) REPORT.—The Accelerator shall submit on a 
quarterly basis to the relevant committees of Congress a 
report that describes the financial activities, emissions re-
ductions, and private capital mobilization metrics of the 
Accelerator for the previous quarter. 
‘‘(e) RESTRICTION.—The Accelerator shall not accept 
deposits. 
‘‘(f) COMMITTEES.—The Board shall establish com-
mittees and subcommittees, including— 
‘‘(1) an investment committee; and 
‘‘(2) in accordance with section 1630— 
‘‘(A) a risk management committee; and 
‘‘(B) an audit committee.
1705 
‘‘SEC. 1630. ESTABLISHMENT OF RISK MANAGEMENT COM-
MITTEE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—To assist the Board in fulfilling 
the duties and responsibilities of the Board under this sub-
title, the Board shall establish a risk management com-
mittee and an audit committee. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF RISK MAN-
AGEMENT COMMITTEE.—Subject to the direction of the 
Board, the risk management committee established under 
subsection (a) shall establish policies for and have over-
sight responsibility for— 
‘‘(1) formulating the risk management policies 
of the operations of the Accelerator; 
‘‘(2) reviewing and providing guidance on oper-
ation of the global risk management framework of 
the Accelerator; 
‘‘(3) developing policies for— 
‘‘(A) investment; 
‘‘(B) enterprise risk management; 
‘‘(C) monitoring; and 
‘‘(D) 
management 
of 
strategic, 
reputational, regulatory, operational, develop-
mental, environmental, social, and financial 
risks; and 
‘‘(4) developing the risk profile of the Accel-
erator, including—
1706 
‘‘(A) a risk management and compliance 
framework; and 
‘‘(B) a governance structure to support 
that framework. 
‘‘(c) DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF AUDIT COM-
MITTEE.—Subject to the direction of the Board, the audit 
committee established under subsection (a) shall have 
oversight responsibility for— 
‘‘(1) the integrity of— 
‘‘(A) the financial reporting of the Accel-
erator; and 
‘‘(B) the systems of internal controls re-
garding finance and accounting; 
‘‘(2) the integrity of the financial statements of 
the Accelerator; 
‘‘(3) the performance of the internal audit func-
tion of the Accelerator; and 
‘‘(4) compliance with the legal and regulatory 
requirements related to the finances of the Accel-
erator. 
‘‘SEC. 1631. OVERSIGHT. 
‘‘(a) EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT.—The inspector general 
of the Department of Energy shall have oversight respon-
sibilities over the Accelerator. 
‘‘(b) REPORTS AND AUDIT.—
1707 
‘‘(1) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Accelerator shall 
publish an annual report which shall be transmitted 
by the Accelerator to the President and the Con-
gress. 
‘‘(2) ANNUAL AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS.—The ac-
counts of the Accelerator shall be audited annually. 
Such audits shall be conducted in accordance with 
generally accepted auditing standards by inde-
pendent certified public accountants who are cer-
tified by a regulatory authority of the jurisdiction in 
which the audit is undertaken. 
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL AUDITS.—In addition to the 
annual audits under paragraph (2), the financial 
transactions of the Accelerator for any fiscal year 
during which Federal funds are available to finance 
any portion of its operations may be audited by the 
Government Accountability Office in accordance with 
such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by 
the Comptroller General of the United States. 
‘‘SEC. 1632. MAXIMUM CONTINGENT LIABILITY. 
‘‘The maximum contingent liability of the Accelerator 
that may be outstanding at any time shall be not more 
than $70,000,000,000 in the aggregate.’’.
1708 
CHAPTER 12—CARBON CAPTURE 
UTILIZATION AND STORAGE 
SEC. 33193. SUPPORTING CARBON CAPTURE UTILIZATION 
AND STORAGE. 
(a) REPEAL OF CLEAN COAL POWER INITIATIVE.— 
Subtitle A of title IV of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
(42 U.S.C. 15961 et seq.) is repealed. 
(b) FOSSIL ENERGY OBJECTIVES.—Section 961(a) of 
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16291(a)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) Improving the conversion, use, and storage 
of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels. 
‘‘(9) Lowering greenhouse gas emissions across 
the fossil fuel cycle to the maximum extent possible, 
including emissions from all fossil fuel production, 
generation, delivery, and utilization. 
‘‘(10) Preventing, predicting, monitoring, and 
mitigating the unintended leaking of methane, car-
bon dioxide, and other fossil fuel-related emissions 
into the atmosphere. 
‘‘(11) Reducing water use, improving water 
reuse, and minimizing the surface and subsurface 
environmental impact of the development of uncon-
ventional domestic oil and natural gas resources.
1709 
‘‘(12) Developing carbon removal and utiliza-
tion technologies, products, and methods that result 
in net reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, in-
cluding direct air capture and storage and carbon 
use and reuse for commercial application.’’. 
(c) CARBON CAPTURE
AND UTILIZATION TECH-
NOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION PROGRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of En-
ergy shall establish a carbon capture and utilization 
technology commercialization program to signifi-
cantly improve the efficiency, effectiveness, cost, and 
environmental performance of fossil fuel-fired facili-
ties. 
(2) INCLUSIONS.—The program shall include 
funding for— 
(A) front end engineering design studies 
for commercial demonstration projects for at 
least three types of advanced carbon capture 
technology and at least one type of direct air 
capture technology; 
(B) commercial demonstration of advanced 
carbon capture technology projects intended to 
produce a standard design specification for up 
to five demonstrations of a particular tech-
nology type;
1710 
(C) commercial demonstration of direct air 
capture technology projects intended to produce 
a standard design specification for up to 5 dem-
onstrations of a particular technology type; and 
(D) commercialization projects of large- 
scale carbon dioxide storage sites in saline geo-
logical formations that are designed to accept 
at least 10,000,000 tons per year of carbon di-
oxide, including activities exploring, catego-
rizing, and developing storage sites and nec-
essary pipeline infrastructure. 
(3) FUNDING.— 
(A) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated for activities— 
(i) 
under 
paragraph 
(2)(A), 
$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 
through 2025, and such sums as may be 
necessary for fiscal years 2026 through 
2030; 
(ii) 
under 
paragraph 
(2)(B), 
$1,500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2021 through 2025, and such sums as may 
be necessary for fiscal years 2026 through 
2030;
1711 
(iii) 
under 
paragraph 
(2)(C), 
$250,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 
through 2025, and such sums as may be 
necessary for fiscal years 2026 through 
2030; and 
(iv) 
under 
paragraph 
(2)(D), 
$500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 
through 2025, and such sums as may be 
necessary for fiscal years 2026 through 
2030. 
(B) COST SHARING.—Federal grants under 
this section shall be limited as follows: 
(i) For activities under paragraph 
(2)(A), the Secretary shall provide not 
more than 80 percent of project funds. 
(ii) For activities under any of sub-
paragraphs (B) through (D) of paragraph 
(2), the Secretary shall provide not more 
than 50 percent of project funds. 
(d) DIRECT AIR CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY PRIZE PRO-
GRAM.— 
(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
(A) QUALIFIED CARBON DIOXIDE.—
1712 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘qualified 
carbon dioxide’’ means any carbon dioxide 
that— 
(I) is captured directly from the 
ambient air; and 
(II) is measured at the source of 
capture and verified at the point of 
disposal, injection, or utilization. 
(ii) INCLUSION.—The term ‘‘qualified 
carbon dioxide’’ includes the initial deposit 
of captured carbon dioxide used as a ter-
tiary injectant. 
(iii) EXCLUSION.—The term ‘‘quali-
fied carbon dioxide’’ does not include car-
bon dioxide that is recaptured, recycled, 
and reinjected as part of the enhanced oil 
and natural gas recovery process. 
(B) QUALIFIED DIRECT AIR CAPTURE FA-
CILITY.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to clause 
(ii), the term ‘‘qualified direct air capture 
facility’’ means any facility that— 
(I) uses carbon capture equip-
ment to capture carbon dioxide di-
rectly from the ambient air; and
1713 
(II) captures more than 10,000 
metric tons of qualified carbon dioxide 
annually. 
(ii) EXCLUSION.—The term ‘‘qualified 
direct air capture facility’’ does not include 
any facility that captures carbon dioxide— 
(I) that is deliberately released 
from naturally occurring subsurface 
springs; or 
(II) using natural photosynthesis. 
(2) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Sec-
retary of Energy, in consultation with the Adminis-
trator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall 
establish a direct air capture prize program designed 
to significantly reward development, demonstration, 
and deployment of direct air capture technologies. 
(3) DIRECT AIR CAPTURE PRIZE PROGRAM.— 
(A) AWARDS.—Under the prize program, 
the Secretary shall provide financial awards in 
a competitive setting equally for each ton of 
qualified carbon dioxide captured by a qualified 
direct air capture facility until appropriated 
funds are expended. The prize per metric ton 
shall not exceed—
1714 
(i) $180 for qualified carbon dioxide 
captured and stored in saline storage for-
mations; 
(ii) a lesser amount as determined by 
the Secretary for qualified carbon dioxide 
captured and stored in conjunction with 
enhanced oil recovery operations; or 
(iii) a lesser amount as determined by 
the Secretary for qualified carbon dioxide 
captured and utilized in any activity con-
sistent with section 45Q(f)(5) of the Inter-
nal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 
45Q(f)(5)). 
(B) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(i) REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 
1 year after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Administrator, in consultation 
with the Secretary, shall submit require-
ments for qualifying metric tons of carbon 
dioxide. In carrying out this clause, the 
Administrator shall develop specific re-
quirements for— 
(I) the process of applying for 
prizes; and
1715 
(II) the demonstration of per-
formance of approved projects. 
(ii) DETERMINATION.—For purposes 
of determining the amount of metric tons 
of qualified carbon dioxide eligible for 
prizes under clause (i), the amount shall be 
equal to the net metric tons of carbon di-
oxide removal demonstrated by the recipi-
ent, subject to the requirements set forth 
by the Administrator under such clause. 
(C) SCHEDULE
OF
PAYMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall award prizes on an annual basis to 
qualified direct air capture facilities for metric 
tons of qualified carbon dioxide captured and 
verified at the point of disposal, injection, or 
utilization. 
(4) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subsection $200,000,000 for the period of fiscal 
years 2021 through 2025, and $400,000,000 for the 
period of fiscal years 2026 through 2030, to remain 
available until expended. 
(e) INCREASED FUNDING
FOR INJECTION WELL 
PERMITTING.—
1716 
(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For 
activities involved in the permitting by the Adminis-
trator of the Environmental Protection Agency of 
Class VI wells for the injection of carbon dioxide for 
the purpose of geologic sequestration in accordance 
with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water 
Act (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.) and regulations pro-
mulgated thereunder by the Administrator on De-
cember 10, 2010 (75 Fed. Reg. 77230), there are 
authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2021 through 2025, and such sums 
as may be necessary for fiscal years 2026 through 
2030. 
(2) STATE PERMITTING PROGRAMS.— 
(A) GRANTS.—The Administrator shall 
provide grants to States that receive program 
approval for permitting Class VI wells for the 
injection of carbon dioxide pursuant to section 
1422 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300h–1), for the purpose of defraying 
State expenses related to the establishment and 
operation of such State permitting programs. 
(B) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—For State grants described in subpara-
graph (A), there are authorized to be appro-
1717 
priated $50,000,000 for the period of fiscal 
years 2021 through 2025, and such sums as 
may be necessary for fiscal years 2026 through 
2030. 
Subtitle B—Energy Efficiency 
CHAPTER 1—ENERGY EFFICIENCY 
RETROFITS 
Subchapter A—HOPE for HOMES 
SEC. 33201. DEFINITIONS. 
In this subchapter: 
(1) CONTRACTOR
CERTIFICATION.—The term 
‘‘contractor certification’’ means an industry recog-
nized certification that may be obtained by a resi-
dential contractor to advance the expertise and edu-
cation of the contractor in energy efficiency retrofits 
of residential buildings, including— 
(A) a certification provided by— 
(i) the Building Performance Insti-
tute; 
(ii) the Air Conditioning Contractors 
of America; 
(iii) the National Comfort Institute; 
(iv) the North American Technician 
Excellence; 
(v) RESNET;
1718 
(vi) the United States Green Building 
Council; or 
(vii) Home Innovation Research Labs; 
and 
(B) any other certification the Secretary 
determines appropriate for purposes of the 
Home Energy Savings Retrofit Rebate Pro-
gram. 
(2) CONTRACTOR COMPANY.—The term ‘‘con-
tractor company’’ means a company— 
(A) the business of which is to provide 
services to residential building owners with re-
spect to HVAC systems, insulation, air sealing, 
or other services that are approved by the Sec-
retary; 
(B) that holds the licenses and insurance 
required by the State in which the company 
provides services; and 
(C) that provides services for which a par-
tial system rebate, measured performance re-
bate, or modeled performance rebate may be 
provided pursuant to the Home Energy Savings 
Retrofit Rebate Program. 
(3) ENERGY AUDIT.—The term ‘‘energy audit’’ 
means an inspection, survey, and analysis of the en-
1719 
ergy use of a building, including the building enve-
lope and HVAC system. 
(4) HOME.—The term ‘‘home’’ means a resi-
dential dwelling unit in a building with no more than 
4 dwelling units that— 
(A) is located in the United States; 
(B) was constructed before the date of en-
actment of this Act; and 
(C) is occupied at least 6 months out of 
the year. 
(5) HOME ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT REBATE 
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Home Energy Savings Ret-
rofit Rebate Program’’ means the Home Energy 
Savings Retrofit Rebate Program established under 
section 33203. 
(6) HOMEOWNER.—The term ‘‘homeowner’’ 
means the owner of an owner-occupied home or a 
tenant-occupied home. 
(7) HOME
VALUATION
CERTIFICATION.—The 
term ‘‘home valuation certification’’ means the fol-
lowing home assessments: 
(A) Home Energy Score. 
(B) PEARL Certification. 
(C) National Green Building Standard. 
(D) LEED.
1720 
(E) Any other assessment the Secretary 
determines to be appropriate. 
(8) HOPE QUALIFICATION.—The term ‘‘HOPE 
Qualification’’ means the qualification described in 
section 33202B. 
(9) HOPE 
TRAINING
CREDIT.—The term 
‘‘HOPE training credit’’ means a HOPE training 
task credit or a HOPE training supplemental credit. 
(10) HOPE TRAINING
TASK
CREDIT.—The 
term ‘‘HOPE training task credit’’ means a credit 
described in section 33202A(a). 
(11) HOPE TRAINING SUPPLEMENTAL CRED-
IT.—The term ‘‘HOPE training supplemental cred-
it’’ means a credit described in section 33202A(b). 
(12) HVAC SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘HVAC sys-
tem’’ means a system— 
(A) consisting of a heating component, a 
ventilation component, and an air-conditioning 
component; and 
(B) which components may include central 
air conditioning, a heat pump, a furnace, a boil-
er, a rooftop unit, and a window unit. 
(13) MEASURED PERFORMANCE REBATE.—The 
term ‘‘measured performance rebate’’ means a re-
1721 
bate provided in accordance with section 33203B 
and described in subsection (e) of that section. 
(14) MODELED PERFORMANCE REBATE.—The 
term ‘‘modeled performance rebate’’ means a rebate 
provided in accordance with section 33203B and de-
scribed in subsection (d) of that section. 
(15) MODERATE
INCOME.—The term ‘‘mod-
erate income’’ means, with respect to a household, a 
household with an annual income that is less than 
80 percent of the area median income, as deter-
mined annually by the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development. 
(16) PARTIAL
SYSTEM
REBATE.—The term 
‘‘partial system rebate’’ means a rebate provided in 
accordance with section 33203A. 
(17) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means the Secretary of Energy. 
(18) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ includes— 
(A) a State; 
(B) the District of Columbia; 
(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; 
(D) Guam; 
(E) American Samoa; 
(F) the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands;
1722 
(G) the United States Virgin Islands; and 
(H) any other territory or possession of the 
United States. 
(19) STATE ENERGY OFFICE.—The term ‘‘State 
energy office’’ means the office or agency of a State 
responsible for developing the State energy conserva-
tion plan for the State under section 362 of the En-
ergy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6322). 
PART 1—HOPE TRAINING 
SEC. 33202. NOTICE FOR HOPE QUALIFICATION TRAINING 
AND GRANTS. 
Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the Director of 
the Building Technologies Office of the Department of 
Energy, shall issue a notice that includes— 
(1) criteria established under section 33202A 
for approval by the Secretary of courses for which 
credits may be issued for purposes of a HOPE Qual-
ification; 
(2) a list of courses that meet such criteria and 
are so approved; and 
(3) information on how individuals and entities 
may apply for grants under this part. 
SEC. 33202A. COURSE CRITERIA. 
(a) HOPE TRAINING TASK CREDIT.—
1723 
(1) CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall establish 
criteria for approval of a course for which a credit, 
to be known as a HOPE training task credit, may 
be issued, including that such course— 
(A) is equivalent to at least 30 hours in 
total course time; 
(B) is accredited by the Interstate Renew-
able Energy Council or is determined to be 
equivalent by the Secretary; 
(C) is, with respect to a particular job, 
aligned with the relevant National Renewable 
Energy Laboratory Job Task Analysis, or other 
credentialing program foundation that helps 
identify the necessary core knowledge areas, 
critical work functions, or skills, as approved by 
the Secretary; 
(D) has established learning objectives; 
and 
(E) includes, as the Secretary determines 
appropriate, an appropriate assessment of such 
learning objectives that may include a final 
exam, to be proctored on-site or through remote 
proctoring, or an in-person field exam.
1724 
(2) INCLUDED COURSES.—The Secretary shall 
approve one or more courses that meet the criteria 
described in paragraph (1) for training related to— 
(A) contractor certification; 
(B) energy auditing or assessment; 
(C) home energy systems (including HVAC 
systems); 
(D) insulation installation and air leakage 
control; 
(E) health and safety regarding the instal-
lation of energy efficiency measures or health 
and safety impacts associated with energy effi-
ciency retrofits; and 
(F) indoor air quality. 
(b) HOPE TRAINING SUPPLEMENTAL CREDIT CRI-
TERIA.—The Secretary shall establish criteria for approval 
of a course for which a credit, to be known as a HOPE 
training supplemental credit, may be issued, including 
that such course provides— 
(1) training related to— 
(A) small business success, including man-
agement, home energy efficiency software, or 
general accounting principles; 
(B) the issuance of a home valuation cer-
tification;
1725 
(C) the use of wifi-enabled technology in 
an energy efficiency upgrade; or 
(D) understanding and being able to par-
ticipate in the Home Energy Savings Retrofit 
Rebate Program; and 
(2) as the Secretary determines appropriate, an 
appropriate assessment of such training that may in-
clude a final exam, to be proctored on-site or 
through remote proctoring, or an in-person field 
exam. 
(c) EXISTING APPROVED COURSES.—The Secretary 
may approve a course that meets the applicable criteria 
established under this section that is approved by the ap-
plicable State energy office or relevant State agency with 
oversight authority for residential energy efficiency pro-
grams. 
(d) IN-PERSON AND ONLINE TRAINING.—An online 
course approved pursuant to this section may be con-
ducted in-person, but may not be offered exclusively in- 
person. 
SEC. 33202B. HOPE QUALIFICATION. 
(a) ISSUANCE OF CREDITS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, or an entity 
authorized by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph 
(2), may issue—
1726 
(A) a HOPE training task credit to any 
individual that completes a course that meets 
applicable criteria under section 33202A; and 
(B) a HOPE training supplemental credit 
to any individual that completes a course that 
meets the applicable criteria under section 
33202A. 
(2) OTHER ENTITIES.—The Secretary may au-
thorize a State energy office implementing an au-
thorized program under subsection (b)(2), an organi-
zation described in section 33202C(b), and any other 
entity the Secretary determines appropriate, to issue 
HOPE training credits in accordance with para-
graph (1). 
(b) HOPE QUALIFICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may certify 
that an individual has achieved a qualification, to be 
known as a HOPE Qualification, that indicates that 
the individual has received at least three HOPE 
training credits, of which at least two shall be 
HOPE training task credits. 
(2) STATE PROGRAMS.—The Secretary may au-
thorize a State energy office to implement a pro-
gram to provide HOPE Qualifications in accordance 
with this part.
1727 
SEC. 33202C. GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, to the extent 
amounts are made available in appropriations Acts for 
such purposes, provide grants to support the training of 
individuals toward the completion of a HOPE Qualifica-
tion. 
(b) PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may provide a 
grant of up to $20,000 under this section to an or-
ganization to provide training online, including es-
tablishing, modifying, or maintaining the online sys-
tems, staff time, and software and online program 
management, through a course that meets the appli-
cable criteria established under section 33202A. 
(2) CRITERIA.—In order to receive a grant 
under this subsection, an organization shall be— 
(A) a nonprofit organization; 
(B) an educational institution; or 
(C) an organization that has experience 
providing training to contractors that work with 
the weatherization assistance program imple-
mented under part A of title IV of the Energy 
Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 
6861 et seq.) or equivalent experience, as deter-
mined by the Secretary.
1728 
(3) ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATIONS.—In addition 
to any grant provided under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary may provide an organization up to $5,000 for 
each additional course for which a HOPE training 
credit may be issued that is offered by the organiza-
tion. 
(c) CONTRACTOR COMPANY.—The Secretary may 
provide a grant under this section of $1,000 per employee 
to a contractor company, up to a maximum of $10,000, 
to reimburse the contractor company for training costs for 
employees, and any home technology support needed for 
an employee to receive training pursuant to this section. 
Grant funds provided under this subsection may be used 
to support wages of employees during training. 
(d) TRAINEES.—The Secretary may provide a grant 
of up to $1,000 under this section to an individual who 
receives a HOPE Qualification. 
(e) STATE ENERGY OFFICE.—The Secretary may 
provide a grant under this section to a State energy office 
of up to $25,000 to implement an authorized program 
under section 33202B(b). 
SEC. 33202D. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this part $500,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2021 
through 2025, to remain available until expended.
1729 
PART 2—HOME ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT 
REBATE PROGRAM 
SEC. 33203. ESTABLISHMENT OF HOME ENERGY SAVINGS 
RETROFIT REBATE PROGRAM. 
The Secretary shall establish a program, to be known 
as the Home Energy Savings Retrofit Rebate Program, 
to— 
(1) provide rebates in accordance with section 
33203A; and 
(2) provide grants to States to carry out pro-
grams to provide rebates in accordance with section 
33203B. 
SEC. 33203A. PARTIAL SYSTEM REBATES. 
(a) AMOUNT OF REBATE.—In carrying out the Home 
Energy Savings Retrofit Rebate Program, and subject to 
the availability of appropriations for such purpose, the 
Secretary shall provide a homeowner a rebate, to be known 
as a partial system rebate, of, except as provided in section 
33203C, up to— 
(1) $800 for the purchase and installation of 
insulation and air sealing within a home of the 
homeowner; and 
(2) $1,500 for the purchase and installation of 
insulation and air sealing within a home of the 
homeowner and replacement of an HVAC system, 
the heating component of an HVAC system, or the
1730 
cooling component of an HVAC system, of such 
home. 
(b) SPECIFICATIONS.— 
(1) COST.—The amount of a partial system re-
bate provided under this section shall, except as pro-
vided in section 33203C, not exceed 30 percent of 
cost of the purchase and installation of insulation 
and air sealing under subsection (a)(1), or the pur-
chase and installation of insulation and air sealing 
and replacement of an HVAC system, the heating 
component of an HVAC system, or the cooling com-
ponent of an HVAC system, under subsection (a)(2). 
Labor may be included in such cost but may not ex-
ceed— 
(A) in the case of a rebate under sub-
section (a)(1), 50 percent of such cost; and 
(B) in the case of a rebate under sub-
section (a)(2), 25 percent of such cost. 
(2) REPLACEMENT OF AN HVAC SYSTEM, THE 
HEATING COMPONENT OF AN HVAC SYSTEM, OR THE 
COOLING
COMPONENT
OF
AN
HVAC
SYSTEM.—In 
order to qualify for a partial system rebate described 
in subsection (a)(2)— 
(A) any HVAC system, heating component 
of an HVAC system, or cooling component of
1731 
an HVAC system installed shall be Energy Star 
Most Efficient certified; 
(B) installation of such an HVAC system, 
the heating component of an HVAC system, or 
the cooling component of an HVAC system, 
shall be completed in accordance with standards 
specified by the Secretary that are at least as 
stringent as the applicable guidelines of the Air 
Conditioning Contractors of America that are in 
effect on the date of enactment of this Act; 
(C) if ducts are present, replacement of an 
HVAC system, the heating component of an 
HVAC system, or the cooling component of an 
HVAC system shall include duct sealing; and 
(D) the installation of insulation and air 
sealing shall occur within 6 months of the re-
placement of the HVAC system, the heating 
component of an HVAC system, or the cooling 
component of an HVAC system. 
(c) ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES FOR CONTRACTORS.— 
In carrying out the Home Energy Savings Retrofit Rebate 
Program, the Secretary may provide a $250 payment to 
a contractor per home for which— 
(1) a partial system rebate is provided under 
this section for the installation of insulation and air
1732 
sealing, or installation of insulation and air sealing 
and replacement of an HVAC system, the heating 
component of an HVAC system, or the cooling com-
ponent of an HVAC system, by the contractor; 
(2) the applicable homeowner has signed and 
submitted to the Secretary a release form made 
available pursuant to section 33203E(b) authorizing 
the contractor access to information in the utility 
bills of the homeowner; and 
(3) the contractor inputs, into the Department 
of Energy’s Building Performance Database— 
(A) the energy usage for the home for the 
12 months preceding, and the 24 months fol-
lowing, the installation of insulation and air 
sealing or installation of insulation and air seal-
ing and replacement of an HVAC system, the 
heating component of an HVAC system, or the 
cooling component of an HVAC system; 
(B) a description of such installation or in-
stallation and replacement; and 
(C) the total cost to the homeowner for 
such installation or installation and replace-
ment. 
(d) PROCESS.—
1733 
(1) FORMS; REBATE
PROCESSING
SYSTEM.— 
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the 
Secretary of the Treasury, shall— 
(A) develop and make available rebate 
forms required to receive a partial system re-
bate under this section; 
(B) establish a Federal rebate processing 
system which shall serve as a database and in-
formation technology system that will allow 
homeowners to submit required rebate forms; 
and 
(C) establish a website that provides infor-
mation on partial system rebates provided 
under this section, including how to determine 
whether particular measures qualify for a re-
bate under this section and how to receive such 
a rebate. 
(2) SUBMISSION OF FORMS.—In order to re-
ceive a partial system rebate under this section, a 
homeowner shall submit the required rebate forms, 
and any other information the Secretary determines 
appropriate, to the Federal rebate processing system 
established pursuant to paragraph (1). 
(e) FUNDING.—
1734 
(1) LIMITATION.—For each fiscal year, the Sec-
retary may not use more than 50 percent of the 
amounts made available to carry out this part to 
carry out this section. 
(2) ALLOCATION.—The Secretary shall allocate 
amounts made available to carry out this section for 
partial system rebates among the States using the 
same formula as is used to allocate funds for States 
under part D of title III of the Energy Policy and 
Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6321 et seq.). 
SEC. 33203B. STATE ADMINISTERED REBATES. 
(a) FUNDING.—In carrying out the Home Energy 
Savings Retrofit Rebate Program, and subject to the 
availability of appropriations for such purpose, the Sec-
retary shall provide grants to States to carry out programs 
to provide rebates in accordance with this section. 
(b) STATE PARTICIPATION.— 
(1) PLAN.—In order to receive a grant under 
this section a State shall submit to the Secretary an 
application that includes a plan to implement a 
State program that meets the minimum criteria 
under subsection (c). 
(2) APPROVAL.—Not later than 60 days after 
receipt of a completed application for a grant under 
this section, the Secretary shall either approve the
1735 
application or provide to the applicant an expla-
nation for denying the application. 
(c) MINIMUM CRITERIA FOR STATE PROGRAMS.— 
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall establish and publish min-
imum criteria for a State program to meet to qualify for 
funding under this section, including— 
(1) that the State program be carried out by 
the applicable State energy office or its designee; 
(2) that a rebate be provided under a State pro-
gram only for a home energy efficiency retrofit 
that— 
(A) is completed by a contractor who 
meets minimum training requirements and cer-
tification requirements set forth by the Sec-
retary; 
(B) includes installation of one or more 
home energy efficiency retrofit measures for a 
home that together are modeled to achieve, or 
are shown to achieve, a reduction in home en-
ergy use of 20 percent or more from the base-
line energy use of the home; 
(C) does not include installation of any 
measure that the Secretary determines does not 
improve the thermal energy performance of the
1736 
home, such as a pool pump, pool heater, spa, or 
EV charger; and 
(D) includes, after installation of the appli-
cable home energy efficiency retrofit measures, 
a test-out procedure conducted in accordance 
with guidelines issued by the Secretary of such 
measures to ensure— 
(i) the safe operation of all systems 
post retrofit; and 
(ii) that all improvements are included 
in, and have been installed according to— 
(I) 
manufacturers 
installation 
specifications; and 
(II) all applicable State and local 
codes or equivalent standards ap-
proved by the Secretary; 
(3) that the State program utilize— 
(A) for purposes of modeled performance 
rebates, modeling software approved by the Sec-
retary for determining and documenting the 
baseline energy use of a home and the reduc-
tions in home energy use resulting from the im-
plementation of a home energy efficiency ret-
rofit; and
1737 
(B) for purposes of measured performance 
rebates, methods and procedures approved by 
the Secretary for determining and documenting 
the baseline energy use of a home and the re-
ductions in home energy use resulting from the 
implementation of a home energy efficiency ret-
rofit, including methods and procedures for use 
of advanced metering infrastructure, weather- 
normalized data, and open source standards, to 
measure such baseline energy use and such re-
ductions in home energy use; 
(4) that the State program include implementa-
tion of a quality assurance program— 
(A) to ensure that home energy efficiency 
retrofits are achieving the stated level of energy 
savings, that efficiency measures were installed 
correctly, and that work is performed in accord-
ance with procedures developed by the Sec-
retary, including through quality-control inspec-
tions for a portion of home energy efficiency 
retrofits completed by each applicable con-
tractor; and 
(B) under which a quality-control inspec-
tion of a home energy efficiency retrofit is per-
formed by a quality assurance provider who—
1738 
(i) is independent of the contractor 
for such retrofit; and 
(ii) will confirm that such contractor 
is a contractor who meets minimum train-
ing requirements and certification require-
ments set forth by the Secretary; 
(5) that the State program include require-
ments for a homeowner, contractor, or rebate 
aggregator to claim a rebate, including that the 
homeowner, contractor, or rebate aggregator submit 
any applicable forms approved by the Secretary to 
the State, including a copy of the certificate pro-
vided by the applicable contractor certifying pro-
jected or measured reduction of home energy use; 
(6) that the State program may include require-
ments for an entity to be eligible to serve as a rebate 
aggregator to facilitate the delivery of rebates to 
homeowners or contractors; 
(7) that the State program include procedures 
for a homeowner to transfer the right to claim a re-
bate to the contractor performing the applicable 
home energy efficiency retrofit or to a rebate 
aggregator that works with the contractor; and 
(8) that the State program provide that a 
homeowner, contractor, or rebate aggregator may
1739 
claim more than one rebate under the State pro-
gram, and may claim a rebate under the State pro-
gram after receiving a partial system rebate under 
section 33203A, provided that no 2 rebates may be 
provided with respect to a home using the same 
baseline energy use of such home. 
(d) MODELED PERFORMANCE REBATES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out a State pro-
gram under this section, a State may provide a 
homeowner, contractor, or rebate aggregator a re-
bate, to be known as a modeled performance rebate, 
for an energy audit of a home and a home energy 
efficiency retrofit that is projected, using modeling 
software approved by the Secretary, to reduce home 
energy use by at least 20 percent. 
(2) AMOUNT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
section 33203C, and subject to subparagraph 
(B), the amount of a modeled performance re-
bate provided under a State program shall be 
equal to 50 percent of the cost of the applicable 
energy audit of a home and home energy effi-
ciency retrofit, including the cost of diagnostic 
procedures, labor, reporting, and modeling.
1740 
(B) LIMITATION.—Except as provided in 
section 33203C, with respect to an energy audit 
and home energy efficiency retrofit that is pro-
jected to reduce home energy use by— 
(i) at least 20 percent, but less than 
40 percent, the maximum amount of a 
modeled performance rebate shall be 
$2,000; and 
(ii) at least 40 percent, the maximum 
amount of a modeled performance rebate 
shall be $4,000. 
(e) MEASURED PERFORMANCE REBATES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out a State pro-
gram under this section, a State may provide a 
homeowner, contractor, or rebate aggregator a re-
bate, to be known as a measured performance re-
bate, for a home energy efficiency retrofit that re-
duces home energy use by at least 20 percent as 
measured using methods and procedures approved 
by the Secretary. 
(2) AMOUNT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
section 33203C, and subject to subparagraph 
(B), the amount of a measured performance re-
bate provided under a State program shall be
1741 
equal to 50 percent of the cost, including the 
cost of diagnostic procedures, labor, reporting, 
and energy measurement, of the applicable 
home energy efficiency retrofit. 
(B) LIMITATION.—Except as provided in 
section 33203C, with respect to a home energy 
efficiency retrofit that is measured as reducing 
home energy use by— 
(i) at least 20 percent, but less than 
40 percent, the maximum amount of a 
measured performance rebate shall be 
$2,000; and 
(ii) at least 40 percent, the maximum 
amount of a measured performance rebate 
shall be $4,000. 
(f) COORDINATION
OF
REBATE
AND
EXISTING 
STATE-SPONSORED
OR
UTILITY-SPONSORED
PRO-
GRAMS.—A State that receives a grant under this section 
is encouraged to work with State agencies, energy utilities, 
nonprofits, and other entities— 
(1) to assist in marketing the availability of the 
rebates under the applicable State program; 
(2) to coordinate with utility or State managed 
financing programs;
1742 
(3) to assist in implementation of the applicable 
State program, including installation of home energy 
efficiency retrofits; and 
(4) to coordinate with existing quality assur-
ance programs. 
(g) ADMINISTRATION AND OVERSIGHT.— 
(1) REVIEW
OF
APPROVED
MODELING
SOFT-
WARE.—The Secretary shall, on an annual basis, list 
and review all modeling software approved for use in 
determining and documenting the reductions in 
home energy use for purposes of modeled perform-
ance rebates under subsection (d). In approving such 
modeling software each year, the Secretary shall en-
sure that modeling software approved for a year will 
result in modeling of energy efficiency gains for any 
type of home energy efficiency retrofit that is at 
least as substantial as the modeling of energy effi-
ciency gains for such type of home energy efficiency 
retrofit using the modeling software approved for 
the previous year. 
(2) OVERSIGHT.—If the Secretary determines 
that a State is not implementing a State program 
that was approved pursuant to subsection (b) and 
that meets the minimum criteria under subsection 
(c), the Secretary may, after providing the State a
1743 
period of at least 90 days to meet such criteria, 
withhold grant funds under this section from the 
State. 
SEC. 33203C. SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR MODERATE IN-
COME HOUSEHOLDS. 
(a) CERTIFICATIONS.—The Secretary shall establish 
procedures for certifying that the household of a home-
owner is moderate income for purposes of this section. 
(b) PERCENTAGES.—Subject to subsection (c), for 
households of homeowners that are certified pursuant to 
the procedures established under subsection (a) as mod-
erate income the— 
(1) amount of a partial system rebate under 
section 33203A shall not exceed 60 percent of the 
applicable purchase and installation costs described 
in section 33203A(b)(1); and 
(2) amount of— 
(A) a modeled performance rebate under 
section 33203B provided shall be equal to 80 
percent of the applicable costs described in sec-
tion 33203B(d)(2)(A); and 
(B) a measured performance rebate under 
section 33203B provided shall be equal to 80 
percent of the applicable costs described in sec-
tion 33203B(e)(2)(A).
1744 
(c) MAXIMUM AMOUNTS.—For households of home-
owners that are certified pursuant to the procedures estab-
lished under subsection (a) as moderate income the max-
imum amount— 
(1) of a partial system rebate— 
(A) under section 33203A(a)(1) for the 
purchase and installation of insulation and air 
sealing within a home of the homeowner shall 
be $1600; and 
(B) under section 33203A(a)(2) for the 
purchase and installation of insulation and air 
sealing within a home of the homeowner and re-
placement of an HVAC system, the heating 
component of an HVAC system, or the cooling 
component of an HVAC system, of such home, 
shall be $3,000; 
(2) of a modeled performance rebate under sec-
tion 33203B for an energy audit and home energy 
efficiency retrofit that is projected to reduce home 
energy use as described in— 
(A) section 33203B(d)(2)(B)(i) shall be 
$4,000; and 
(B) section 33203B(d)(2)(B)(ii) shall be 
$8,000; and
1745 
(3) of a measured performance rebate under 
section 33203B for a home energy efficiency retrofit 
that reduces home energy use as described in— 
(A) section 33203B(e)(2)(B)(i) shall be 
$4,000; and 
(B) section 33203B(e)(2)(B)(ii) shall be 
$8,000. 
(d) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall establish proce-
dures to— 
(1) provide information to households of home-
owners that are certified pursuant to the procedures 
established under subsection (a) as moderate income 
regarding other programs and resources relating to 
assistance for energy efficiency upgrades of homes, 
including the weatherization assistance program im-
plemented under part A of title IV of the Energy 
Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6861 
et seq.); and 
(2) refer such households, as applicable, to such 
other programs and resources. 
SEC. 33203D. EVALUATION REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter until 
the termination of the Home Energy Savings Retrofit Re-
bate Program, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a
1746 
report on the use of funds made available to carry out 
this part. 
(b) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under sub-
section (a) shall include— 
(1) how many home energy efficiency retrofits 
have been completed during the previous year under 
the Home Energy Savings Retrofit Rebate Program; 
(2) an estimate of how many jobs have been 
created through the Home Energy Savings Retrofit 
Rebate Program, directly and indirectly; 
(3) a description of what steps could be taken 
to promote further deployment of energy efficiency 
and renewable energy retrofits; 
(4) a description of the quantity of verifiable 
energy savings, homeowner energy bill savings, and 
other benefits of the Home Energy Savings Retrofit 
Rebate Program; 
(5) a description of any waste, fraud, or abuse 
with respect to funds made available to carry out 
this part; and 
(6) any other information the Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
SEC. 33203E. ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide such 
administrative and technical support to contractors, rebate
1747 
aggregators, States, and Indian Tribes as is necessary to 
carry out this part. 
(b) INFORMATION
COLLECTION.—The Secretary 
shall establish, and make available to a homeowner, or the 
homeowner’s designated representative, seeking a rebate 
under this part, release forms authorizing access by the 
Secretary, or a designated third-party representative to in-
formation in the utility bills of the homeowner with appro-
priate privacy protections in place. 
SEC. 33203F. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary to carry out this part 
$1,200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 
2025, to remain available until expended. 
(b) TRIBAL ALLOCATION.—Of the amounts made 
available pursuant to subsection (a) for a fiscal year, the 
Secretary shall work with Indian Tribes and use 2 percent 
of such amounts to carry out a program or programs that 
as close as possible reflect the goals, requirements, and 
provisions of this part, taking into account any factors 
that the Secretary determines to be appropriate. 
PART 3—GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SEC. 33204. APPOINTMENT OF PERSONNEL. 
Notwithstanding the provisions of title 5, United 
States Code, regarding appointments in the competitive
1748 
service and General Schedule classifications and pay rates, 
the Secretary may appoint such professional and adminis-
trative personnel as the Secretary considers necessary to 
carry out this subchapter. 
SEC. 33204A. MAINTENANCE OF FUNDING. 
Each State receiving Federal funds pursuant to this 
subchapter shall provide reasonable assurances to the Sec-
retary that it has established policies and procedures de-
signed to ensure that Federal funds provided under this 
subchapter will be used to supplement, and not to sup-
plant, State and local funds. 
Subchapter B—Public Buildings 
SEC. 33211. ENERGY EFFICIENT PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 
(a) GRANTS.—Section 125(a) of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15822(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘Standard 90.1 of the 
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, 
and Air-Conditioning Engineers,’’ after ‘‘the 
International Energy Conservation Code,’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘; or’’ and inserting a 
semicolon; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following:
1749 
‘‘(3) through benchmarking programs to enable 
use of building performance data to evaluate the 
performance of energy efficiency investments over 
time.’’. 
(b) ASSURANCE OF IMPROVEMENT.—Section 125 of 
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15822) is 
amended by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as sub-
sections (c) and (d), respectively, and inserting after sub-
section (a) the following: 
‘‘(b) ASSURANCE OF IMPROVEMENT.— 
‘‘(1) VERIFICATION.—A State agency receiving 
a grant for activities described in paragraph (1) or 
(2) of subsection (a) shall ensure, as a condition of 
eligibility for assistance pursuant to such grant, that 
a unit of local government receiving such assistance 
obtain third-party verification of energy efficiency 
improvements in each public building with respect to 
which such assistance is used. 
‘‘(2) GUIDANCE.—The Secretary may provide 
guidance to State agencies to comply with paragraph 
(1). In developing such guidance, the Secretary shall 
consider available third-party verification tools for 
high-performing buildings and available third-party 
verification tools for energy efficiency retrofits.’’.
1750 
(c) ADMINISTRATION.—Section 125(c) of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005, as so redesignated, is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘State energy offices receiving grants’’ and 
inserting ‘‘A State agency receiving a grant’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) ensure that all laborers and mechanics em-
ployed by contractors and subcontractors in the per-
formance of construction, alteration, or repair work 
financed in whole or in part with assistance received 
pursuant to this section shall be paid wages at rates 
not less than those prevailing on projects of a simi-
lar character in the locality, as determined by the 
Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter 
IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code 
(and with respect to such labor standards, the Sec-
retary of Labor shall have the authority and func-
tions set forth in Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 
of 1950 (64 Stat. 1267; 5 U.S.C. App.) and section 
3145 of title 40, United States Code).’’. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
125(d) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, as so redesig-
nated, is amended by striking ‘‘$30,000,000 for each of
1751 
fiscal 
years 
2006 
through 
2010’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 
2025’’. 
Subchapter C—Schools 
SEC. 33221. ENERGY RETROFITTING ASSISTANCE FOR 
SCHOOLS. 
Section 392 of the Energy Policy and Conservation 
Act (42 U.S.C. 6371a) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(e) COORDINATION OF ENERGY RETROFITTING AS-
SISTANCE FOR SCHOOLS.— 
‘‘(1) 
DEFINITION
OF
SCHOOL.—Notwith-
standing section 391(6), for the purposes of this 
subsection, the term ‘school’ means— 
‘‘(A) an elementary school or secondary 
school (as defined in section 9101 of the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7801)); 
‘‘(B) an institution of higher education (as 
defined in section 102(a) of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(a))); 
‘‘(C) a school of the defense dependents’ 
education system under the Defense Depend-
ents’ Education Act of 1978 (20 U.S.C. 921 et
1752 
seq.) or established under section 2164 of title 
10, United States Code; 
‘‘(D) a school operated by the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs; 
‘‘(E) a tribally controlled school (as de-
fined in section 5212 of the Tribally Controlled 
Schools Act of 1988 (25 U.S.C. 2511)); and 
‘‘(F) a Tribal College or University (as de-
fined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b))). 
‘‘(2) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
CLEARINGHOUSE.— 
The Secretary, acting through the Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, shall establish a 
clearinghouse to disseminate information regarding 
available Federal programs and financing mecha-
nisms that may be used to help initiate, develop, and 
finance energy efficiency, distributed generation, and 
energy retrofitting projects for schools. 
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out para-
graph (2), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) consult with appropriate Federal 
agencies to develop a list of Federal programs 
and financing mechanisms that are, or may be, 
used for the purposes described in paragraph 
(2); and
1753 
‘‘(B) coordinate with appropriate Federal 
agencies to develop a collaborative education 
and outreach effort to streamline communica-
tions and promote available Federal programs 
and financing mechanisms described in sub-
paragraph (A), which may include the develop-
ment and maintenance of a single online re-
source that includes contact information for rel-
evant technical assistance in the Office of En-
ergy Efficiency and Renewable Energy that 
States, local education agencies, and schools 
may use to effectively access and use such Fed-
eral programs and financing mechanisms.’’. 
SEC. 33222. GRANTS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVE-
MENTS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY IMPROVE-
MENTS AT PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means a consortium of— 
(A) one local educational agency; and 
(B) one or more— 
(i) schools; 
(ii) nonprofit organizations; 
(iii) for-profit organizations; or
1754 
(iv) community partners that have the 
knowledge and capacity to partner and as-
sist with energy improvements. 
(2) ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS.—The term ‘‘en-
ergy improvements’’ means— 
(A) any improvement, repair, or renova-
tion, to a school that will result in a direct re-
duction in school energy costs including but not 
limited to improvements to building envelope, 
air conditioning, ventilation, heating system, do-
mestic hot water heating, compressed air sys-
tems, distribution systems, lighting, power sys-
tems and controls; 
(B) any improvement, repair, renovation, 
or installation that leads to an improvement in 
teacher and student health including but not 
limited to indoor air quality, daylighting, ven-
tilation, electrical lighting, and acoustics; and 
(C) the installation of renewable energy 
technologies (such as wind power, photovoltaics, 
solar thermal systems, geothermal energy, hy-
drogen-fueled systems, biomass-based systems, 
biofuels, anaerobic digesters, and hydropower) 
involved in the improvement, repair, or renova-
tion to a school.
1755 
(b) AUTHORITY.—From amounts made available for 
grants under this section, the Secretary of Energy shall 
provide competitive grants to eligible entities to make en-
ergy improvements authorized by this section. 
(c) PRIORITY.—In making grants under this sub-
section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities 
that have renovation, repair, and improvement funding 
needs and are— 
(1) a high-need local educational agency, as de-
fined in section 2102 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 14 U.S.C. 6602); 
or 
(2) a local educational agency designated with 
a metrocentric locale code of 41, 42, or 43 as deter-
mined by the National Center for Education Statis-
tics (NCES), in conjunction with the Bureau of the 
Census, using the NCES system for classifying local 
educational agencies. 
(d) COMPETITIVE CRITERIA.—The competitive cri-
teria used by the Secretary shall include the following: 
(1) The fiscal capacity of the eligible entity to 
meet the needs for improvements of school facilities 
without assistance under this section, including the 
ability of the eligible entity to raise funds through 
the use of local bonding capacity and otherwise.
1756 
(2) The likelihood that the local educational 
agency or eligible entity will maintain, in good condi-
tion, any facility whose improvement is assisted. 
(3) The potential energy efficiency and safety 
benefits from the proposed energy improvements. 
(e) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an applicant must submit to the Sec-
retary an application that includes each of the following: 
(1) A needs assessment of the current condition 
of the school and facilities that are to receive the en-
ergy improvements. 
(2) A draft work plan of what the applicant 
hopes to achieve at the school and a description of 
the energy improvements to be carried out. 
(3) A description of the applicant’s capacity to 
provide services and comprehensive support to make 
the energy improvements. 
(4) An assessment of the applicant’s expected 
needs for operation and maintenance training funds, 
and a plan for use of those funds, if any. 
(5) An assessment of the expected energy effi-
ciency and safety benefits of the energy improve-
ments. 
(6) A cost estimate of the proposed energy im-
provements.
1757 
(7) An identification of other resources that are 
available to carry out the activities for which funds 
are requested under this section, including the avail-
ability of utility programs and public benefit funds. 
(f) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The recipient of a grant 
under this section shall use the grant amounts only 
to make the energy improvements contemplated in 
the application, subject to the other provisions of 
this subsection. 
(2) OPERATION
AND
MAINTENANCE
TRAIN-
ING.—The recipient may use up to 5 percent for op-
eration and maintenance training for energy effi-
ciency and renewable energy improvements (such as 
maintenance staff and teacher training, education, 
and preventative maintenance training). 
(3) AUDIT.—The recipient may use funds for a 
third-party investigation and analysis for energy im-
provements (such as energy audits and existing 
building commissioning). 
(4) CONTINUING
EDUCATION.—The recipient 
may use up to 1 percent of the grant amounts to de-
velop a continuing education curriculum relating to 
energy improvements. 
(g) CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS.—
1758 
(1) DAVIS-BACON.—Any laborer or mechanic 
employed by any contractor or subcontractor in the 
performance of work on any energy improvements 
funded by a grant under this section shall be paid 
wages at rates not less than those prevailing on 
similar construction in the locality as determined by 
the Secretary of Labor under subchapter IV of chap-
ter 31 of title 40, United States Code (commonly re-
ferred to as the Davis-Bacon Act). 
(2) COMPETITION.—Each applicant that re-
ceives funds shall ensure that, if the applicant car-
ries out repair or renovation through a contract, any 
such contract process— 
(A) ensures the maximum number of quali-
fied bidders, including small, minority, and 
women-owned businesses, through full and open 
competition; and 
(B) gives priority to businesses located in, 
or resources common to, the State or the geo-
graphical area in which the project is carried 
out. 
(h) REPORTING.—Each recipient of a grant under 
this section shall submit to the Secretary, at such time 
as the Secretary may require, a report describing the use 
of such funds for energy improvements, the estimated cost
1759 
savings realized by those energy improvements, the results 
of any audit, the use of any utility programs and public 
benefit funds and the use of performance tracking for en-
ergy improvements (such as the Department of Energy: 
Energy Star program or LEED for Existing Buildings). 
(i) BEST PRACTICES.—The Secretary shall develop 
and publish guidelines and best practices for activities car-
ried out under this section. 
(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 
CHAPTER 2—WEATHERIZATION 
SEC. 33231. WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) REAUTHORIZATION OF WEATHERIZATION AS-
SISTANCE PROGRAM.—Section 422 of the Energy Con-
servation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6872) is amend-
ed by striking paragraphs (1) through (5) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(1) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; 
‘‘(2) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; 
‘‘(3) $650,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; 
‘‘(4) $800,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and 
‘‘(5) $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2025.’’. 
(b) MODERNIZING THE DEFINITION OF WEATHER-
IZATION MATERIALS.—Section 412(9)(J) of the Energy
1760 
Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6862(9)(J)) 
is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘, including renewable energy 
technologies and other advanced technologies,’’ after 
‘‘devices or technologies’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘, after consulting with the Sec-
retary of Housing and Urban Development, the Sec-
retary of Agriculture, and the Director of the Com-
munity Services Administration’’. 
(c) CONSIDERATION OF HEALTH BENEFITS.—Sec-
tion 413(b) of the Energy Conservation and Production 
Act (42 U.S.C. 6863(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Health, Edu-
cation, and Welfare’’ and inserting ‘‘Health and 
Human Services’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘Health, 
Education, and Welfare’’ and inserting ‘‘Health and 
Human Services’’; 
(3) in paragraph (3)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and with the Director of 
the Community Services Administration’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘and by’’ after ‘‘in car-
rying out this part,’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘, and the Director of the 
Community Services Administration in carrying
1761 
out weatherization programs under section 
222(a)(12) of the Economic Opportunity Act of 
1964’’; 
(4) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through 
(6) as paragraphs (5) through (7), respectively; and 
(5) by inserting after paragraph (3), the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) The Secretary may amend the regulations pre-
scribed under paragraph (1) to provide that the standards 
described in paragraph (2)(A) take into consideration im-
provements in the health and safety of occupants of dwell-
ing units, and other non-energy benefits, from weatheriza-
tion.’’. 
(d) CONTRACTOR OPTIMIZATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Energy Conservation 
and Production Act is amended by inserting after 
section 414B (42 U.S.C. 6864b) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 414C. CONTRACTOR OPTIMIZATION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may request that 
entities receiving funding from the Federal Government 
or from a State through a weatherization assistance pro-
gram under section 413 or section 414 perform periodic 
reviews of the use of private contractors in the provision 
of weatherization assistance, and encourage expanded use 
of contractors as appropriate.
1762 
‘‘(b) USE OF TRAINING FUNDS.—Entities described 
in subsection (a) may use funding described in such sub-
section to train private, non-Federal entities that are con-
tracted to provide weatherization assistance under a 
weatherization program, in accordance with rules deter-
mined by the Secretary.’’. 
(2) TABLE OF CONTENTS AMENDMENT.—The 
table of contents for the Energy Conservation and 
Production Act is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 414B the following: 
‘‘Sec. 414C. Contractor optimization.’’. 
(e) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR WAP ENHANCE-
MENT AND INNOVATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Energy Conservation 
and Production Act is amended by inserting after 
section 414C (as added by subsection (d) of this sec-
tion) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 414D. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR WAP ENHANCE-
MENT AND INNOVATION. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this section are— 
‘‘(1) to expand the number of dwelling units 
that are occupied by low-income persons that receive 
weatherization assistance by making such dwelling 
units weatherization-ready;
1763 
‘‘(2) to promote the deployment of renewable 
energy in dwelling units that are occupied by low-in-
come persons; 
‘‘(3) to ensure healthy indoor environments by 
enhancing or expanding health and safety measures 
and resources available to dwellings that are occu-
pied by low-income persons; 
‘‘(4) to disseminate new methods and best prac-
tices among entities providing weatherization assist-
ance; and 
‘‘(5) to encourage entities providing weatheriza-
tion assistance to hire and retain employees who are 
individuals— 
‘‘(A) from the community in which the as-
sistance is provided; and 
‘‘(B) from communities or groups that are 
underrepresented in the home energy perform-
ance workforce, including religious and ethnic 
minorities, women, veterans, individuals with 
disabilities, 
and 
individuals 
who 
are 
socioeconomically disadvantaged. 
‘‘(b) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall, 
to the extent funds are made available, award financial 
assistance, on an annual basis, through a competitive 
process to entities receiving funding from the Federal Gov-
1764 
ernment or from a State, tribal organization, or unit of 
general purpose local government through a weatheriza-
tion program under section 413 or section 414, or to non-
profit entities, to be used by such an entity— 
‘‘(1) with respect to dwelling units that are oc-
cupied by low-income persons, to— 
‘‘(A) implement measures to make such 
dwelling units weatherization-ready by address-
ing structural, plumbing, roofing, and electrical 
issues, environmental hazards, or other meas-
ures that the Secretary determines to be appro-
priate; 
‘‘(B) install energy efficiency technologies, 
including home energy management systems, 
smart devices, and other technologies the Sec-
retary determines to be appropriate; 
‘‘(C) install renewable energy systems (as 
defined in section 415(c)(6)(A)); and 
‘‘(D) 
implement 
measures 
to 
ensure 
healthy indoor environments by improving in-
door air quality, accessibility, and other healthy 
homes measures as determined by the Sec-
retary; 
‘‘(2) to improve the capability of the entity—
1765 
‘‘(A) to significantly increase the number 
of energy retrofits performed by such entity; 
‘‘(B) to replicate best practices for work 
performed pursuant to this section on a larger 
scale; 
‘‘(C) to leverage additional funds to sus-
tain the provision of weatherization assistance 
and other work performed pursuant to this sec-
tion after financial assistance awarded under 
this section is expended; and 
‘‘(D) to hire and retain employees who are 
individuals described subsection (a)(5); 
‘‘(3) for innovative outreach and education re-
garding the benefits and availability of weatheriza-
tion assistance and other assistance available pursu-
ant to this section; 
‘‘(4) for quality control of work performed pur-
suant to this section; 
‘‘(5) for data collection, measurement, and 
verification with respect to such work; 
‘‘(6) for program monitoring, oversight, evalua-
tion, and reporting regarding such work; 
‘‘(7) for labor, training, and technical assist-
ance relating to such work;
1766 
‘‘(8) for planning, management, and adminis-
tration (up to a maximum of 15 percent of the as-
sistance provided); and 
‘‘(9) for such other activities as the Secretary 
determines to be appropriate. 
‘‘(c) AWARD FACTORS.—In awarding financial assist-
ance under this section, the Secretary shall consider— 
‘‘(1) the applicant’s record of constructing, ren-
ovating, repairing, or making energy efficient single- 
family, multifamily, or manufactured homes that are 
occupied by low-income persons, either directly or 
through affiliates, chapters, or other partners (using 
the most recent year for which data are available); 
‘‘(2) the number of dwelling units occupied by 
low-income persons that the applicant has built, ren-
ovated, repaired, weatherized, or made more energy 
efficient in the 5 years preceding the date of the ap-
plication; 
‘‘(3) the qualifications, experience, and past 
performance of the applicant, including experience 
successfully managing and administering Federal 
funds; 
‘‘(4) the strength of an applicant’s proposal to 
achieve one or more of the purposes under sub-
section (a);
1767 
‘‘(5) the extent to which such applicant will uti-
lize partnerships and regional coordination to 
achieve one or more of the purposes under sub-
section (a); 
‘‘(6) regional and climate zone diversity; 
‘‘(7) urban, suburban, and rural localities; and 
‘‘(8) such other factors as the Secretary deter-
mines to be appropriate. 
‘‘(d) APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) ADMINISTRATION.—To be eligible for an 
award of financial assistance under this section, an 
applicant shall submit to the Secretary an applica-
tion in such manner and containing such informa-
tion as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(2) AWARDS.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, not later than 270 days after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
make a first award of financial assistance under this 
section. 
‘‘(e) MAXIMUM AMOUNT AND TERM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The total amount of finan-
cial assistance awarded to an entity under this sec-
tion shall not exceed $2,000,000. 
‘‘(2) TECHNICAL AND TRAINING ASSISTANCE.— 
The total amount of financial assistance awarded to
1768 
an entity under this section shall be reduced by the 
cost of any technical and training assistance pro-
vided by the Secretary that relates to such financial 
assistance. 
‘‘(3) TERM.—The term of an award of financial 
assistance under this section shall not exceed 3 
years. 
‘‘(4) RELATIONSHIP TO FORMULA GRANTS.—An 
entity may use financial assistance awarded to such 
entity under this section in conjunction with other 
financial assistance provided to such entity under 
this part. 
‘‘(f) REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
issue requirements to implement this section, including, 
for entities receiving financial assistance under this sec-
tion— 
‘‘(1) standards for allowable expenditures; 
‘‘(2) a minimum saving-to-investment ratio; and 
‘‘(3) standards for— 
‘‘(A) training programs; 
‘‘(B) energy audits; 
‘‘(C) the provision of technical assistance; 
‘‘(D) monitoring activities carried out 
using such financial assistance;
1769 
‘‘(E) verification of energy and cost sav-
ings; 
‘‘(F) liability insurance requirements; and 
‘‘(G) recordkeeping and reporting require-
ments, which shall include reporting to the Of-
fice of Weatherization and Intergovernmental 
Programs of the Department of Energy applica-
ble data on each dwelling unit retrofitted or 
otherwise assisted pursuant to this section. 
‘‘(g) COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL LAW.— 
Nothing in this section supersedes or otherwise affects any 
State or local law, to the extent that the State or local 
law contains a requirement that is more stringent than 
the applicable requirement of this section. 
‘‘(h) REVIEW
AND EVALUATION.—The Secretary 
shall review and evaluate the performance of each entity 
that receives an award of financial assistance under this 
section (which may include an audit). 
‘‘(i) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit 
to Congress an annual report that provides a description 
of— 
‘‘(1) actions taken under this section to achieve 
the purposes of this section; and 
‘‘(2) accomplishments as a result of such ac-
tions, including energy and cost savings achieved.