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107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2141
To require electric generation facilities owned and operated by the Department
of Defense in the Western United States to generate electricity and
to conserve energy in electric emergencies, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 12, 2001
Mr. THOMPSON of California (for himself, Ms. HARMAN, Ms. SOLIS, Mrs.
CAPPS, Ms. PELOSI, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Ms. WOOLSEY, and Mr.
FILNER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Energy
and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak-
er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju-
risdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To require electric generation facilities owned and operated
by the Department of Defense in the Western United
States to generate electricity and to conserve energy in
electric emergencies, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Department of Defense
Energy Reduction Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) The term ‘‘qualified electric generator’’
means any electric facility (other than a hydro-
electric generation facility) owned or operated by the
United States Department of Defense and located at
a fixed location in the western region.
(2) The term ‘‘western region’’ means that por-
tion of the United States that is encompassed by the
Western Systems Coordinating Council of the North
American Electric Reliability Council.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF GENERATION.
(a) PRESIDENTIAL AUTHORIZATION.—In order to as-
sist in relieving energy demand during electric power
emergencies in the western region, the President shall au-
thorize the Secretary of Defense to use all qualified elec-
tric generators in the western region during such emer-
gencies to generate electric energy for facilities of the De-
partment of Defense or to provide additional electric en-
ergy for sale at cost (as determined by the Secretary) to
other persons for consumption or for resale. The Secretary
shall use generators that have the least adverse environ-
mental effects before using generators that have more ad-
verse environmental effects.
(b) REIMBURSEMENT OF COSTS.—No electric energy
may be sold by the Secretary under this section unless
the Secretary determines that there is an adequate assur-
ance the United States will be reimbursed for the full cost
of such electric energy. Notwithstanding sections 1341
and 3302 of title 31 of the United States Code or any
other provision of law, all proceeds of any sale of electric
energy under this section shall be retained by the Sec-
retary of Defense, and such amounts shall be available
without further appropriation to the Secretary to pay the
costs incurred by the Secretary for generating the electric
energy concerned. The authority of this section shall ter-
minate on the date 2 years after the enactment of this
Act.
SEC. 4. MOBILE GENERATORS.
The President shall direct the Secretary of Defense
to immediately develop plan for the deployment of avail-
able mobile electric generation facilities owned or operated
by the Department of Defense in the event of energy emer-
gencies. Such plan shall—
(1) include the identification and preparation of
sites and the interconnection facilities to permit
their operation in an environmentally and operation-
ally optimal manner;
(2) assure that units remain available for de-
ployment in least-cost ways from the current loca-
tions to areas where electric emergencies may occur;
(3) coordinate with the Western Systems Co-
ordinating Council (WSCC) to develop operational
and management agreements to provide the WSCC
with maximum flexibility regarding the use of such
facilities in California;
(4) summarize actions required by the State
and Federal governments to deploy and provide com-
pensation for the use of these units; and
(5) develop environmental proposals or arrange-
ments to allow these facilities to be used in a State
experiencing an electric emergency.
SEC. 5. COORDINATION.
In issuing an authorization under section 3 and devel-
oping a plan under section 4, the President shall coordi-
nate with the Western Systems Coordinating Council of
the North American Electric Reliability Council. In order
to minimize any public health risk associated with the use
of qualified Federal electric generation facilities, the Presi-
dent shall coordinate such authorization with State and
local air quality management agencies.
SEC. 6. ENERGY CONSERVATION MEASURES.
The Secretary of Defense shall require all facilities
under the Secretary’s jurisdiction in the western region
to reduce energy consumption by eliminating non-essential
activities that use significant amounts of electric energy
to the extent that such reduction does not jeopardize mili-
tary readiness or public health and safety and will not re-
sult in lay-offs of military or civilian personnel.
SEC. 7. MILITARY READINESS.
The President may exclude from the coverage of this
Act any electric generation facility in order to ensure mili-
tary readiness or to ensure that such facility is available
to respond to natural disasters. If the President deter-
mines to exclude any electric generation facility from use
under this subsection, the President shall submit, within
30 days after such determination, a report to Congress
regarding such exclusion, together with an explanation of
the reasons for such determination.
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