I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 5585
To ensure the energy self-sufficiency of the United States by 2010, and
for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 26, 2000
Mr. LARSON (for himself and Mr. OBERSTAR) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to
the Committees on Science, and Government Reform, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee con-
cerned
A BILL
To ensure the energy self-sufficiency of the United States
by 2010, 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 ‘‘Energy Independence
Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. DOMESTIC ENERGY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PLAN.
(a) STRATEGIC PLAN.—The Secretary of Energy
shall develop, and transmit to the Congress within 1 year
after the date of the enactment of this Act, a strategic
plan to ensure that the United States is energy self-suffi-
cient by the year 2010. The plan shall include rec-
ommendations for legislative and regulatory actions need-
ed to accomplish that goal.
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of En-
ergy $20,000,000 for carrying out this section.
SEC. 3. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FUEL CELL PILOT PRO-
GRAM.
(a) PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Energy shall estab-
lish a program for the acquisition of—
(1) up to 100 commercially available 200 kilo-
watt fuel cell power plants;
(2) up to 20 megawatts of power generated
from commercially available fuel cell power plants;
or
(3) a combination thereof,
for use at federally owned or operated facilities. The Sec-
retary shall provide funding for purchase, site engineering,
installation, startup, training, operation, and maintenance
costs associated with the acquisition of such power plants,
along with any other necessary assistance.
(b) DOMESTIC ASSEMBLY.—All fuel cell systems and
fuel cell stacks in power plants acquired, or from which
power is acquired, under subsection (a) shall be assembled
in the United States.
(c) SITE SELECTION.—In the selection of federally
owned or operated facilities as a site for the location of
power plants acquired under this section, or as a site to
receive power acquired under this section, priority shall
be given to sites with 1 or more of the following attributes:
(1) Location (of the Federal facility or the gen-
erating power plant) in an area classified as a non-
attainment area under title I of the Clean Air Act.
(2) Computer or electronic operations that are
sensitive to power supply disruptions.
(3) Need for a reliable, uninterrupted power
supply.
(4) Remote location, or other factors requiring
off-grid power generation.
(5) Critical manufacturing or other activities
that support national security efforts.
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of En-
ergy $140,000,000 for the period encompassing fiscal
years 2001 through 2003 for carrying out this section.
SEC. 4. PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE DEMONSTRATION
PROGRAMS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President, in co-
ordination with the Secretary of Energy, the Sec-
retary of Transportation, the Secretary of Defense,
and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment, shall establish a program for the demonstra-
tion of fuel cell proton exchange membrane tech-
nology in the areas of responsibility of those Secre-
taries with respect to commercial, residential, and
transportation applications, including buses. Such
program shall specifically focus on promoting the ap-
plication of and improved manufacturing production
and processes for proton exchange membrane fuel
cell technology.
(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For
the purpose of carrying out this subsection, there
are authorized to be appropriated $140,000,000 for
the period encompassing fiscal years 2001 through
2003.
(b) BUS DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President, in co-
ordination with the Secretary of Energy and the
Secretary of Transportation, shall establish a com-
prehensive proton exchange membrane fuel cell bus
demonstration program to address hydrogen produc-
tion, storage, and use in transit bus applications.
Such program shall cover all aspects of the introduc-
tion of this new technology, and shall include the
following components:
(A) Development, installation, and oper-
ation of a hydrogen delivery system located on-
site at transit bus terminals.
(B) Development, installation, and oper-
ation of on-site storage associated with the hy-
drogen delivery systems as well as storage tank
systems incorporated into the bus itself.
(C) Demonstration of use of hydrogen as a
practical, safe, renewable energy source in a
highly efficient, zero-emission power system for
buses.
(D) Development of a hydrogen proton ex-
change membrane fuel cell power system that is
confirmed and verified as being compatible with
transit bus application requirements.
(E) Durability testing of the fuel cell bus
at a national testing facility.
(F) Identification and implementation of
necessary codes and standards for the safe use
of hydrogen as a fuel suitable for bus applica-
tion, including the fuel cell power system and
related operational facilities.
(G) Identification and implementation of
maintenance and overhaul requirements for hy-
drogen proton exchange membrane fuel cell
transit buses.
(H) Completion of fleet vehicle evaluation
program by bus operators along normal transit
routes, providing equipment manufacturers and
transit operators with the necessary analyses to
enable operation of the hydrogen proton ex-
change membrane fuel cell bus under a range of
operating environments.
(2) DOMESTIC ASSEMBLY.—All fuel cell systems
and fuel cell stacks in power plants acquired, or
from which power is acquired, under paragraph (1)
shall be assembled in the United States.
(3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For
the purpose of carrying out this subsection, there
are authorized to be appropriated $150,000,000 for
the period encompassing fiscal years 2001 through
2003.
SEC. 5. FEDERAL VEHICLES.
Each agency of the Federal Government that main-
tains a fleet of motor vehicles shall develop a plan for a
transition of the fleet to vehicles powered by fuel cell tech-
nology. Each such plan shall include implementation be-
ginning by fiscal year 2005, to be completed by fiscal year
2010. Each plan shall incorporate and build on the results
of completed and ongoing Federal demonstration pro-
grams, including the program established under section 4,
and shall include additional demonstration programs and
pilot programs as necessary to test or investigate available
technologies and transition procedures.
SEC. 6. LIFE-CYCLE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS.
Any life-cycle cost benefit analysis undertaken by a
Federal agency with respect to investments in products,
services, construction, and other projects shall include an
analysis of environmental and power reliability factors.
SEC. 7. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES.
(a) GRANT PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Energy
shall establish a program for making grants to State or
local governments for the use of fuel cell technology in
meeting their energy requirements, including the use as
a source of power for motor vehicles. Each grant made
under this section shall require at least a 10 percent
matching contribution from the State or local government
recipient.
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of En-
ergy $110,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2001
through 2005 for carrying out this section.
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