I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1830
To ensure the energy self-sufficiency of the United States by 2011, and
for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 15, 2001
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut (for himself, and Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on En-
ergy and 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 concerned
A BILL
To ensure the energy self-sufficiency of the United States
by 2011, 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 2001’’.
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 2011. 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 2002 through 2004 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 2002 through
2004.
(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.