I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2360 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a renewable energy grant 
program for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United States, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 25, 2019 
Mr. TED
LIEU
of California (for himself, Ms. PLASKETT, and Miss 
GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N of Puerto Rico) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the 
Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Science, Space, and Tech-
nology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a renew-
able energy grant program for Puerto Rico and the Vir-
gin Islands of the United States, 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 ‘‘Renewable Energy for 
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. RENEWABLE ENERGY GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agri-
culture shall establish a renewable energy program (in this 
section referred to as the ‘‘program’’) under which the 
Secretary may award grants to covered entities to facili-
tate projects, in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the 
United States, described in subsection (c). 
(b) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 
the program, a covered entity shall submit to the Sec-
retary an application at such time, in such form, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may require. 
(c) GRANT USES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A covered entity receiving a 
grant under the program may use grant funds for 
a project, in Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands of the 
United States— 
(A) to develop or construct a renewable en-
ergy system; 
(B) to carry out an activity to increase en-
ergy efficiency; 
(C) to develop or construct an energy stor-
age system or device for— 
(i) a system developed or constructed 
under subparagraph (A); or 
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(ii) an activity carried out under sub-
paragraph (B); 
(D) to develop or construct— 
(i) a smart grid; or 
(ii) a microgrid; or 
(E) to train residents of Puerto Rico or 
the Virgin Islands of the United States to de-
velop, construct, maintain, or operate a renew-
able energy system. 
(2) LIMITATION.—A covered entity receiving a 
grant under the program may not use grant funds 
to develop or construct a facility that generates elec-
tricity using energy derived from— 
(A) fossil fuels; or 
(B) nuclear power. 
(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of En-
ergy shall ensure that Department of Energy national lab-
oratories offer to provide technical assistance to each cov-
ered entity carrying out a project assisted with a grant 
under the program. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the es-
tablishment of the program, and on an annual basis there-
after, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report con-
taining— 
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(1) an estimate of the amount of funds dis-
bursed under the program; 
(2) an estimate of the energy conservation 
achieved as a result of the program; 
(3) a description of challenges encountered in 
implementing projects described in subsection (c)(1); 
and 
(4) recommendations as to additional legislative 
measures to increase the use of renewable energy in 
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United 
States, as appropriate. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this section. 
SEC. 3. GAO STUDY AND REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) STUDY AND REPORT.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall— 
(A) conduct a study regarding renewable 
energy and energy efficiency in Puerto Rico and 
the Virgin Islands of the United States; and 
(B) submit to Congress a report con-
taining— 
(i) the findings of the study; and 
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(ii) related recommendations. 
(2) COMPONENTS.—The study conducted under 
paragraph (1) shall consider, in relation to Puerto 
Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United States, 
the potential— 
(A) to modify existing electric power sys-
tems to use renewable energy sources; 
(B) to expand the use of microgrids; and 
(C) to improve energy resiliency. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000 to carry out this 
section. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act, the following definitions apply: 
(1) COVERED ENTITY.—The term ‘‘covered en-
tity’’ means a not-for-profit organization determined 
eligible by the Secretary of Agriculture for purposes 
of this Act. 
(2) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NATIONAL LAB-
ORATORIES.—The term ‘‘Department of Energy na-
tional laboratories’’ has the same meaning as the 
term ‘‘National Laboratory’’ under section 2 of the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801). 
(3) MICROGRID.—The term ‘‘microgrid’’ means 
an electric system— 
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(A) that serves the local community with a 
power generation and distribution system; and 
(B) that has the ability— 
(i) to disconnect from a traditional 
electric grid; and 
(ii) to operate autonomously when dis-
connected. 
(4) RENEWABLE ENERGY; RENEWABLE ENERGY 
SYSTEM.—The terms ‘‘renewable energy’’ and ‘‘re-
newable energy system’’ have the meanings given 
those terms in section 9001 of the Farm Security 
and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101). 
(5) SMART
GRID.—The term ‘‘smart grid’’ 
means an intelligent electric grid that uses digital 
communications technology, information systems, 
and automation to, while maintaining high system 
reliability— 
(A) detect and react to local changes in 
usage; 
(B) improve system operating efficiency; 
and 
(C) reduce spending costs. 
Æ 
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