I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2245 
To establish the White House Council on Energy Transitions within the 
Executive Office of the President, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 26, 2021 
Mr. O’HALLERAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees 
on Transportation and Infrastructure, Financial Services, and Education 
and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish the White House Council on Energy Transitions 
within the Executive Office of the President, 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; FINDINGS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘National Energy Workforce and Providing Recovery Op-
portunities to Manage the Industry’s Shifting Economics 
Act’’ or the ‘‘NEW PROMISE Act’’. 
(b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that since 2010— 
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(1) the total output of coal-fired electric genera-
tion in the United States has declined 48 percent; 
(2) carbon capture, utilization, and storage 
technologies have continued to develop; 
(3) the downturn in coal-fired electric genera-
tion has led to a significant decrease in employment 
related to coal-fired electric generation, including at 
electric generating stations and mines; 
(4) in rural, economically distressed commu-
nities with significant coal-fired electric generation 
employment, the decrease in coal-fired electric gen-
eration has had negative impacts on covered net rev-
enues contributing to municipal operating budgets; 
(5) electric generation from the consumption of 
natural gas has increased 60 percent; and 
(6) electric generation from affordable renew-
able energy sources including solar, wind, geo-
thermal, and hydropower has increased. 
SEC. 2. WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL ON ENERGY TRANSITIONS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Executive Office of the President a White House Council 
on Energy Transitions. The Council shall be headed by 
a Director, who shall be appointed by the President by 
and with the advice and consent of the Senate. 
(b) DIRECTOR.— 
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(1) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Director shall be a 
person who, as a result of training, experience, and 
attainments, has the requisite skills, abilities, and 
knowledge to— 
(A) carry out the duties and functions of 
the position and Council set forth in this Act; 
and 
(B) formulate and recommend policies to 
assist workers and communities adversely dis-
rupted due to the downturn of employment as-
sociated with coal-fired electricity generation 
amidst the Nation’s transition to significantly 
reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the 
economy. 
(2) COMPENSATION.—The annual rate of pay 
for the Director shall be fixed by the President at 
a rate that may not exceed the annual rate of pay 
for level IV of the Executive Schedule. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) MEMBERS.—The Council shall be composed 
of the heads of the following: 
(A) The Department of Commerce. 
(B) The Department of Energy. 
(C) The Department of Labor. 
(D) The Department of the Treasury. 
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member, to carry out the duties of the member 
under this section. 
(d) DUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR.— 
(1) DATA ON IMPACTS OF CLOSURES.—The Di-
rector shall assess and publish, in a publicly avail-
able format and on the website of the Council, data 
on the economic and societal impacts of closures, oc-
curring on or after January 1, 2010, of covered elec-
tric generating stations, including associated mines 
(as applicable), on economically distressed commu-
nities, and communities the Director believes based 
on available information, may become economically 
distressed communities. 
(2) OUTREACH.—The Director shall conduct 
outreach activities— 
(A) to increase awareness of the technical, 
financial, and policy assistance resources of the 
Council, for economically distressed commu-
nities, and communities the Director believes, 
based on available information, may become 
economically distressed communities; and 
(B) to facilitate the establishment of, and 
otherwise support, Regional Transition Advisory 
Committees. 
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(3) REGIONAL TRANSITION ADVISORY COMMIT-
TEES.— 
(A) FACILITATION AND SUPPORT.—To the 
extent practicable, not later than 60 days upon 
receiving a request for assistance from an eco-
nomically distressed community, the Director 
shall provide technical assistance, and other as-
sistance the Director determines appropriate, to 
such community to facilitate the establishment 
by such community of a Regional Transition 
Advisory Committee and to otherwise support 
such Regional Transition Advisory Committee. 
(B) MEETINGS.—To the extent prac-
ticable, the Director shall meet with each Re-
gional Transition Advisory Committee at least 2 
times in the first full calendar year after the 
Committee is established, and at least once an-
nually thereafter. 
(C) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRANSITION 
PLANS.— 
(i) ASSISTANCE.—The Director may 
provide technical, policy, and financial as-
sistance to a Regional Transition Advisory 
Committee for developing, implementing, 
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assessing, and evaluating, an economic de-
velopment transition plan. 
(ii) INTERIM GOALS.—In carrying out 
subparagraph (A), the Director shall evalu-
ate any interim economic development 
transition goals that are voluntarily sub-
mitted to the Director prior to submission 
of an economic development transition plan 
by a Regional Transition Advisory Com-
mittee, and provide such Committee, with-
in 90 days of receipt, an evaluation and 
recommendations with respect to such in-
terim goals. 
(iii) CERTIFICATION OF COMMITMENT 
TO
SUBMIT
AND
IMPLEMENT
PLAN.—In 
order to receive financial assistance pursu-
ant to this subparagraph, the Director 
shall certify that a Regional Transition Ad-
visory Committee— 
(I) has or will submit to the Di-
rector an economic development tran-
sition plan that meets the criteria de-
scribed in section 3(c); and 
(II) has committed to begin im-
plementing such plan, including by 
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adhering to the metrics developed pur-
suant to section 3(c), not later than 
90 days after receiving a certification 
under clause (iv). 
(iv) CERTIFICATION
OF
PLAN.—Not 
later than 90 days after a Regional Transi-
tion Advisory Committee submits to the 
Director an economic development transi-
tion plan, the Director shall provide to the 
Regional Transition Advisory Committee— 
(I) a certification of such eco-
nomic development transition plan; or 
(II) recommendations, consistent 
with the criteria described in section 
3(c), to improve the economic develop-
ment transition plan. 
(v) BIANNUAL
REVIEW.—Not later 
than every 2 years after the date in which 
the first economic development transition 
plan is submitted by a Regional Transition 
Advisory Committee and certified by the 
Director under clause (iv), the Director 
shall conduct periodic outreach to such Re-
gional Transition Advisory Committee to 
review and assist in the revision of such 
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economic development transition plan as 
necessary. 
(4) COAL
COMMUNITY
RESOURCE
CLEARING-
HOUSE.— 
(A) MAINTENANCE.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Director shall publish, maintain, and make 
publicly available a clearinghouse, to be known 
as the Coal Community Resource Clearing-
house, on the website of the Council for the 
purpose of increasing awareness of Federal and 
State programs, grants, loans, loan guarantees, 
and other assistance resources the Director de-
termines will assist economic development ac-
tivities in economically distressed communities. 
(B) PERIODIC UPDATES.—In maintaining 
the Clearinghouse, the Director shall, not less 
than once per calendar year, update the Clear-
inghouse to address changes to the needs of 
economically distressed communities, as deter-
mined appropriate by the Director. 
(5) GRANT SPECIALISTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall es-
tablish within the Council a team of grant spe-
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cialists (referred to in this paragraph as the 
‘‘team’’) that shall— 
(i) to the extent practicable, not later 
than 90 days upon receiving a request for 
assistance from a local government rep-
resenting an economically distressed com-
munity, conduct a visit to the economically 
distressed community to survey the rel-
evant assets and evaluate the requisite 
needs of the economically distressed com-
munity in order to fulfill the goals of the 
economic development transition plan, if 
applicable; 
(ii) assist in soliciting applications 
from economically distressed communities 
for financial and technical assistance re-
sources identified in the Coal Community 
Resource Clearinghouse; and 
(iii) provide technical assistance to 
economically distressed communities with 
applications for resources described in 
clause (ii). 
(B) TEAM POSITIONS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall 
ensure that the team is comprised of the 
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number of grant specialists necessary to 
assist each economically distressed commu-
nity on an individual basis. 
(ii) FILLING OF VACANCY.—A vacant 
position on the team shall be filled not 
later than 90 days after the date on which 
the position becomes vacant. 
(iii) 
COLLABORATION.—The 
team 
shall collaborate with other Federal and 
State agencies that implement programs 
aimed at supporting economically dis-
tressed communities. 
(e) MEETINGS.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and at least four time 
annually thereafter, the Council shall convene a meeting 
of the Council. At such meetings— 
(1) each member of the Council shall share in-
formation regarding the efforts of the members’s de-
partment, agency, or office to support through tech-
nical assistance, or other policy or financial assist-
ance the Director determines appropriate, the devel-
opment and implementation of economic develop-
ment transitions plans by Regional Transition Advi-
sory Committees; 
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(2) the Council shall evaluate progress, as nec-
essary, of economic development transition plan 
goals; 
(3) the Council shall discuss methods to iden-
tify and disseminate information to Regional Transi-
tion Advisory Committees on best practices to con-
sider in developing economic development transition 
plans; and 
(4) the Council shall discuss such other matters 
as the Director determines are essential to the 
Council providing support to the economic transition 
efforts of dislocated workers and local communities. 
(f) ADMINISTRATION.—To the extent permitted by 
law and subject to the amounts made available for such 
purpose, the Director (or staff designated by the Director) 
shall provide to the Council administrative support serv-
ices and additional resources, as appropriate. The Director 
shall determine the amount of funding and personnel each 
department, agency, or office represented on the Council 
should contribute in order for the Council to carry out 
such duties. Such department, agency, or office, shall, 
upon the request of the Director, make available to the 
Council personnel, administrative support services, and in-
formation. 
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(g) TRANSPARENCY.—The Director shall make avail-
able to the public, on a regular basis on the website of 
the Council and through open meetings, information re-
garding the activities of the Council and minutes from 
meetings of the Council under subsection (e). 
(h) ADVISORY BODY.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Council may estab-
lish an advisory body to advise and provide rec-
ommendations to the Council regarding the execu-
tion of its duties and, as necessary and with the ap-
proval of the Director, to support the development of 
economic development transition plans submitted by 
Regional Transition Advisory Committees under sec-
tion 3. 
(2) COMPOSITION.—The advisory body estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall, to the maximum 
extent practicable, be comprised of— 
(A) at least 2 representatives from a union 
or labor organization representing workers of 
covered electric generating stations, or associ-
ated mines; 
(B) at least 2 representatives from an elec-
tric utility organization with demonstrated ex-
perience providing workforce transition support 
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to workers associated with the generation of 
electricity from coal; 
(C) at least 2 representatives from an in-
stitution of higher education with demonstrated 
expertise in energy workforce disruption or 
labor development issues; 
(D) at least 2 representatives from an en-
vironmental organization with demonstrated ex-
pertise in energy workforce disruption or labor 
development issues; 
(E) at least 3 representatives from an eco-
nomic development authority of a State or In-
dian Tribe; 
(F) at least 3 representatives from an envi-
ronmental regulatory agency of a State or In-
dian Tribe; 
(G) at least 3 representatives who are serv-
ing as the Chief Executive Officer of a State; 
(H) at least 3 representatives who are rep-
resentatives of a Tribal government; and 
(I) any other representative the Director 
may designate. 
(3) DUTIES.— 
(A) PUBLIC OUTREACH.—Not later than 
90 days after the date of establishment of the 
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advisory body under this section, and at least 
twice annually thereafter and in coordination 
with the Director, the advisory body shall hold 
a public meeting in an economically distressed 
community for the purpose of— 
(i) soliciting feedback from the public, 
units of local government and Indian 
Tribes, and dislocated workers on concerns 
related to the closure, or imminent closure, 
of a covered electric generating station; 
and 
(ii) soliciting recommendations on ac-
tions the departments, agencies, and of-
fices represented on the Council may con-
sider to support the development and im-
plementation of economic development 
transition plans. 
(B) REPORTS.—Not later than 270 days 
after the first public meeting described in sub-
paragraph (A), and at least once annually 
thereafter, the advisory body shall submit to the 
Director a report providing— 
(i) a summary of recommendations 
approved by a simple majority of the mem-
bers of the Advisory Body on actions the 
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departments, agencies, and offices rep-
resented on the Council should take to bet-
ter support, through resources provided by 
the Council, the development and imple-
mentation of economic development transi-
tion plans; and 
(ii) an assessment of applicable poli-
cies or guidance of the departments, agen-
cies, and offices represented on the Council 
that the advisory body believes are barriers 
to a Regional Transition Advisory Com-
mittee fully implementing an economic de-
velopment transition plan. 
(C) RESPONSE.—The Director shall, with-
in 60 days of receipt of a report described in 
subparagraph (B), provide the advisory body a 
formal written response describing the Council’s 
findings on recommendations for potential ac-
tions described in such report. 
(4) FACA EXEMPTION.—Section 14 of the Fed-
eral Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall 
not apply to the advisory body established under this 
subsection. 
(i) REPORTS.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
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Director shall submit a report to the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress describing the activities carried out pur-
suant to this section. 
(j) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2035. 
SEC. 3. REGIONAL TRANSITION ADVISORY COMMITTEES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—An economically distressed com-
munity may establish a committee, to be known as a Re-
gional Transition Advisory Committee, to develop and im-
plement an economic development transition plan for the 
economically distressed community. 
(b) COMPOSITION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Each Regional Transition 
Advisory Committee established pursuant to this 
section shall include, to the extent practicable— 
(A) at least 1 representative from the 
union or labor organization representing work-
ers of the applicable covered electric generating 
station or associated mine; 
(B) at least 1 representative who is the 
Chief Executive Officer, or a designee thereof, 
of each applicable State where the economically 
distressed community is located; 
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(C) at least 1 representative from each im-
pacted local government; 
(D) at least 1 representative from each 
electric utility associated with an applicable cov-
ered electric generating station; 
(E) at least 1 representative from an eco-
nomic development agency; 
(F) at least 1 representative from an insti-
tution of higher education with demonstrated 
experience and expertise in energy workforce 
disruption or labor development issues; 
(G) at least 1 representative from an envi-
ronmental organization with demonstrated ex-
perience and expertise in energy workforce dis-
ruption or labor development issues; and 
(H) at least 1 representative who is the 
Chief Executive Officer (or a designee thereof) 
of an impacted Tribal government within an 
economically distressed community (as applica-
ble). 
(2) CHAIR; CO-CHAIRS.—Each Regional Transi-
tion Advisory Committee shall be led by a designee 
of an impacted local government within an economi-
cally distressed community, who shall serve as the 
Chair of the Committee. In the event multiple local 
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governments are impacted by a closure of a covered 
electric generating station within an economically 
distressed community, designees from each such im-
pacted local government shall serve as Co-Chairs of 
the Committee. 
(c) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRANSITION PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A Regional Transition Advi-
sory Committee may develop and implement an plan, 
to be known as an economic development transition 
plan. 
(2) CONTENTS.—An economic development 
transition plan shall include, at a minimum, the fol-
lowing: 
(A) STRATEGIC VISION.—A strategic vision 
that reflects the values, characteristics, and 
general economic needs of the applicable eco-
nomically distressed community to guide the de-
velopment and implementation of the economic 
development transition plan, such as— 
(i) geographic proximity to an urban 
area; 
(ii) socioeconomic attributes of the 
general workforce; and 
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(iii) such other characteristics the Re-
gional Transition Advisory Committee de-
termines are appropriate. 
(B) STEPS TO IMPLEMENT.—The steps a 
Regional Transition Advisory Committee will 
seek to implement in the applicable economi-
cally distressed community with the goals of, at 
a minimum— 
(i) increasing employment opportuni-
ties for dislocated workers, to the extent 
practicable, including jobs in energy-re-
lated industries; 
(ii) increasing educational opportuni-
ties, to the extent practicable, at institu-
tions of higher education or provided by 
labor organizations, for dislocated workers; 
and 
(iii) generating revenue, to be received 
by the applicable unit of local government 
or Indian Tribe, that is equal to or greater 
than the covered net revenue received by 
such unit of local government or Indian 
Tribe in the last full fiscal year in which 
the applicable covered electric generating 
station was operating. 
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(C) ASSESSMENT.—An assessment and de-
scription of— 
(i) available infrastructure, including 
a status on the condition of such infra-
structure, to support economic develop-
ment in the economically distressed com-
munity related to essential community 
services; 
(ii) the extent to which such environ-
mental restoration activities described in 
subparagraph (D)(iii) may prioritize the 
employment of dislocated workers pre-
viously employed at the covered electric 
generating station or associated mine to 
carry out such activities (to the extent 
practicable); 
(iii) types of industries or occupations 
located in or near the economically dis-
tressed community which dislocated work-
ers could likely transition to, including any 
available data on average wages and em-
ployment-related benefits associated for 
each occupation; 
(iv) covered net revenue losses in-
curred by the economically distressed com-
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munity in the preceding fiscal year, or pro-
jected covered net revenue losses likely to 
be incurred, as a result of the closure of a 
covered electric generation station (includ-
ing an associated mine), and the observed 
impact, or projected impact, such closure 
will impose on the provision of essential 
community services in the economically 
distressed community; 
(v) the potential for distributed or re-
newable energy resources to provide elec-
tricity to electric consumers residing in the 
applicable economically distressed commu-
nity; 
(vi) any disruptions experienced by 
dislocated workers in the economically dis-
tressed community in terms of— 
(I) real wages, calculated on a 
weekly average basis; 
(II) access to a health insurance 
policy previously available through an 
employer operating a covered electric 
generating station or associated mine; 
(III) earned benefits, including— 
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(aa) 
the 
retirement 
and 
health benefits for coal miners; 
or 
(bb) the United Mine Work-
ers of America Combined Benefit 
Fund established under section 
9702 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986; or 
(IV) benefits under any qualified 
employer plan (as defined in section 
72(p)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986); and 
(vii) available institutions of higher 
education or labor organizations in or near 
the applicable economically distressed com-
munity offering professional certification, 
technical training, apprenticeships, or edu-
cational instruction on jobs in energy-re-
lated industries. 
(D) TIMELINE.—A timeline, with bench-
marks to measure progress, to— 
(i) promote infrastructure investments 
to maintain or expand essential community 
services through available Federal, State, 
or local programs, or from the private sec-
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tor, in the applicable economically dis-
tressed community; 
(ii) mitigate or replace the loss of cov-
ered net revenue for the economically dis-
tressed community to a level necessary to 
continue provide essential services and sup-
port the goals of a comprehensive economic 
development transition plan; 
(iii) conduct environmental restoration 
activities with respect to any mines (in-
cluding surface mines, underground mines, 
or mine openings), coal ash ponds, and 
other coal mining operations directly asso-
ciated with a covered electric generating 
station that has ceased producing elec-
tricity, including any necessary decommis-
sioning activities at the site of the covered 
electric generating station; and 
(iv) increase technical training, pro-
fessional certification, apprenticeships, or 
educational instruction opportunities for 
dislocated workers at institutions of higher 
education or provided by labor organiza-
tions in or near the applicable economically 
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distressed community for jobs in energy-re-
lated industries. 
(3) METRICS.—A Regional Transition Advisory 
Committee shall, in consultation with the applicable 
economic development agency, develop measurable 
evaluation and performance metrics that the Re-
gional Transition Advisory Committee shall adhere 
to throughout the implementation of the economic 
development transition plan. 
SEC. 4. RURAL AND REMOTE COMMUNITIES ELECTRIFICA-
TION GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 609 of the Public Utility 
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 918c) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘or mu-
nicipality’’ and inserting ‘‘, municipality, or In-
dian Tribe’’; 
(B) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘10,000’’ 
and inserting ‘‘20,000’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) The term ‘economically distressed commu-
nity’ has the meaning given such term in section 8 
of the NEW PROMISE Act.’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
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(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘or the deployment of 
energy storage technologies’’ after ‘‘energy 
efficiency’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘or economically dis-
tressed communities’’ after ‘‘rural areas’’; 
and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end; 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘or economically dis-
tressed communities’’ after ‘‘rural areas’’; 
and 
(ii) by striking the period at the end 
and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) refurbishing, redeveloping, or repurposing 
electric generating facilities that primarily consume 
coal as a fuel source that have recently ceased oper-
ation, or will cease operation in the near future, for 
manufacturing, including manufacturing clean en-
ergy technologies or materials.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (d)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘$20,000,000’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$50,000,000’’; and 
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(B) by striking ‘‘2006 through 2012’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2022 through 2026’’. 
SEC. 5. ADVANCED NOTICE TO COMMUNITIES POTEN-
TIALLY IMPACTED BY CLOSURE OF AN ELEC-
TRIC 
GENERATING 
FACILITY 
THAT 
PRI-
MARILY 
CONSUMES 
COAL 
AS 
A 
FUEL 
SOURCE. 
(a) FEDERAL STANDARD.—Section 111(d) of the 
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
2621(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(20) ADVANCED NOTICE OF CLOSURE.— 
‘‘(A) Each electric utility shall provide to 
potentially impacted local governments and In-
dian Tribes (as applicable) a formal written no-
tice of any closure of an electric generating fa-
cility (including any generating unit thereof) of 
such electric utility that primarily consumes 
coal as a fuel source. 
‘‘(B) With respect to an electric utility for 
which a State regulatory authority has rate-
making authority, notice under subparagraph 
(A) shall be provided by such electric utility to 
local governments and Indian Tribes within 7 
days of submitting to the State regulatory au-
thority any similar notice. 
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‘‘(C) An electric utility providing a written 
notice under subparagraph (A) shall, to the 
maximum extent practicable, include in such 
notice— 
‘‘(i) a schedule describing the pro-
jected timeline— 
‘‘(I) for the closure, which shall, 
to maximum extent practicable, not 
occur prior to the date that is 3 years 
after the date of such notice, includ-
ing dates of any phases of closure; 
‘‘(II) for workforce transition ac-
tivities sponsored by the electric util-
ity for applicable employees of the 
electric utility, if applicable; and 
‘‘(III) for future reclamation ac-
tivities on the land of the electric gen-
erating facility (or generating unit 
thereof) that is closing; and 
‘‘(ii) a description of the extent to 
which the electric utility will prioritize the 
use of the incumbent workforce of the fa-
cility or associated mine in carrying out 
reclamation activities described in clause 
(i)(III). 
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‘‘(D) An electric utility providing a written 
notice under this subsection shall, within 7 days 
of obtaining new information that would refine, 
alter, or otherwise update any timeline de-
scribed in subparagraph (C), provide such up-
date in a new formal written notice to poten-
tially impacted local governments and Indian 
Tribes (as applicable).’’. 
(b) OBLIGATIONS TO CONSIDER AND DETERMINE.— 
(1) TIME LIMITATIONS.—Section 112(b) of the 
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 
U.S.C. 2622(b)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(7)(A) Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this paragraph, each State regu-
latory authority (with respect to each electric utility 
for which it has ratemaking authority) and each 
nonregulated electric utility shall commence the con-
sideration referred to in section 111, or set a hear-
ing date for consideration, with respect to the stand-
ard established by paragraph (20) of section 111(d). 
‘‘(B) Not later than 2 years after the date of 
the enactment of this paragraph, each State regu-
latory authority (with respect to each electric utility 
for which it has ratemaking authority), and each 
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nonregulated electric utility, shall complete the con-
sideration, and shall make the determination, re-
ferred to in section 111 with respect to the standard 
established by paragraph (20) of section 111(d).’’. 
(2) FAILURE TO COMPLY.—Section 112(c) of 
the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 
(16 U.S.C. 2622(c)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘subsection (b)(2)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘subsection (b)’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘In 
the case of the standard established by para-
graph (20) of section 111(d), the reference con-
tained in this subsection to the date of enact-
ment of this Act shall be deemed to be a ref-
erence to the date of enactment of such para-
graph (20).’’. 
(c) PRIOR STATE ACTIONS.—Section 112 of the Pub-
lic Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
20622) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) PRIOR STATE ACTIONS.—Subsections (b) and 
(c) of this section shall not apply to the standard estab-
lished by paragraph (20) of section 111(d) in the case of 
any electric utility in a State if, before the enactment of 
this subsection— 
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‘‘(1) the State has implemented for such utility 
the standard concerned (or a comparable standard); 
‘‘(2) the State regulatory authority for such 
State or relevant nonregulated electric utility has 
conducted a proceeding to consider implementation 
of the standard concerned (or a comparable stand-
ard) for such utility; or 
‘‘(3) the State legislature has voted on the im-
plementation of such standard (or a comparable 
standard) for such utility.’’. 
SEC. 6. WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT 
PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Labor, in consultation with the Director, shall establish 
a pilot program under section 169(c) of the Workforce In-
novation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3224(c)) to as-
sist dislocated workers in economically distressed commu-
nities. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—A dislocated worker shall be cer-
tified by the Secretary as eligible to participate in the pilot 
program under this section if— 
(1) the dislocated worker was, within the 60- 
month period prior to the date of enactment of this 
Act, employed in an occupation primarily associated 
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with the generation of electricity from coal as a fuel 
source; or 
(2) the Secretary determines, based on available 
information that a worker, or significant proportion 
of the workers’ employment site that primarily gen-
erates electricity from coal, including an associated 
mine, has become totally, partially, or are likely to 
be separated from employment. 
(c) AUTHORITY TO COLLECT INFORMATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, in de-
termining whether to certify a worker or group of 
workers under subsection (b), obtain information the 
Secretary determines to be necessary to make the 
certification from— 
(A) the employer of the worker or group of 
workers; 
(B) officials of certified or recognized labor 
organizations or other duly authorized rep-
resentatives of the group of workers; or 
(C) one-stop operators or one-stop partners 
(as defined in section 3 of the Workforce Inno-
vation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102)). 
(2) VERIFICATION OF INFORMATION.—The Sec-
retary shall require an employer, labor organization, 
or one-stop operator or partner to certify all infor-
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mation obtained under paragraph (1) from the em-
ployer, labor organization, or one-stop operator or 
partner (as the case may be) on which the Secretary 
relies in making a determination under subsection 
(b), unless the Secretary has reasonable basis for de-
termining that such information is accurate and 
complete without being certified. 
(d) CRITERIA.—In establishing the pilot program 
under this section, the Secretary of Labor and the Direc-
tor shall consider, in addition to other such criteria as the 
Secretary of Labor and the Director of the Council deter-
mine appropriate, the extent to which the pilot program 
will be able to provide dislocated workers in economically 
distressed communities education, employment search, or 
training opportunities to— 
(1) support entrepreneurship and small busi-
ness development; and 
(2) enter jobs in energy-related industries, with 
an emphasis on construction, engineering, manufac-
turing, or retro-fitting jobs for renewable energy, en-
ergy efficiency, carbon dioxide removal, or carbon 
capture, utilization, and storage projects. 
(e) CONSULTATION WITH STATE AND LOCAL PRO-
GRAMS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall consult with 
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