Title: Rebuilding Resilient Energy Systems Act of 2017
Policy area: Emergency Management

Summary:
Rebuilding Resilient Energy Systems Act of 2017
This bill permits amounts awarded under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for essential assistance, hazard mitigation, repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged facilities, federal assistance to individuals and households, and public assistance program alternative procedures to be used to build, repair, restore, reconstruct, or replace an energy system or building as a result of a major disaster or emergency designated by the President during calendar year 2017 in a manner that:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): (1) shall designate a representative to coordinate with private entities interested in donating energy system technologies and services for such purposes following a major disaster or emergency, (2) is encouraged to coordinate with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Homeland Security in designating such representative, and (3) is encouraged to consult with the Department of Defense (DOD) regarding DOD's experience in building resilient power systems.
Each National Laboratory, in coordination with DOE programs that provide assistance to states and industry, must make technical assistance available to federal, state, and local agencies and private entities interested in: (1) developing plans or providing guidance on the design of a resilient and efficient energy system or building; and (2) building, repairing, restoring, reconstructing, or replacing an energy system or building following a major disaster or emergency.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4251 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4251

       To promote the use of resilient energy systems to rebuild 
                  infrastructure following disasters.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 3, 2017

   Mr. Serrano (for himself, Miss Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico, Ms. 
  Velazquez, Mr. Gutierrez, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. 
  Soto, and Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology, 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 promote the use of resilient energy systems to rebuild 
                  infrastructure following disasters.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rebuilding Resilient Energy Systems 
Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Efficient.--The term ``efficient'' means, with respect 
        to a technology, product, material, equipment, or practice, the 
        use of the technology, product, material, equipment, or 
        practice in a manner that results in reduced energy consumption 
        or energy costs for the same level of service or a higher level 
        of service.
            (2) Resilient.--The term ``resilient'' means, with respect 
        to a system or a component of a system, the ability of the 
        system or component to adapt to a changing condition and 
        withstand and rapidly recover from a disruption.

SEC. 3. USE OF RESILIENT ENERGY SYSTEMS TO REBUILD FOLLOWING DISASTERS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any 
amounts awarded under sections 403, 404, 406, 408, and 428 of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5170b, 5170c, 5172, 5174, 5189f) may be used to build, repair, 
restore, reconstruct, or replace an energy system or building as a 
result of a major disaster or emergency designated by the President 
under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) during calendar year 2017 in a manner 
that--
            (1) is more resilient;
            (2) is more efficient;
            (3) provides continuous flow of power to facilities 
        critical to public health, safety, and welfare;
            (4) maximizes the use of clean energy resources and energy 
        storage technologies; and
            (5) promotes lower energy bills to the extent feasible.
    (b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in subsection (a) creates 
eligibility for assistance for any energy provider that is not 
otherwise eligible for assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
    (c) Coordination With Private Entities.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
        Management Agency shall designate a representative of the 
        Agency to coordinate with one or more private entities that are 
        interested in donating energy system technologies and services 
        to rebuild in accordance with subsection (a) following a major 
        disaster or emergency.
            (2) Coordination among agencies.--In carrying out paragraph 
        (1), the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
        Agency is encouraged to coordinate with the Secretary of Energy 
        and the Secretary of Homeland Security.
    (d) Technical Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, each National Laboratory (as defined in 
        section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801)), 
        in coordination with the programs of the Department of Energy 
        that provide assistance to States and industry, shall make 
        technical assistance available to Federal, State, and local 
        agencies and private entities that are interested in--
                    (A) developing plans or providing guidance on the 
                design of a resilient and efficient energy system or 
                building; and
                    (B) building, repairing, restoring, reconstructing, 
                or replacing an energy system or building in accordance 
                with subsection (a) following a major disaster or 
                emergency.
            (2) Consultation among agencies.--The Administrator of the 
        Federal Emergency Management Agency is encouraged to consult 
        with the Secretary of Defense regarding the experience of the 
        Department of Defense in building resilient power systems.
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