Energy Policy Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-2095
Sponsor: Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM]
Introduced: 2004-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative fees
Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Advice and consent of the Senate
Affiliated corporations
Affordable housing
Agricultural wastes
Agriculture and Food
Air conditioning
Air pollution control
Air traffic
Aircraft
Alaska
Alcohol as fuel
Aliens
Alternative energy sources
American Samoa
Animals
Antitrust law
Apartment houses
Appellate courts
Appellate procedure
Archives
Arctic and polar regions
Arkansas
Armed Forces and National Security
Arsenic
Auditing
Authorization
Automobile engines
Automobile industry
Aviation fuels
Belgium
Bicycles
Bikeways
Biological research
Biological warfare
Biomass energy
Black colleges
Block grants
Bombings
Boundaries
Breeder reactors
Bridges
Building construction
Building laws
Building materials
Business records
Buy American
California
Canada
Capital gains tax
Capital investments
Capitol (Washington, D.C.)
Carbon cycle
Carbon dioxide
Caribbean area
Catalysis
Cellulose
Chemicals
Chemistry
Chief executive officers
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil actions and liability
Civil service retirement
Classified defense information
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Coal
Coal preparation
Coastal zone
Cogeneration of electric power and heat
Colorado
Commerce
Commercialization
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Community development
Competitive bidding
Compressed natural gas
Computer networks
Computer security measures
Computer software
Computers
Condominium (Housing)
Confidential communications
Conflict of interests
Congress
Congressional information resources
Congressional investigations
Congressional office buildings
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Conservation of natural resources
Construction costs
Consultants
Consumer cooperatives
Consumer education
Consumer protection
Continental shelf
Contracts
Cooperative housing
Corporate finance
Corporate mergers
Corporate reorganizations
Corporation directors
Corporation taxes
Cost accounting
Cost effectiveness
Cost of living adjustments
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal justice information
Dams
Data banks
Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
Department of Energy
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of the Interior
Department of the Treasury
Depletion allowances
Depreciation and amortization
Developing countries
Development credit institutions
Diesel motor
Directories
Disasters
Disciplining of employees
Discrimination in employment
Dislocated workers
Dismissal of employees
Distance education
Diversification in industry
Drug industry
EBB Terrorism
Easements
Economic concentration
Economic development
Economic surveys
Economics and Public Finance
Ecosystem management
Education
Electric appliances
Electric batteries
Electric power distribution
Electric power production
Electric power transmission
Electric utilities
Electric utility rates
Electric vehicles
Electronic government information
Elementary and secondary education
Emergency Management
Emergency communication systems
Eminent domain
Emissions trading
Employee ownership
Employee stock options
Employee training
Energy assistance for the poor
Energy conservation
Energy consumption
Energy crops
Energy demand
Energy development
Energy efficiency
Energy facilities
Energy industries
Energy prices
Energy research
Energy security
Energy shortages
Energy storage
Energy supplies
Energy transportation
Engineering
Engines
Environmental Protection
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental assessment
Environmental health
Environmental justice
Environmental research
Environmental technology
Equipment and supplies
Estuaries
Europe
Evidence (Law)
Excise tax
Executive Office of the President
Executive orders
Executive reorganization
Expatriation
Explosives
Export controls
Exports
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Trade Commission
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to Indians
Federal aid to air pollution control
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to housing
Federal aid to research
Federal aid to transportation
Federal aid to water pollution control
Federal employees
Federal installations
Federal office buildings
Federal officials
Federal-Indian relations
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Federally-guaranteed loans
Feedstock
Fees
Fiber optics
Finance and Financial Sector
Financial disclosure
Fines (Penalties)
Fingerprints
Fire prevention
Firearms
Firearms control
Fires
Fisheries
Fishery management
Fishing
Flood control
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign corporations
Forest fires
Fossil fuels
France
Fraud
Fuel cells
Fuel consumption
Futures trading
Gas companies
Gas in submerged lands
Gas pipelines
Gasoline
General Services Administration
Genetics
Geographic information systems
Geology
Geophysics
Geothermal resources
Germany
Gift tax

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Energy Policy Act of 2003 - Sets forth a program to spur diverse energy research and development including the following: (1) energy efficiency; (2) renewable energy; (3) oil and gas; (4) coal; (5) Indian energy; (6) nuclear matters and security; (7) vehicles and motor fuels, including ethanol; (8) hydrogen; (9) electricity; and (10) energy tax incentives. 
Amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to revise energy reduction goals and performance requirements for Federal buildings.
 
Institutes grant programs for low-income community energy efficiency and energy efficient public buildings.
 
Revises energy conservation standards for: (1) additional consumer products; (2) affordable housing and assisted housing; and (3) Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance incentives for energy efficient housing.
 
Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to prescribe incentive payments for renewable energy production facilities.
 
John Rishel Geothermal Steam Act Amendments of 2003 - Amends the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to revamp guidelines governing leasing and permitting for geothermal development of public and National Forest System lands, including those withdrawn for military purposes.
 
Amends the Federal Power Act to prescribe guidelines for hydroelectric licensing proposals for alternative conditions and requirements governing project works within a Federal reservation.
 
Instructs the Secretary of Energy to make incentive payments to promote hydroelectric production.
 
Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to make permanent: (1) the authority of the Secretary of Energy to operate the Strategic Petroleum Reserve; and (2) standby energy authorities governing the International Energy Program, including summer fill and fuel budgeting programs.
 
Sets forth a program of production incentives that includes: (1) oil and gas royalties in kind; (2) marginal property production; (3) natural gas production in the gulf of Mexico; and (4) oil and gas leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.
 
Directs the President to establish the Office of Federal Energy Project Coordination in the same manner and with the same mission as the White House Energy Projects Task Force established by specified Executive Order. 
 
Prescribes implementation guidelines for access to Federal land for: (1) oil and gas leasing; (2) expedited permits; (3) energy rights-of-way and corridors on public and Federal lands; (4) renewable energy on Federal land; and (5) electricity transmission line rights of way on public land.
 
Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act - Requires the President and the Secretaries of the Interior and of Energy to expedite the Federal decision-making process for access to Federal lands for energy projects.
 
Prescribes parameters for Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authorization of an Alaska natural gas transportation project and pipeline expansion following an expedited approval process.
 
Instructs the Secretary of Labor to award grants to train adult and dislocated workers in Alaska in the skills required to construct and operate an Alaska gas pipeline system.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to offer Federal loan guarantees to specified certificated entities for infrastructure projects.
 
Sets forth a Clean Coal Power Initiative campaign that includes grants to universities to establish Centers of Excellence for Energy Systems of the Future.
 
Authorizes Federal loan guarantees for designated coal gasification projects, including: (1) a loan to the owner of a specified experimental plant on such terms and conditions as the Secretary of Energy determines, including interest rates and upfront payments; (2) a coal gasification project that produces power in deregulated energy generation markets; and (3) a petroleum coke gasification polygeneration project.
 
Modifies statutory constraints governing Federal coal leases, including acreage limitations, mining plans, and advance royalty payments.
 
Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to direct the Secretary of Energy to implement a program to facilitate production and generation of coal-based power and the installation of pollution control equipment.
 
Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act of 2003 - Amends the Department of Energy Organization Act and the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to establish the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs to promote Indian tribal energy resource development through a program of grants and loans.
 
Price-Anderson Amendments Act of 2003 - Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to modify and extend indemnification authority and liability limits for Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensees and Department of Energy (DOE) contractors. 
 
Prohibits assumption by the United States Government of liability for certain foreign incidents.
 
Addresses general nuclear matters, including: (1) establishment of an NRC training and fellowship program for individuals with critical nuclear safety regulatory skills; (2) elimination of pension offset; (3) a DOE decommissioning pilot program; (4) uranium sales; (5) special demonstration projects for the uranium mining industry; (6) whistleblower protection prescriptions; (7) medical isotope production; (8) uranium enrichment facilities; and (9) the national uranium stockpile. 
 
Instructs the Secretary of Energy to establish an Advanced Reactor Hydrogen Co-Generation Project.
 
Prescribes implementation guidelines for a training program to respond to threats against designated nuclear facilities, including use of firearms by licensee security personnel and NRC certificate holders.
 
Sets forth a transportation fuels program that uses: (1) alternative fuels for dual-fueled vehicles; (2) fuel credits for medium and heavy duty dedicated vehicles; and (3) lease condensates.
 
Sets forth implementation guidelines for pilot programs that target: (1) alternative fueled vehicles; (2) fuel cell vehicles; (3) advanced vehicles; and (4) hybrid vehicles.
 
Instructs the Secretary of Energy, in partnership with the private sector, to conduct programs that address production of hydrogen from diverse energy sources.
 
Directs the President to establish an interagency task force on hydrogen fuel infrastructure for hydrogen-carrier fuels, including fleet transportation.
 
Directs the Secretary of Energy to implement Initiatives that target research, development, and commercial application in the following areas: (1) energy efficiency; (2) distributed energy and electric energy systems; (3) renewable energy; (4) nuclear energy; (5) fossil energy; (6) ultra-deepwater and unconventional natural gas, and other petroleum resource exploration and production; (7) science; and (8) energy and the environment (including international cooperation).
 
Electric Reliability Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal Power Act to grant FERC regulatory jurisdiction over an Electric Reliability Organization. Prescribes guidelines for electric reliability standards, including electric transmission infrastructure, operation and transmission rates.
 
Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to: (1) require electric utilities to make net metering and smart metering available upon consumer request; and (2) terminate mandatory purchase and sale requirements pertaining to cogeneration and small power production utilities.
 
Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2003 - Repeals the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935. 
 
Amends the Federal Power Act to: (1) direct FERC to promulgate market transparency rules governing sales of electric energy at wholesale in interstate commerce, or transmission services in interstate commerce; and (2) prohibit round trip trading.
 
Authorizes the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to issue rules that prohibit in the absence of consumer consent: (1) the change of selection of an electric utility (&quot;slamming&quot;); and (2) the sale of goods and services to an electric consumer (&quot;cramming&quot;). 
 
Mandates review of Federal agency review authorities over mergers to determine if duplicative authorities exist.
 
Revises Federal Power Act prescriptions governing electric utility mergers.
 
Energy Tax Incentives Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish energy tax credits in the following areas: (1) renewable electricity production; (2) alternative motor vehicles and fuels; (3) energy efficiency; (4) clean coal technologies; (5) oil and gas, including Alaska natural gas; and (6) electric utility restructuring. 
 
Prescribes tax treatment of tax shelters and corporate expatriation.
 
Amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to authorize Federal grants to rural and remote communities with specified electricity costs for improved electric generation, transmission, and distribution facilities. Provides royalty payment relief for offshore oil and gas production leases under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.
 
Amends the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 to change the composition, operation, and duties of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
 
Retains the effect of a specified Department of Energy Order regarding transmission security.
 
Extends the attainment date for certain downwind ozone nonattainment areas.
 
Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (Administrator) to establish criteria for safe and environmentally protective use of specified granular mine tailings.
 
Amends the Clean Air Act to direct the Administrator to promulgate regulations ensuring that domestic motor vehicle fuel consumption includes renewable fuel containing ethanol and other biomass components.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to make grants to provide assistance to merchant producers of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in making the transition from producing MTBE to producing other fuel additives. Authorizes the President to make a determination by 2014 that the prohibitions against the use of MTBE in motor vehicle fuel under this Act shall not take place and that the legal authority to prohibit its use in motor vehicle fuel shall become null and void.
 
Conditions the Administrator's approval of State fuel restrictions upon a finding that such restrictions will neither cause fuel supply or distribution interruptions nor have a significant adverse impact on fuel producibility. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to: (1) make loan guarantees for private sector construction of facilities for the processing and conversion of municipal solid waste and cellulosic biomass into fuel ethanol and other commercial byproducts; and (2) provide grants for construction of ethanol production facilities.
 
Underground Storage Tank Compliance Act of 2003 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to require the Administrator to distribute specified fund percentages from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund to States to pay costs incurred for regulation of underground storage tanks (USTs). Allows undistributed funds to be used for enforcing UST regulations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-06-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6302-6303)
action_date: 2004-04-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3732)
action_date: 2004-02-23
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 432.
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate