Climate Change Center and Clearinghouse Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5402
Sponsor: Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large]
Introduced: 2008-02-12 in the House
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Air pollution control
Alternative energy sources
Carbon dioxide
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Cost control
Electronic government information
Emissions trading
Energy
Energy efficiency
Environmental Protection
Executive reorganization
Fluorocarbons
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Green products
Income tax
Industrial pollution
Methane
Nitrogen oxides
Pollution control
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Rebates
Science, Technology, Communications
Small Business Administration
Small business
State taxation
Tax incentives
Taxation
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-12
text: 
Climate Change Center and Clearinghouse Act of 2008 - Amends the Small Business Act to establish: (1) the Office of Environment, Energy, and Climate Change within the Small Business Administration (SBA); and (2) the Climate Change Center and Clearinghouse within such Office.

Requires the Office to: (1) oversee and administer the Center; (2) promote energy efficiency efforts for, and efforts to reduce energy costs of, small businesses; and (3) oversee efforts by small businesses to develop renewable energy technologies.

 Requires the Center to: (1) provide information to small businesses on assessing and managing the impacts of climate change and on cost savings and revenue gains possible through carbon credit trading opportunities and federal and state renewable energy and energy efficiency tax relief programs, purchase incentives, and rebate programs; (2) ensure that such information is provided to small businesses on an accessible website and through nationwide workshops; (3) coordinate federal agency efforts to provide support to small businesses for the purpose of maintaining competitiveness while developing green products or services, implementing green business practices, or reducing pollution; (4) develop a baseline study that provides a broad analysis that aggregates small business energy consumption and emissions; (5) raise awareness among small businesses of the information, technical support, and network opportunities made available through the Energy Star Program to reduce energy waste and energy costs; (6) develop a carbon footprint website that contains information on how small business concerns can reduce their carbon footprint, links to other carbon footprint websites, and a calculator for obtaining an estimate of a small business's carbon emissions based on electricity usage, heating fuel usage, and fleet mileage; and (7) develop a marketing plan.

Directs: (1) the President to establish an interagency working group to establish goals and priorities for the Center and to provide for interagency coordination of Center activities; and (2) the Administrator of SBA to specify a detailed definition for the terms &quot;green products or services&quot; and &quot;green business practices.&quot;


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-12
text: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
action_date: 2008-02-12
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-02-12
text: Introduced in House