Energy Transition Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3222
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2008-06-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Air pollution control
Alaska
Alternative energy sources
Animals
Aviation fuels
Biomass energy
Coal
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Continental shelf
Economics and Public Finance
Energy conservation
Energy development
Energy efficiency
Energy research
Energy security
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Export controls
Federal-Indian relations
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Fuel
Gas in submerged lands
Gasoline
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Heating
Impact aid
Imports
Law
Licenses
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Minorities
Natural gas reserves
Oil and gas leases
Oil and gas royalties
Oil shales
Oil well drilling
Petroleum in submerged lands
Petroleum refineries
Pipelines
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Research and development
Service stations
Strategic planning
Transportation and Public Works
Wildlife refuges

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-27
text: 
Energy Transition Act of 2008 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to modify requirements governing publication and uses of projected state lines on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
 
Authorizes a state governor to petition the Secretary of Energy to make available for oil and gas leasing any moratorium area within the offshore administrative boundaries beyond the submerged land of a state that is located greater than 50 miles from the state coastline (new producing areas).
 

 

 

 
Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) to repeal the prohibition against producing oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Sets forth an oil and gas leasing program for the Alaskan Coastal Plain, including the Refuge.
 

 
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, to: (1) designate specified acreage of the Coastal Plain as special areas; (2) exclude from leasing or surface occupancy any such special area; and (3) permit the use of horizontal drilling technology into such areas from the outside.
 

 
Requires the state of Alaska to establish the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund.
 
Prohibits exportation of oil or gas produced from leases granted under this Act.
 
Allocates revenues among the Energy Independence Fund (established by this Act), the state of Alaska, and the Secretary of the Treasury.
 
Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), upon request, to enter into a permitting agreement with a state or Indian tribe under a streamlined approval process for refinery construction and operation.
 
Amends the Clean Air Act with respect to renewable biomass.
 
Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to repeal EPA authority to waive specified prohibitions against certain fuels or fuel additives.
 
Clean-Coal-Derived Fuels for Energy Security Act of 2008 - Directs the President to promulgate regulations to ensure that aviation fuel, motor vehicle fuel, home heating oil, and boiler fuel sold or introduced into commerce in the United States contains the applicable volume of clean coal-derived fuel. 
 
Exempts small refineries from compliance with such regulations until 2018, unless the President extends such exemption if compliance would impose a disproportionate economic hardship.
 

 
Amends the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008 to repeal the prohibition against final regulations for the commercial leasing program for oil shale resources on public land.
 
Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to require the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey to increase activities relating to the Energy Resources Program and other resource assessment activities related to domestic oil and natural gas reserves.
 
Establishes the Energy Independence Fund.
 
Instructs the Secretary of Energy to develop and report to Congress a strategic and comprehensive plan to eliminate all foreign imports of oil from countries outside of North America by 2028.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-06-27
text: Introduced in Senate