Freedom through Renewable Energy Expansion (FREE) Act

Bill: 110-hr-1133
Sponsor: Rep. Berkley, Shelley [D-NV-1]
Introduced: 2007-02-16 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Alaska
Alternative energy sources
Automobiles
Commerce
Condominium (Housing)
Conservation of natural resources
Continental shelf
Cooperative housing
Department of Transportation
Depletion allowances
Depreciation and amortization
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electric power production
Electric utilities
Elementary and secondary education
Energy conservation
Energy efficiency
Energy prices
Energy research
Energy supplies
Energy transportation
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to education
Fees
Fines (Penalties)
Fuel cells
Fuel consumption
Gas in submerged lands
Gas industry
Geology
Geophysical prediction
Geothermal resources
Government Operations and Politics
Government procurement
Gulf of Mexico
Housing and Community Development
Hydroelectric power
Income tax
Investment tax credit
Landfills
Law
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Methane
Natural gas
Nuclear power plants
Ocean energy resources
Oil and gas leases
Oil and gas royalties
Oil well drilling
Petroleum
Petroleum in submerged lands
Petroleum industry
Petroleum refineries
Petroleum reserves
Pipelines
Propane
Prospecting
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Refuse as fuel
School buildings
Science, Technology, Communications
Secondary recovery of gas
Secondary recovery of oil
Small business
Solar energy
Standards
Submarine oil well drilling
Subsidies
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Taxation
Transportation and Public Works
Water Resources Development
Wind power

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-16
text: 
Freedom through Renewable Energy Expansion (FREE) Act - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to repeal provisions regarding: (1) the next generation nuclear plant project; (2) standby support for certain nuclear plant delays; and (3) incentives for oil and gas production from federal lands. 
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to repeal: (1) the credit for production from advanced nuclear power facilities; (2) the election to expense certain refineries; (3) treatment of natural gas distribution lines as 15-year property; (4) treatment of natural gas gathering lines as seven-year property; (5) the rule for determining the small refiner exception to the oil depletion deduction; and (6) the amortization of geological and geophysical expenditures.
 
Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976 to repeal the suspension of: (1) offshore royalties pertaining to the Planning Areas offshore Alaska; and (2) the royalty with respect to the national petroleum reserve in Alaska.
 
Sets forth price thresholds for royalty suspension provisions affecting leases in Central and Western Gulf of Mexico. 
 
States that Congress reaffirms the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to vary, based on the price of production from an oil lease, the suspension of royalties (in effect, impose price thresholds for certain lease sales) under any lease subject to the Outer Continental Shelf Deep Water Royalty Relief Act.
 
Sets forth prerequisites for issuance of new leases in the Gulf of Mexico, and for lease transfers.
 
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish conservation of resources fees for federal oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico.
 
Amends federal transportation law to direct the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate certain average fuel economy standards for passenger automobiles manufactured after model year 2009.
 
Amends the IRC to extend the credit for: (1) renewable electricity production; (2) solar energy property, qualified fuel cell property, and geothermal property; and (3) residential energy efficient property.
 
Allows a tax credit for wind energy property installed in residences and businesses.
 
Authorizes appropriations for geothermal research.
 
Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to prescribe a federal renewable portfolio standard.
 
Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to revise certain federal energy purchase requirements.
 
Instructs the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program for local schools and school districts to promote the use of renewable energy sources in school facilities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2007-02-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.
action_date: 2007-02-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
action_date: 2007-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, Energy and Commerce, and Science 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.
action_date: 2007-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, Energy and Commerce, and Science 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.
action_date: 2007-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, Energy and Commerce, and Science 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.
action_date: 2007-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, Energy and Commerce, and Science 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.
action_date: 2007-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, Energy and Commerce, and Science 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.
action_date: 2007-02-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-02-16
text: Introduced in House