American Conservation and Clean Energy Independence Act

Bill: 111-hr-2227
Sponsor: Rep. Murphy, Tim [R-PA-18]
Introduced: 2009-05-04 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advanced technology and technological innovations
Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Building construction
Buy American requirements
Coal
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy assistance for the poor and aged
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy research
Energy revenues and royalties
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental technology
Federal appellate courts
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Gulf of Mexico
Housing industry and standards
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Industrial facilities
Infrastructure development
Intergovernmental relations
Judicial review and appeals
Jurisdiction and venue
Legal fees and court costs
Licensing and registrations
Lighting and heating
Lighting, heating, cooling
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Military operations and strategy
Motor fuels
Motor vehicles
Oil and gas
Pipelines
Postal service
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Public contracts and procurement
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Roads and highways
Securities
State and local finance
State and local government operations
Strategic materials and reserves
Trade agreements and negotiations
U.S. Postal Service
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: 
American Conservation and Clean Energy Independence Act - Deems the Draft Proposed Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program 2010-2015 issued by the Secretary of the Interior to be approved as a final oil and gas leasing program under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. Deems the Secretary to have issued a final environmental impact statement for the Program under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) conduct a lease sale in each outer Continental Shelf (OCS) planning area for which there is a commercial interest in purchasing federal oil and gas production leases; (2) prepare an inventory of U.S. offshore energy resources; and (3) promulgate regulations concerning the production of oil or gas resources of the OCS, including regulating the installation of surface facilities, mitigating the impact of such facilities on coastal vistas, and allowing onshore facilities to draw upon such resources that are within 10 miles of shore.
 
Extends from 3 geographical miles to 12 nautical miles a coastal state's allowable seaward boundary.
 
Repeals the moratorium on oil and gas leasing in: (1) any area east of the Military Mission Line in the Gulf of Mexico; (2) any area in the Eastern Planning Area that is within 125 miles of the Florida coastline; and (3) specified areas within the Central Planning Area and within 100 miles of the Florida coastline. 
 
 
Specifies revenue sharing percentages for sums received from leasing offshore pursuant to this Act, including 30% for producing states.
 
Gives the President authority to waive requirements relating to the approval of oil and natural gas activity deemed to be important to national interests.
 
Amends the Clean Air Act to: (1) revise the definition of &quot;renewable biomass&quot; to include trees, tree residue, and slash and pre-commercial thinnings that are from forestlands on public lands; and (2) require new source review regulations to provide that routine maintenance and repair do not constitute a modification of an existing source.
 
Repeals provisions prohibiting any federal agency from entering into a contract for procurement of an alternative or synthetic fuel for any mobility-related use, other than for research or testing, unless the contract specifies that the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production and combustion of the fuel must be less than or equal to such emissions from the equivalent conventional fuel.
 
Requires the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to: (1) implement a grant and loan program for the construction or modernization of coal fired generation units to enable use of technology to reduce greenhouse gases; (2) publish a plan to exchange a specified amount of light grade petroleum from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for heavy grade petroleum plus additional cash bonus bids that reflect the difference in market value; and (3) set aside net proceeds from such exchange for the Energy Independence and Security Fund (to be established by this Act). Provides for Fund allocations to the Energy Transformation Acceleration Fund, specified Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy accounts, the Weatherization Assistance Program, specified Fossil Energy Research and Development accounts, the Basic Energy Sciences account.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2018 tax credits for energy conservation and production, including credits for producing electricity from renewable resources, alternative fuel vehicles and refueling property expenditures, residential energy efficiency and solar energy and fuel cell property expenditures, investment in clean renewable energy bonds, and biodiesel and renewable diesel used as fuel; (2) extend through 2018 the tax deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings; (3) extend through 2014 the tax credit for medium and heavy-duty hybrid vehicles; (4) extend through 2018 the tax credit for plug-in electric drive motor vehicles; and (5) allow a new tax credit for the purchase of a motor vehicle identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the most efficient vehicle in its class.
 
Sets forth provisions concerning the use of electric drive vehicles. Requires that at least 10% of the federal fleet be plug-in electric drive vehicles by FY2012, with such percentage increasing by at least 5% (up to 50%) each fiscal year. Directs states to permit light-duty plug-in electric drive vehicles to use HOV lanes. Directs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) provide grants to assist local governments in the installation of recharging facilities for electric drive vehicles; and (2) guarantee loans for any purchaser of at least 5,000 battery systems that use advanced battery technology.
 
Includes innovative low-carbon technology projects as projects eligible for loan guarantees made by the Secretary of Energy for innovative technologies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-09-09
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2009-08-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy.
action_date: 2009-08-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
action_date: 2009-06-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.
action_date: 2009-05-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2009-05-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H5312)
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Referred to House Judiciary
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Referred to House Rules
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Referred to House Budget
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Referred to House Education and Labor
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Referred to House Science and Technology
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Referred to House Ways and Means
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Referred to House Energy and Commerce
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Labor, the Budget, Rules, and the Judiciary, 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: 2009-05-04
text: Referred to House Natural Resources
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Introduced in House