Alternative Fueled Vehicles Competitiveness and Energy Security Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1001
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2011-05-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Appropriations
Commuting
Department of Energy
Electric power generation and transmission
Employment and training programs
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy research
Government lending and loan guarantees
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Infrastructure development
Manufacturing
Motor fuels
Oil and gas
Pipelines
Public-private cooperation
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Roads and highways
State and local government operations
Strategic materials and reserves
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-16
text: 
Alternative Fuel Vehicles Competitiveness and Energy Security Act of 2011 - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expand the types of innovative technology projects that are eligible for loan guarantees by including projects that reduce oil imports through the use of alternative fuel and projects that would produce and distribute alternative fuel or advanced biofuel. 
 
Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to: (1) redefine "advanced technology vehicle," for purposes of the advanced technology vehicles manufacturing incentive program, to include certain vehicles that will reduce consumption of conventional motor fuel by 25% or more compared to existing surface transportation technologies that perform a similar function; (2) repeal the limit on the amount of appropriations that may be used for direct loans under such program; and (3) extend funding through FY2016 for such program.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) assess the effectiveness of alternative fuel and alternative fuel vehicles in reducing oil imports; (2) provide technical assistance for the deployment of alternative fuel and alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure; and (3) award grants to provide training and education for vocational workforce development for the manufacture and maintenance of alternative fuel vehicles and the manufacture, installation, and inspection of alternative fuel recharging, refueling, and distribution infrastructure.
 
Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to: (1) redefine &quot;idle reduction technology&quot; to include a technology that uses an alternative fuel to reduce consumption of conventional fuel and environmental emissions; and (2) extend appropriations through FY2016 to reduce extended idling from heavy-duty vehicles and locomotives.
 
Requires the Secretary to identify barriers and remedies in electric and natural gas and oil pipeline transmission and distribution systems to the distribution of alternative fuels and the deployment of alternative fuel recharging and refueling capability at economically competitive costs for consumers.
 
Extends states' authority to allow inherently low-emission and energy-efficient vehicles to use high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. 
 
Requires the Secretary to support research, development, and demonstration of alternative fuel vehicles and charging and refueling technology that will: (1) allow the United States to meet or exceed the petroleum import reduction goals of this Act; (2) develop technologies that minimize life-cycle energy use in the production and distribution of alternative fuels; and (3) maintain U.S. technological leadership in alternative vehicle technology.
 
Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to store the quantity of crude oil and petroleum fuels imported into the United States each year from countries that are not signatories to North American Free Trade Agreement during an average 90-day period during the most recent year. Repeals the requirement that the Secretary fill the SPR to its one billion-barrel capacity.
 

action_date: 2011-09-06
text: 
Alternative Fueled Vehicles Competitiveness and Energy Security Act of 2011 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to include projects for infrastructure for provision and distribution of alternative fuels among the types of innovative technology projects that are eligible for loan guarantees. 
 
(Sec. 4) Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to redefine, for purposes of the advanced technology vehicles manufacturing incentive program: (1) "advanced technology vehicle" to include certain vehicles that will reduce consumption of conventional motor fuel by 25% or more compared to existing surface transportation technologies, unless the Secretary of Energy (DOE) determines that the percentage is not achievable for a vehicle type or class and that an alternative percentage will result in substantial reductions in motor fuel consumption; and (2) &quot;qualifying components&quot; to mean components or systems that are designed to improve fuel economy or substantially reduce consumption of conventional motor fuel or to contribute measurably to the overall improved fuel use of an advanced technology vehicle. Repeals the limit on the amount of appropriations that may be used for direct loans under such program and extends funding for such program through FY2016.
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop a methodology for calculating the equivalent volumes of conventional fuel displaced by use of each alternative fuel to assess the effectiveness of alternative fuel and alternative fueled vehicles in reducing oil imports; and (2) conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of alternative fuel and alternative fuel vehicles in reducing oil imports, including an assessment of the maximum feasible deployment of alternative fuel and alternative fueled vehicles by 2020 and 2030. 
 
(Sec. 6) Requires the Secretary to: (1) provide technical assistance to state, local, and tribal governments and speciifed public-private partnerships for the deployment of alternative fuel and alternative fueled vehicles and infrastructure; and (2) award grants to qualified institutions for programs to provide training and education for vocational workforce development for the manufacture and maintenance of alternative fueled vehicles and the manufacture, installation, support, and inspection of alternative fuel recharging, refueling, and distribution infrastructure. Authorizes appropriations for such technical assistance and workforce training for FY2012-FY2016.
 
(Sec. 8) Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to: (1) redefine &quot;idle reduction technology&quot; to include a technology that uses an alternative fuel to reduce conventional fuel consumption and environmental emissions, and (2) extend appropriations through FY2016 for the program to support deployment of idle reduction and energy conservation technologies to reduce extended idling from heavy-duty vehicles and locomotives. 
 
(Sec. 9) Requires the Secretary to identify barriers and remedies in electric and natural gas and oil pipeline transmission and distribution systems to the distribution of alternative fuels and the deployment of alternative fuel recharging and refueling capability at economically competitive costs for consumers. 
 
(Sec. 10) Repeals the termination date of provisions authorizing states to allow inherently low-emission and energy-efficient vehicles to use high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-06
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 152.
action_date: 2011-09-06
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 112-72.
action_date: 2011-09-06
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 112-72.
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-273.
action_date: 2011-05-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2995-2997)
action_date: 2011-05-16
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2994-2995)
action_date: 2011-05-16
text: Introduced in Senate