hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to provide for the safe and reliable interconnection of distributed resources and to provide for the examination of the effects of net metering.

Bill: 114-s-1219
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Electric power generation and transmission
Public utilities and utility rates
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 
This bill amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to define &quot;distributed resource&quot; as an electric power source connected directly to the distribution network or on the customer side of the meter.
 
State regulatory authorities shall by certain deadlines:
 
 
establish proceedings to examine the degree to which distributed resources contribute specified ancillary services, such as reactive supply, energy imbalance, and flexibility and ramping services, among others; 
 
prescribe measures to ensure adequate ancillary services so that grid interconnection for distributed resources is safe, reliable, and efficient;
 
examine the effects of net metering and customer-owned distributed generation on resource planning of each electric utility, and 
 
determine whether electricity rates established for net metering service are just and reasonable and not unduly preferential or discriminatory.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-14
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Energy Distribution Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1220
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Canada
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
International organizations and cooperation
Latin America
Mexico
Oil and gas

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 

Energy Distribution Act of 2015
 
 
This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to collaborate with other federal agencies to improve the conceptual development of energy security, considering at a minimum: 
 
 
 development of flexible, transparent, and competitive energy markets, including natural gas and oil markets; 
 
 diversification of energy fuels, sources, and routes; and 
 
 encouragement of indigenous sources of energy supply.
 
 
DOE must: (1) lead an interagency effort to improve and coordinate data collection and analytical and modeling capabilities for energy distribution on shared energy infrastructure; and (2) coordinate the training of, and enhanced dialogue among, technical staff in federal agencies responsible for cross-border energy projects evaluation and implementation.
 
 The Energy Information Administration must collaborate with officials in Canada and Mexico to improve:
 
 
the quality and transparency of North American energy data through reconciliation of data on energy trade flows among the U.S., Canada, and Mexico;
 
the extension of energy mapping capabilities in those countries; and
 
the development of common energy data terminology among the three nations. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-14
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Bulk-Power System Reliability Impact Statement Act

Bill: 114-s-1221
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Congressional oversight
Electric power generation and transmission
Government information and archives
Public utilities and utility rates

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 

Bulk-Power System Reliability Impact Statement Act 

 
This bill amends the Federal Power Act to require reliability coordinators registered with the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to report to certain congressional committees and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding: 
 
 
 the state of and prospects for the reliability and affordability of electricity within their respective geographic areas, and 
 
 the most significant risks to the reliability of the bulk-power system that might arise or need to be monitored within such geographic areas, including risks from proposed or final federal regulations.
 
 
FERC must: 
 
 
 solicit a reliability impact statement from the affected reliability coordinator within 15 days after a federal agency proposes a major rule that may significantly affect the reliable operation of the bulk-power system, and 
 
 transmit the coordinator's reliability impact statement to the head of the federal agency for inclusion in the public record. 
 
 
A reliability coordinator may also submit voluntarily a reliability impact statement for any proposed major federal rule that the coordinator determines would significantly affect the reliable operation of the bulk-power system within the coordinator's jurisdiction.
 
If a proposed rule subject to a reliability impact statement affects an area broader than the jurisdiction of a single reliability coordinator, the ERO must convene a committee of the affected reliability coordinators in order to produce a single statement that demonstrates for each affected area the reliability impact of the proposed rule. 
 
When issuing a proposed major rule subject to a reliability impact statement, the head of the federal agency must: 
 
 
 consider the reliability impact statement in issuing the proposed rule, and
 
 include in the final rule a detailed response to the reliability impact statement.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Continuity of Electric Capacity Resources Act

Bill: 114-s-1222
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Government information and archives
Public utilities and utility rates

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 
 
Continuity of Electric Capacity Resources Act 

 
This bill amends the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to notify transmission organizations that they must file an electric capacity resources report if they have a tariff on file that addresses the procurement of electric capacity resources. 
 
Report contents must: 
 
 
identify electric capacity resources available to the transmission organization; 
 
describe the fuel sources and operational characteristics of each electric capacity resource; 
 
evaluate the financial health, viability, and projected remaining years of service of these available electric capacity resources; and 
 
assess the current and projected reliability of the elements of the bulk-power system under the transmission organization's control.
 
 
Subsequent to this report, transmission organizations must also submit tariff amendments that would achieve specified objectives, including a diverse generation portfolio and the availability of transmission facilities and transmission support services that would provide a continuous supply of electricity for customers. 
 
The bill shields any person from liability for actions taken to comply with a FERC order for temporary connections and exchanges of facilities during war or an energy emergency.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Energy Loan Program Improvement Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1223
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Alternative and renewable resources
Appropriations
Department of Energy
Electric power generation and transmission
Executive agency funding and structure
Government lending and loan guarantees

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 

Energy Loan Program Improvement Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to repeal the condition of a full appropriation under which the Department of Energy (DOE) may make loan guarantees intended to serve as incentives for innovative technologies, but retains as the sole condition for the making of a guarantee that DOE has received from the borrower payment in full for the cost of the guarantee, and has deposited such payment into the Treasury.
 
Any reorganization, restructuring, or termination of a debt obligation, as well as the debt obligation itself (as under current law), may not be subordinate to other financing.
 
If DOE has not made a final decision 270 days after receipt of the loan application, the applicant may submit a loan status request, and may repeat such request every 90 days thereafter until the final decision is made. DOE must respond to such a request within 10 days after receiving it, summarizing any delaying factors and estimating the date the application review will be completed.
 
The temporary program for rapid deployment of renewable energy and electric power transmission projects is repealed, and the unobligated balance of amounts available to implement it are rescinded.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Condensate Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1224
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Government information and archives
Oil and gas
Strategic materials and reserves

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 

Condensate Act of 2015

 
This bill requires the Department of Energy to develop a standard definition of the term &quot;condensate&quot; and, subsequently, advise relevant federal agencies to adopt that definition in order to clarify U.S. energy policy. 
 
The Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy may assess the suitability of condensate separately from crude oil for use in strategic reserves. 
 
The Energy Information Administration must collect data concerning the chemical properties of domestically produced condensate and crude oil.
 
The Department of the Interior must assess condensate separately from crude oil.
 
The bill authorizes:

 
the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to estimate condensate separately from crude oil as part of the resource assessments regarding domestic geological formations, 
 
the Office of Natural Resources Revenue Data Collection to collect condensate data separately from crude oil, and 
 
the United States Geological Survey to include estimates of condensate separately from crude oil as part of the resource assessments regarding domestic geological formations. 
 
 
 Congress declares that processed condensate is a petroleum product.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Land Asset Inventory Reform Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1225
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Intergovernmental relations
Land use and conservation
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 

Federal Land Asset Inventory Reform Act of 2015 

 
 Directs the Department of the Interior to develop and maintain a current, accurate multipurpose cadastre of federal real property (an inventory of real property of the federal government) to assist with federal land management activities, including resource development and conservation, agricultural use, active forest management, environmental protection, and use of real property. Authorizes Interior to enter into cost-sharing agreements with states to include any nonfederal land in a state in such cadastre. Limits the federal share of any such agreement to 50% of the total cost to a state for the development of the cadastre of the nonfederal land in the state. 
 
Requires Interior to submit a report, covering all cadastres and inventories authorized, operated, or maintained by all executive agencies, on: (1) existing real property inventories or any components of any cadastre, (2) consolidation of inventories and components, (3) the use of existing inventories and components of any cadastre, (4) cost savings that will be achieved, and (5) recommendations for legislation. 
 
 Requires Interior to: (1) make the cadastre required under this Act available on the Internet in a graphically geoenabled and searchable format; (2) ensure that the inventory required under this Act includes the identification of all lands and parcels suitable for disposal by resource management plans conducted under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976; and (3) prevent the disclosure of the identity of any one or more parcels of land, buildings or facilities on the parcels or information related to those parcels, if this would impair or jeopardize national security or homeland defense.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-14
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
American Helium Production Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1226
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Oil and gas
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 

American Helium Production Act of 2015 

 
This bill amends the Mineral Leasing Act to permit the Department of the Interior to lease federal land for helium exploration, development, and production under substantially the same terms and conditions as federal land is leased for oil and gas exploration, development, and production. 
 
Any lease issued for gas exploration or development in effect grants the lessee a right of first refusal to engage in helium exploration and production on land subject to the lease under the Mineral Leasing Act as well as under the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands. 
 
The Department shall collect a $5,000 permit processing fee per application at the time the final decision is made whether to issue a permit to drill under a helium lease.
 
The Bureau of Land Management must prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement for an agencywide helium exploration and development program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to develop an implementation strategy to promote the development of hybrid micro-grid systems for isolated communities.

Bill: 114-s-1227
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy efficiency and conservation
Infrastructure development
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 
This bill requires the Department of Energy to develop an implementation strategy to promote the development of hybrid micro-grid systems for isolated communities, particularly communities exposed to extreme weather conditions and high costs of energy, including electricity, space heating and cooling, and transportation. 
 
A hybrid micro-grid system is a stand-alone electrical system composed of conventional generation and at least one alternative energy resource. 
 
Mandatory considerations in developing the strategy include:
 
 
 the potential for renewable resources, including wind, solar, and hydropower, to be integrated into a hybrid micro-grid system; 
 
the capacity of the local workforce to operate, maintain, and repair a hybrid micro-grid system; and
 
the need for basic infrastructure to develop, deploy, and sustain a hybrid micro-grid system.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-14
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
North American Energy Infrastructure Act

Bill: 114-s-1228
Sponsor: Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Alaska
Arizona
California
Canada
Congressional oversight
Department of Commerce
Department of Energy
Electric power generation and transmission
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Idaho
Latin America
Licensing and registrations
Maine
Mexico
Michigan
Minnesota
Montana
New Hampshire
New Mexico
New York State
North Dakota
Ohio
Oil and gas
Pennsylvania
Pipelines
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Texas
Trade restrictions
Vermont
Washington State

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 

North American Energy Infrastructure Act
 
 
Prohibits any person from constructing, connecting, operating, or maintaining a cross-border segment of an oil or natural gas pipeline or electric transmission facility at the national boundary of the United States for the import or export of oil, natural gas, or electricity to or from Canada or Mexico without obtaining a certificate of crossing under this Act. 
 
Requires the Department of State, with respect to oil pipelines, or the Department of Energy (DOE), with respect to electric transmission facilities, to issue a certificate of crossing for the cross-border segment within 120 days after final action is taken under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, unless it is not in U.S. public interest.
 
Directs DOE, as a condition of issuing a certificate, to require that the cross-border segment be constructed, connected, operated, or maintained consistent with specified policies and standards.
 
Amends the Natural Gas Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve within 30 days after receipt any application for the importation or exportation of natural gas to or from Canada or Mexico.
 
 Declares that no presidential permit shall be necessary for the construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of an oil or natural gas pipeline or electric transmission facility, including any cross-border segment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-14
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to submit a plan to implement recommendations to improve interactions between the Department of Energy and National Laboratories.

Bill: 114-s-1229
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Department of Energy
Energy research
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Research administration and funding
Research and development

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 
 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to submit to certain congressional committees a plan to implement recommendations made by the Commission to Review the Effectiveness of the National Energy Laboratories to improve interactions between DOE and its National Laboratories.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program under which the Director of the Bureau of Land Management shall enter into memoranda of understanding with States providing for State oversight of oil and gas productions activities.

Bill: 114-s-1230
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Intergovernmental relations
Land use and conservation
Oil and gas
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 
This bill requires the Department of the Interior, upon state request, to establish a program under which the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with a state to create consistent rules and processes for measurement of oil and gas production activities, inspection of meters or other measurement methodologies, and other operational activities. 
 
 To be eligible for this program, a state must administer oil and gas programs sufficient to fulfill BLM oversight and enforcement responsibilities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Strategic Petroleum Reserve Modernization Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1231
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Government studies and investigations
International organizations and cooperation
Oil and gas
Strategic materials and reserves

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: 

Strategic Petroleum Reserve Modernization Act of 2015

 
This bill directs the Department of Energy to: 
 
 
evaluate the international obligations that gave rise to the establishment and maintenance of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR); 
 
analyze changes in energy security infrastructure since the establishment of the SPR, including changes in the distribution infrastructure and the integrity of the salt caverns associated with the SPR; 
 
estimate the costs of completing deferred maintenance for the SPR;
 
estimate the costs of life extension spending for SPR infrastructure nearing the end of its design life; and 
 
 evaluate the size of the SPR as of the date of the study, based upon current and projected oil supply and demand.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-14
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate