AGILE Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2657
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2019-10-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Caribbean area
Congressional oversight
Department of the Interior
Economic development
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy prices
Energy research
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Executive agency funding and structure
Forests, forestry, trees
Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Lighting, heating, cooling
Mining
Oil and gas
Public-private cooperation
Puerto Rico
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Technology transfer and commercialization

Summary:
action_date: 2019-10-22
text: 

Advanced Geothermal Innovation Leadership Act of 2019 or the AGILE Act of 2019

 
This bill provides support for research and development of geothermal energy, including enhanced (i.e., engineered) geothermal systems.
 
The bill reauthorizes through FY2024 funding to the Department of Energy (DOE) for (1) a research and development program for geothermal energy, and (2) a grant program for geothermal development in places with high utility prices.
 
In addition, the bill directs DOE to
 
 
support an initiative to adapt technologies from the oil and gas sector for use in geothermal energy development;
 
support within the Geothermal Technologies Office a program of research, development, and demonstration in the secondary use of geothermal energy other than for electricity, direct use, or geothermal exchange heat pumps; 
 
 carry out a competition that awards prizes for demonstrating the coproduction of critical minerals and geothermal energy; and
 
support two Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy sites.
 
 
This bill revises requirements governing the amount of renewable energy that the federal government must purchase. Specifically, the bill allows thermal energy and waste heat resources to qualify as renewable energy under the federal renewable energy purchase requirement.
 
The Department of the Interior must establish a Geothermal Energy Permitting Coordination Program. Under the program, Interior must increase the expertise of officials administering and approving permits in order to improve coordination and reduce timelines for reviewing permits for geothermal energy projects on federal land.
 
The U.S. Geological Survey must update its U.S. geothermal resource assessment.

action_date: 2019-12-17
text: 

Advanced Geothermal Innovation Leadership Act of 2019 or the AGILE Act of 2019

 
This bill provides support for research and development of geothermal energy, including enhanced (i.e., engineered) geothermal systems.
 
The bill reauthorizes through FY2024 funding to the Department of Energy (DOE) for (1) a research and development program for geothermal energy, and (2) a grant program for geothermal development in places with high utility prices.
 
In addition, the bill directs DOE to
 
 
support an initiative to adapt technologies from the oil and gas sector for use in geothermal energy development; 
support within the Geothermal Technologies Office a program of research, development, and demonstration for geothermal heat pumps and the direct use of geothermal energy; 
carry out a competition that awards prizes for demonstrating the coproduction of critical minerals and geothermal energy; 
establish and operate a voluntary, industry-wide repository of geothermal drilling information to lower the cost of future geothermal drilling; and 
support two Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy sites.
 
 
This bill revises requirements governing the amount of renewable energy that the federal government must purchase. Specifically, the bill allows thermal energy to qualify as renewable energy under the federal renewable energy purchase requirement.
 
The Department of the Interior must establish a Geothermal Energy Permitting Coordination Program. Under the program, Interior must increase the expertise of officials administering and approving permits in order to improve coordination and reduce timelines for reviewing permits for geothermal energy projects on federal land.
 
In addition, Interior must establish national goals for geothermal energy capacity on public land. The Bureau of Land Management must take necessary actions to facilitate geothermal energy development. The bill sets forth requirements concerning (1) the production of geothermal energy on federal lands that are producing oil or gas under an existing lease, and (2) drilling projects to test or explore for geothermal resources.
 
The U.S. Geological Survey must update its U.S. geothermal resource assessment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-03-10
text: Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S1643-1644)
action_date: 2020-03-09
text: Motion by Senator McConnell to reconsider the vote by which cloture on S. 2657 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 68) entered in Senate.
action_date: 2020-03-09
text: Cloture on the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 15 - 73. Record Vote Number: 68. (CR S1619)
action_date: 2020-03-09
text: Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S1615-1620)
action_date: 2020-03-05
text: Cloture motion on the measure presented in Senate. (CR S1614)
action_date: 2020-03-05
text: Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S1511-1514, S1522-1582, S1586-1587, S1591)
action_date: 2020-03-04
text: The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2020-03-04
text: Measure laid before Senate by motion. (consideration: CR S1452-1458, S1565-1568)
action_date: 2020-03-04
text: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 90 - 4. Record Vote Number: 64. (consideration: CR S1450-1452)
action_date: 2020-03-04
text: Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S1450)
action_date: 2020-03-03
text: Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S1274)
action_date: 2020-03-02
text: Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 84 - 3. Record Vote Number: 63. (CR S1246)
action_date: 2020-03-02
text: Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S1239)
action_date: 2020-02-27
text: Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S1173)
action_date: 2020-02-27
text: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (CR S1173)
action_date: 2020-01-07
text: By Senator Murkowski from Committee on Energy and Natural Resources filed written report. Report No. 116-197.
action_date: 2020-01-07
text: By Senator Murkowski from Committee on Energy and Natural Resources filed written report. Report No. 116-197.
action_date: 2019-12-17
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 357.
action_date: 2019-12-17
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2019-12-17
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2019-11-19
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2019-11-06
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 116-344.
action_date: 2019-10-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2019-10-22
text: Introduced in Senate