jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-02-27 00:00:00

(Sec. 2) Requires the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to:

 enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to make a comprehensive assessment of research on the implications of using mid-level ethanol blends, comparing mid-level ethanol blends to gasoline blends containing 10% and 0% ethanol; and report on assessment findings and whether the EPA Administrator agrees or disagrees with each of them. Defines a mid-level ethanol blend as an ethanol-gasoline blend containing greater than 10% and up to and including 20% ethanol by volume that is intended to be used in any conventional gasoline-powered onroad, nonroad, or marine engine, or onroad or nonroad vehicle.

Nullifies waivers granted under the Clean Air Act before the enactment of this Act that allow the introduction into commerce of mid-level ethanol blends for use in motor vehicles, and prohibits the Administrator from granting any new waivers until after the report is submitted.

Requires the assessment to include: (1) an evaluation of the environmental, safety, durability, and performance effects of the introduction of mid-level blends on onroad, nonroad, and marine engines, onroad and nonroad vehicles, and related equipment; and (2) an identification of areas of research, development, and testing necessary to ensure that existing motor fuel infrastructure is not adversely impacted by mid-level ethanol blends and to reduce the risk of misfueling by users at various points in the distribution and supply chain.

Requires the evaluation to review all available scientific evidence and identify gaps in understanding and research needs related to tailpipe emissions, evaporative emissions, engine and fuel system durability, onboard diagnostics, emissions inventory and other modeling effects, materials compatibility, operability and drivability, fuel efficiency, fuel economy, consumer education and satisfaction, cost-effectiveness for the consumer, catalyst durability, and durability of storage tanks, piping, and dispensers for retail.

(Sec. 3) Directs the Administrator to use certain funds made available to the EPA for science and technology, including research and development activities, to carry out this Act.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2013-02-28 00:00:00

Incentivizing Offshore Wind Power Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1)  allow a 30% tax credit for investment in a qualifying offshore wind facility (an offshore facility using wind to produce electricity), and (2) direct the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a qualifying credit for offshore wind facilities program to consider and award certifications for investments eligible for such a credit to qualifying offshore wind facility sponsors.

Requires the Secretary to review credits allocated under this Act periodically and authorizes the Secretary to make additional allocations and reallocations of such credits upon determining that: (1) the limit on the total amount of megawatt capacity for offshore facilities with respect to which credits may be allocated under the program has not been attained, or (2) scheduled placed-in-service dates of previously certified facilities have been significantly delayed and the applicant will not meet the required timeline.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2013-03-06 00:00:00

Forest Products Fairness Act of 2013 - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to include in the definition of "biobased product" forest products that meet biobased content requirements, notwithstanding the market share the product holds, the product's age, or whether the market for the product is new or emerging.

Defines "forest product" as a product made from materials derived from the practice of forestry or the management of growing timber, including: (1) pulp, paper, paperboard, pellets, and wood products; and (2) any recycled products derived from forest materials.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-03-13 00:00:00

Solar Energy Deployment Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to award competitive grants to state and local governments for the design, purchase, and installation of qualifying solar equipment on rooftops or parking structures owned by the state or local government.

Directs the Secretary, in determining grant recipients, to consider: (1) the speed with which solar energy systems can be deployed, (2) the total amount of solar energy to be deployed, (3) financial need, (4) the use of best practices to ensure maximum efficiency of deployed systems, and (5) the use of materials and components that are manufactured in the United States.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2013-03-19 00:00:00

Rural Energy Improvement Act - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 regarding the Rural Energy for America Program to: (1) extend the Program through FY2018, (2) create a tiered loan and grant application process that reflects project costs, and (3) prohibit requiring a second meter for on-farm residential portions of rural projects connected to the energy grid.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2013-03-21 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Exploring for Geothermal Energy on Federal Lands Act - (Sec. 2) Exempts geothermal exploration test projects from environmental impact statement requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) if the project:

 causes less than five acres of soil or vegetation disruption at the location of each well and no more than five additional acres of disruption during access or egress to the test site, is developed no deeper than 2,500 feet and less than eight inches in diameter, is developed in a manner that does not require off-road motorized access other than to and from the well site along an identified off-road route, is developed without construction of new roads other than upgrading of existing drainage crossings for safety purposes and with the use of rubber-tired digging or drilling equipment vehicles, is completed in less than 45 days, and requires the restoration of the project site within three years to approximately the condition that existed at the time the project began, unless the site is subsequently used as part of energy development on the lease. Requires a holder of a geothermal lease on federal land to notify the Department of the Interior within 30 days before the start of drilling under a geothermal exploration test project. Gives Interior 10 days to review a project and notify a leaseholder that the project is exempted from NEPA requirements or that project deficiencies preclude the exemption. Requires Interior to allow a leaseholder an opportunity to remedy any deficiencies before the date on which the leaseholder intended to start drilling.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-03-21 00:00:00

New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow an excise tax credit through 2018 for alternative fuels and fuel mixtures involving compressed or liquefied natural gas, (2) allow an income tax credit through 2018 for alternative fuel motor vehicles powered by compressed or liquefied natural gas and make Indian tribal governments eligible for such credit, (3) modify the tax credit percentage for alternative fuel vehicles fueled by natural gas or liquefied natural gas, (4) allow a new tax credit for the production of vehicles fueled by natural gas or liquefied natural gas, and (5) extend through 2018 the tax credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property expenditures for refueling property relating to compressed or liquefied natural gas and allow an increased credit for such property.

Requires the Secretary of Energy to provide funding to improve the performance, efficiency, and integration of natural gas powered motor vehicles and heavy-duty on-road vehicles. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to manufacturers of light and heavy duty natural gas vehicles for the development of engines that reduce emissions, improve performance and efficiency, and lower cost.

Expresses the sense of Congress that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should streamline the process for certification of natural gas vehicle retrofit kits to promote energy security and provide incentives to encourage and reward manufacturers who produce natural gas powered vehicles.

Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to allocate funds for vehicles that are repowered or converted to operate on an alternative fuel.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2013-03-21 00:00:00

Reducing Regulatory Obstacles to Wind Energy Production Act - Exempts projects determined by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or the Forest Service to be meteorological site testing and monitoring projects from environmental impact statement requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).

Defines a "meteorological site testing and monitoring project" as a project that is carried out on land administered by BLM or the Forest Service to test or monitor weather using towers or other devices, that is decommissioned within five years of its commencement, that provides meteorological information to such agencies, that causes less than one acre of soil or vegetation disruption at the location of each meteorological tower or other device and no more than five acres of soil or disruption within the proposed right-of-way for the project, and that is installed: (1) using existing access roads, (2) in a manner that does not require off-road motorized access other than one installation activity and one decommissioning activity along an identified off-road route approved by the BLM Director or the Chief of the Forest Service, (3) without construction of new roads other than upgrading of existing minor drainage crossings for safety purposes, and (4) without the use of digging or drilling equipment vehicles other than rubber-tired vehicles with gross weight ratings under 8,500 pounds.

Requires the BLM Director or Chief of the Forest Service: (1) to decide whether to issue a permit for such a project within 30 days after receiving an application for such permit; (2) during such period, to provide an opportunity for public comments and to consult with the heads of agencies that would be affected by issuance of the permit; and (3) to provide to the applicant reasons why an application is denied and an opportunity to remedy any deficiencies.

 Requires BLM and the Forest Service to treat the meteorological information provided under this Act as proprietary information and to protect it against disclosure.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2013-03-21 00:00:00

Advancing Offshore Wind Production Act - Exempts any project determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be an offshore meteorological site testing and monitoring project from environmental impact statement requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).

Defines an "offshore meteorological site testing and monitoring project" as a project that is administered by the Department of the Interior and carried out on or in the waters of the Outer Continental Shelf to test or monitor weather (including wind, tidal, current, and solar energy) using towers, buoys, or other temporary ocean infrastructure and that: (1) causes less than one acre of surface or seafloor disruption at the location of each meteorological tower or other device and no more than five acres of surface or seafloor disruption within the proposed area affected by the project (including hazards to navigation), (2) is decommissioned within five years of its commencement, and (3) provides meteorological information to the Secretary of the Interior.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) require that any applicant seeking to conduct an offshore meteorological site testing and monitoring project on the outer Continental Shelf obtain a permit and right of way; (2) determine whether to issue such a permit and right of way within 30 days after receiving an application; (3) provide an opportunity for submission of comments by the public; (4) consult with the Secretary of Defense (DOD), the Commandant of the Coast Guard, and the heads of other federal, state, and local agencies that would be affected by issuance of the permit and right of way; and (5) provide an applicant the opportunity to remedy deficiencies in an application that was denied.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-04-10 00:00:00

Renewable Fuel Standard Elimination Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) renewable fuel program.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-04-10 00:00:00

Renewable Fuel Standard Amendments Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to revise the renewable fuel program. Requires renewable fuel, beginning on January 1, 2014, to be advanced biofuel.

Revises the renewable fuel standards by: (1) decreasing the volume of renewable fuel that is required to be contained in gasoline sold or introduced into commerce in the United States in 2014 through 2022, and (2) revoking the separate advanced biofuel standard for those years.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2013-04-12 00:00:00

Make it in America: Create Clean Energy Manufacturing Jobs in America Act - Authorizes federal acquisition of, or the provision of federal funds to states for purchase of, only green technologies that are 85% manufactured in the United States from articles, materials, or supplies that are 85% grown, produced, or manufactured in the United States. Provides that such percentage shall be 50% in the first fiscal year after enactment and 60% in the second fiscal year.

Defines "green technologies" to mean renewable energy and energy efficiency products and services that: (1) reduce dependence on unreliable sources of energy by encouraging the use of sustainable biomass, wind, small-scale hydroelectric, solar, geothermal, and other renewable energy and energy efficiency products and services; and (2) use hybrid fossil-renewable energy systems.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit treating any facility originally placed in service after the enactment of this Act as a qualified facility for purposes of the renewable energy production and investment tax credits unless such facility is 85% manufactured in the United States from articles, materials, or supplies that are 85% grown, produced, or manufactured in the United States. Provides that such percentage shall be 50% for a facility placed in service during 2013, and 60% for a facility placed in service during 2014.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2013-05-14 00:00:00

Domestic Alternative Fuels Act of 2013 - Amends the Clean Air Act to revise the Renewable Fuel Program to: (1) provide that the applicable volume of renewable fuel required in transportation fuel sold or introduced into commerce in the United States for 2013 through 2022 shall apply in the aggregate to renewable fuel and domestic alternative fuel, and (2) define "domestic alternative fuel" as ethanol that is produced from natural gas and that is used to replace or reduce the quantity of petroleum present in a transportation fuel.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2013-05-15 00:00:00

Geothermal Production Expansion Act of 2013 - Amends competitive lease provisions of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to allow an area of qualified federal land (land that is otherwise available for leasing under that Act) that adjoins other land for which a qualified lessee holds a legal right to develop geothermal resources to be available for a noncompetitive lease to such lessee at fair market value per acre if: (1) the area of qualified federal land consists of not less than one acre and not more than 640 acres and is not already leased or nominated to be leased, (2) the qualified lessee has not previously received a noncompetitive lease in connection with the valid discovery for which data has been submitted, and (3) sufficient technical data prepared by a qualified geothermal professional has been submitted by the qualified lessee to the applicable federal land management agency that would lead individuals who are experienced in the subject matter to believe that there is a valid discovery of geothermal resources on the land and that such thermal feature extends into the adjoining areas.

Defines "fair market value per acre" as a dollar amount per acre that shall be: (1) equal to the market value per acre as determined by the Secretary of the Interior within 180 days after the Secretary receives an application for a lease, and (2) not less than the greater of 4 times the median amount paid per acre for all land leased under such Act during the preceding year or $50.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) publish a notice of any request for such a lease; (2) determine fair market value in accordance with procedures established by the Secretary; (3) provide to a qualified lessee and publish, with an opportunity for public comment for a period of 30 days, any proposed determination of the fair market value of the area the qualified lessee seeks to lease; and (4) provide the lessee and any adversely affected party an opportunity to appeal the final determination of fair market value in an administrative proceeding before the applicable federal land management agency. Prohibits the Secretary from accepting any nomination of land for leasing after publication of a notice of request to lease such land unless the request has been denied or withdrawn.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-06-04 00:00:00

State and Local Fleet Efficiency Act - Recognizes state or local government authority to require fleet owners or operators to acquire only new fleet vehicles that: (1) utilize natural gas as a fuel; (2) are flexible fuel vehicles that operate on gasoline, E85, and M85; or (3) meet a technology or performance-based characteristic that is commercially available.

Provides that nothing in this Act or any other provision of law shall limit the purchase requirement authority of a state or local government applicable to fleets operating primarily within the jurisdiction if the requirements further any policy regarding climate change, the control of air pollution, energy independence, or local economic benefits.

Defines "fleet" as a group of 20 or more light-duty motor vehicles, medium-duty motor vehicles, or heavy-duty motor vehicles carrying 14 or more passengers operating primarily in a metropolitan area with a population of more than 250,000 that are: (1) centrally dispatched; or (2) centrally fueled, or capable of being centrally fueled, and owned, operated, leased, or otherwise controlled by a governmental entity or other person meeting specified criteria.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2013-06-06 00:00:00

Rural Energy Investment Act of 2013 - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 regarding the biobased markets program to: (1) extend program funding through FY2018, (2) increase the number of categories of biobased products designated and individual biobased products eligible for preferred purchasing, and (3) provide for a program of biobased product education and promotion activities.

Amends the Rural Energy for America Program to: (1) extend Program funding through FY2018; (2) make nonprofit organizations eligible for assistance; (3) provide loan guarantees and grants to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy system purchases, with a tiered loan and grant application process that reflects project cost; and (4) permit the combined amount of a grant and a loan guarantee to cover all eligible activity costs.

Extends funding through FY2018 for: (1) biorefinery assistance, (2) the biodiesel fuel education program, (3) biomass research and development, (4) the Rural Energy Self-Sufficiency Initiative, (5) the biomass crop assistance program, (6) the forest biomass for energy program, (7) the community wood energy program, and (8) the feedstock flexibility program for bioenergy producers.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Education
Date: 2013-06-13 00:00:00

Grants for Renewable Energy Education for the Nation Act or GREEN Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to partnerships of local educational agencies (LEAs), postsecondary institutions, and clean and renewable energy industry representatives to develop programs of study focused on emerging careers and jobs in the fields of clean and renewable energy.

Requires a priority be given to grant applications that: (1) use online learning or other innovative methods to deliver a program of study to individuals outside the partnership, and (2) focus on low-performing students and special populations.

Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants to LEAs and postsecondary institutions to promote development of career and technical educational facilities that are energy efficient and use renewable energy practices.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2013-06-18 00:00:00

Renewable Chemicals Parity Act of 2013 - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to make biorefinery assistance available for renewable chemicals projects.

Defines "renewable chemical" as a monomer, polymer, plastic, formulated product, or chemical substance produced from renewable biomass.

Extends mandatory and discretionary funding for biorefinery assistance through FY2018.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2013-06-25 00:00:00

Renewable Energy Parity Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the energy tax credit to solar energy, fuel cell, microturbine, combined heat and power system, small wind energy, and thermal energy properties the construction of which begins before January 1, 2017.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2013-06-27 00:00:00

Prioritizing Energy Efficient Renewables Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the tax credit for producing electricity from wind, geothermal and solar energy, hydropower, and marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy facilities; (2) repeal the tax deduction for intangible drilling and development costs for oil and gas wells; (3) repeal the tax deduction for income attributable to the production, refining, transportation, or distribution of oil, natural gas, or any primary product thereof; and (4) repeal the percentage depletion allowance for oil and gas wells.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2013-07-17 00:00:00

Biomass Thermal Utilization Act of 2013 or the BTU Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for residential energy efficient property, to make qualified biomass fuel property expenditures eligible for such credit. Defines "qualified biomass fuel property expenditure" as an expenditure for property which uses the burning of biomass fuel (a plant-derived fuel available on a renewable or recurring basis) to heat a dwelling used as a residence, or to heat water for use in such dwelling, and which has a thermal efficiency rating of at least 75%.

Allows an energy tax credit until 2017 for investment in open-loop biomass heating property, including boilers or furnaces which operate at thermal output efficiencies of not less than 65% and provide thermal energy.