Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Date: 2008-09-10 00:00:00

Energy View Into Securing Independence for Our Nation Act  Requires the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to facilitate competitions to develop: (1) a direct drop-in replacement fuel for aviation; and (2) a prototype and manufacturing plan for alternative technology vehicles.Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to establish and operate an anti-idling power unit research program.Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify and set forth provisions concerning tax credits for clean renewable energy bonds, bi-fuel vehicle property, electricity produced from certain renewable resources, residential energy efficiency, and automobile efficiency upgrades in connection with a qualified trade-ins.Requires the Secretary to reestablish a federal contribution to the FutureGen project to develop carbon sequestration technology, build a near-zero emissions fossil fuel power plant, and identify useful applications for the emissions.Authorizes the appropriation of funds to the Secretary for Energy Frontier Research Centers for activities to accelerate the rate of scientific breakthroughs needed to create advanced energy technologies.Establishes: (1) the Energy View Into Securing Independence for Our Nation (VISION) Commission; and (2) the Energy VISION Fund to be used for the research and development of strategic unconventional fuels, solar and wind technology, renewable energy, innovative technology incentives, geothermal energy, and energy storage.Declares existing federal prohibitions against spending appropriated funds for leasing and preleasing Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and natural gas to be without force or effect. Revokes: (1) all withdrawals from leasing on federal submerged lands of the OCS; and (2) presidential authorities with respect to such leasing, except in the interest of national security.Amends of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to authorize a state governor to petition the Secretary of the Interior to issue leases for oil and natural gas exploration and extraction activities in any area that is at least 50 miles beyond the state's coastal zone. Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to deposit revenues from leasing operations into designated funds and accounts.Requires the Secretary of the Interior to establish a competitive oil and gas leasing program that will result in an environmentally sound program for the exploration, development, and production of the Coastal Plain's oil and gas resources. Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal a provision concerning the prohibition on leasing or other development leading to the production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to designate certain Coastal Plain lands as Special Areas requiring special management and regulatory protection, including the Sadlerochit Spring area. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to convey specified lands to the Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation and the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation.Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to use amounts in the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund to provide assistance to entities that are directly impacted by the exploration for or production of oil and gas on the Coastal Plain.Declaring a Change in our Operating System for the Promotion of Nuclear Energy Act  Amends the Atomic Energy Act to revise provisions concerning hearings and judicial review under such Act.Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to set forth provisions concerning standby loans for qualifying coal-to-liquid projects.