jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Energy
Date: 2009-09-24 00:00:00

Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration (WECHAR) Act of 2009 - Requires the Director of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct resources assessments that collect and synthesize interagency and state data to quantify: (1) invasive plant species and excess biomass (plant matter targeted for removal from public land to promote ecosystem health) in the form of dangerous fuel loads on public land that can be used for feedstock (plant matter or materials that serve as the raw material for the production of biochar and bioenergy); (2) estimated carbon content in that feedstock; (3) estimated potential biochar (charcoal or black carbon derived from organic matter through pyrolysis) and bioenergy (hydrocarbons derived from organic matter through pyrolysis) producible from that feedstock; and (4) potential water savings resulting from removal of invasive plant species and excess biomass on public land, by watershed. Directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to each: (1) establish a program to provide guarantees of loans by private institutions to develop and optimize commercially and technologically viable biochar production units, to produce, respectively, four and two units for deployment to remote landscapes, and for the construction or acquisition of biochar production facilities, provided the loan applicants will be dedicated primarily to contract restoration work with the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, or Forest Service using pinyon pine and juniper feedstock in the Great Basin, tamarisk feedstock in the Mojave Desert, or excess biomass feedstock, such as trees killed by bark beetle infestations in the Intermountain West; and (2) initiate three-year programs to employ such biochar production units in pilot applications in various U.S. climates and ecosystems. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide competitive grants to conduct research and analysis: (1) to identify attributes and composition profiles of biochar and bioenergy for various uses; (2) to identify potential uses and markets for biochar and bioenergy; (3) relating to environmental benefits and impacts of biochar and bioenergy use; and (4) regarding potential uses of biochar in landscape restoration.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2009-10-20 00:00:00

Streamline Vehicle Conversions Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to provide that a certificate of conformity issued by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for one or more aftermarket conversion test groups with respect to an aftermarket conversion system (i.e., hardware installed on a light-duty or heavy-duty vehicle, light-duty truck, or heavy-duty engine that allows the vehicle or engine to operate on a fuel other than that which it was originally certified to use) shall not expire, shall continue to apply in subsequent calendar years, and shall not require recertification. Requires the Administrator to: (1) establish criteria for use in identifying similar vehicle makes, models, original equipment manufacturers, emission standards, and different model years that may be used under a single test group; (2) accept such an established test group on an aftermarket conversion system manufacturer application for a certificate of conformity; and (3) allow the submission of previous vehicle emission test data for the certification of additional model year vehicles if the aftermarket conversion system manufacturer is able to demonstrate that neither the aftermarket conversion system nor the design and specifications of the applicable vehicle model are substantially different. Directs the Administrator to promulgate regulations regarding on-board diagnostic systems for aftermarket conversion systems that: (1) ensure that such conversion systems that are equipped with on-board diagnostic systems are effective at monitoring critical emission components; (2) take into account the inability of an aftermarket conversion system manufacturer to access proprietary on-board diagnostic technology of an original equipment manufacturer; and (3) are sufficiently flexible to encourage the increased use of alternative fueled vehicles. Sets forth provisions regarding the conversion of a vehicle outside of its useful life cycle.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-11-09 00:00:00

Solar Manufacturing Jobs Creation Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a 30% energy tax credit for equipment used to fabricate solar energy property. Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 to allow grants in lieu of energy tax credits for equipment used to fabricate solar energy property.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-12-03 00:00:00

Clean Renewable Energy Advancement Tax Extension Jobs Act of 2009 or the CREATE Jobs Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2016 the tax credit for producing electricity from wind and open-loop biomass facilities; (2) increase the limitation on the issuance of new clean renewable energy bonds; and (3) extend through 2011 the additional depreciation allowance for certain business assets acquired after 2007.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-12-17 00:00:00

Renewable Energy Incentive Act - Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to: (1) extend through 2012 grants for investment in renewable energy property, including renewable resources used to produce electricity and fuel cell, solar, wind, geothermal, and microturbine property, in lieu of tax credits; and (2) expand eligibility for such grants to public power utilities and qualified solar manufacturing project property. Defines "qualified solar manufacturing property" as any tangible personal property purchased to re-equip, expand, or establish a manufacturing facility for producing solar energy equipment to generate electricity. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow an energy tax credit for investment in qualified solar manufacturing project property; (2) allow a tax credit for the purchase, consolidation, and use of contiguous high solarity disturbed private land to produce solar energy for use in a trade or business; and (3) limit the energy tax credit for solar energy equipment used to generate electricity or heat or cool a structure, as applied to swimming pools, to exclude those located at single-family residences.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2010-03-01 00:00:00

Green Communities Act of 2009 [sic] - Directs the Secretary of Commerce, through the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, to make grants to eligible municipalities to carry out community greening initiatives. Defines such an initiative as a program that increases economic development by improving the environment and that may include: (1) revitalizing municipal parks and public spaces; (2) landscaping community gateways and key corridors; (3) tree plantings and urban forestry projects; (4) comprehensive planning for open space preservation; (5) education, training, and volunteer management concerning community green initiatives; (6) green roof construction; (7) green stormwater infrastructure; and (8) vacant lot management. Defines an "eligible municipality" as a municipality that meets criteria for an economic adjustment grant under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965. Directs the Secretary to select 80 eligible municipalities to receive grants. Requires an eligible municipality seeking a grant to agree to make available nonfederal funds to carry out the initiative in an amount equal to not less than 50% of the grant awarded. Directs the Secretary to make grants to, or enter into contracts with, five nonprofit organizations to provide technical assistance and training to municipalities receiving grants.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2010-03-03 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax credits through 2019 for investment in an offshore facility using wind to produce electricity. Defines "offshore facility" to mean any facility located in the inland navigable waters of the United States, including the Great Lakes, or in the coastal waters of the United States, including the territorial seas, exclusive economic zone, and the outer Continental Shelf of the United States.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2010-03-03 00:00:00

Deepwater Offshore Wind Incentive Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a general business tax credit for the production of energy from a deep water offshore wind facility. Makes such credit equal to the product of 3.04 cents and the kilowatt hours of electricity produced at a facility during a 10-year period and sold by a taxpayer to an unrelated person during the taxable year. Defines "deep water offshore wind facility" as facility that uses wind to produce electricity, operates in 60 meters or more of water, is located within the internal or territorial waters of the United States, and is placed in service after the enactment of this Act and before January 1, 2030.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2010-04-20 00:00:00

Grow Renewable Energy from Ethanol Naturally Jobs Act of 2010 or the GREEN Jobs Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2015 the income and excise tax credits for alcohol used as fuel, the cellulosic biofuel producer tax credit, and the reduced credit for ethanol blenders. Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to extend until 2016 the additional tariff on ethyl alcohol blends (ethanol) used as fuel.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2010-04-22 00:00:00

Improving Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Use By Federal Agencies Act of 2010 - Authorizes the head of each executive agency to establish projects under which an agency head may offer to enter into cost-effective power purchase agreements, during a 10-year period beginning on the date of this Act's enactment, for the purchase of electricity from renewable energy sources from federal facilities that are owned or controlled by the agency. Limits the term of the agreements to 30 years. Authorizes agencies to enter into interagency agreements as part of power purchase agreements. Establishes in the Treasury the Federal Facility Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects Fund from which the Secretary of Energy (DOE) shall provide assistance for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects carried out at federal facilities. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a federal facility energy efficiency and renewable energy projects fund program under which the Secretary shall make loans to assist agencies in reducing energy use; (2) promulgate regulations that enable agencies to retain the financial savings that result from entering into utility energy saving contracts; (3) promulgate regulations that establish appropriate methods and procedures for agencies to identify all potential locations at their facilities for renewable energy projects; (4) issue guidance for agencies to employ advanced tools allowing energy savings through the use of computer hardware, energy efficiency software, and power management tools; and (5) issue guidance on a federal energy management and data collection standard that includes a plan for the General Services Administration (GSA) to publish energy consumption data for individual facilities on a searchable website accessible by the public. Requires agencies to submit annual plans on metering their consumption of electricity. Requires the Secretary to develop and report on best practices for the use of advanced metering of energy use in federal facilities, buildings, and equipment by federal agencies. Authorizes the Administrator of GSA to use appropriated funds to update project designs to meet federal building energy efficiency standards. Requires the Administrator and the Secretary to incorporate commissioning and recommissioning standards for all real property that: (1) is more than $10 million in value; (2) has more than 50,000 square feet; or (3) has energy intensity of more than $2 per square foot. Requires a contribution by the Secretary of Defense to a state for facilities for reserve components of the Armed Forces that is made at an armory or readiness center for an energy efficiency upgrade to cover 100% of the costs of architectural, engineering, and design services and the cost of the construction related to the upgrade.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Energy
Date: 2010-05-07 00:00:00

Cleanfields Act - Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, as it would be amended by the American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009 as reported to the Senate as an original measure on July 16, 2009 (S.1462), to: (1) define "brownfield site generation facility," for purposes of provisions concerning the Federal Renewable Electricity Standard, as a facility that generates renewable electricity from wind energy, solar energy, or geothermal energy and that occupies a brownfield site; and (2) require the Secretary of Energy to allow triple credits under the federal renewable energy credit trading program for the generation of energy from brownfield site generation facilities. Limits the amount of total renewable electricity generation that is eligible for consideration for the triple credit multiplier for brownfields to 1%. Requires the Secretary to submit to Congress recommendations on whether such limitation should be revised.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2010-05-11 00:00:00

Private Activity Renewable Energy Bonds Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the purposes for which tax-exempt facility bonds may be issued to include renewable energy resource facilities, conservation and efficiency facilities and projects, and high efficiency vehicles and related facilities or projects. Limits the allocation of such bonds to all states by population to not more than $2.5 billion annually.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2010-05-20 00:00:00

Renewable Energy Market Access Program Act - Directs the Under Secretary for International Trade of the Department of Commerce to establish and carry out a program to provide cost-sharing assistance to nonprofit trade associations in the United States or state or regional organizations that promote the exportation and sale of energy efficiency products or renewable energy products to: (1) improve access to the markets of foreign countries for energy efficiency products and renewable energy products exported by small- and medium-sized U.S. businesses; and (2) assist such businesses in obtaining services and other assistance, including from the Department of Commerce and other federal agencies, with respect to exporting such products.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Housing and community development
Date: 2010-05-24 00:00:00

Renewable Energy Access Through Leasing Act of 2010 or the REAL Act of 2010- Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make loan guarantees for the financing of renewable energy systems leased for residential use. Prohibits the Secretary from insuring a loan unless the renewable energy system owner certifies that the systems financed will be leased only to homeowners that grant easements to install, maintain, use and otherwise access the system that include the right to sell electricity produced during the life of the renewable energy system to a wholesale or retail electrical power grid. Requires the Secretary to: (1) ensure that a discount given under this Act does not adversely affect the homeowner's mortgage requirements; and (2) fix and collect premiums for insurance of loans under this Act that shall be paid for by the renewable energy system owner and that shall be adequate to cover the expenses and probable losses of administering the program. Prohibits the Secretary from assessing any other fee, premium, or charge in connection with such loan insurance. Establishes the Renewable Energy Lease Insurance Fund, into which the Secretary shall deposit any such premiums. Terminates the Secretary's authority to insure and make commitments to insure new loans under this Act ten years after its enactment.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2010-05-27 00:00:00

Emergency Biodiesel Tax Incentive Extension Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2010 the income tax credit for biodiesel and renewable diesel used as fuel and the excise tax credit for biodiesel fuel mixtures.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2010-06-17 00:00:00

Global Conservation Act of 2010 - Directs the President to: (1) designate a Special Coordinator for Global Conservation; (2) through the Special Coordinator establish the International Conservation Strategy to help combat global natural resource and biodiversity degradation in developing countries; and (3) establish the President's Advisory Committee for Global Conservation. Directs the Coordinator to establish the Interagency Working Group on Global Conservation. Urges the President to work with the world's major foreign assistance donor countries to: (1) develop an international conservation assistance strategy; (2) identify multilateral coordinating mechanisms; and (3) promote existing multilateral initiatives designed to identify meaningful levels of interim funding for forest conservation in developing countries. Requires the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to submit to Congress a national intelligence estimate on the anticipated geopolitical and regional security effects of the global degradation of renewable natural resources and the implications of such effects for U.S. national and economic security.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2010-06-30 00:00:00

Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act of 2010 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide competitive grants to eligible higher education institutions and research institutions to establish and maintain between three and five centers of excellence for green infrastructure. Defines "green infrastructure" as a stormwater management technique that preserves, restores, enhances, or mimics natural hydrology. Establishes the duties of each center, including: (1) researching green infrastructure; (2) developing manuals and establishing industry standards on best management practices relating to state, tribal, local, and commercial green infrastructure; (3) providing information about its research and manuals to the national electronic clearinghouse center; (4) providing technical assistance and training on green infrastructure; and (5) evaluating regulatory and policy issues relating to green infrastructure. Requires one of the centers to be designated as the national electronic clearinghouse center, which shall, in addition to its other duties, operate a website and a public database on green infrastructure. Requires the Administrator to provide competitive grants to eligible entities that manage stormwater, water resources, or waste water resources to: (1) plan and design and install green infrastructure projects; (2) develop standards and revisions to local zoning, building, or other local codes necessary to accommodate such projects; (3) develop fee structures to provide financial support for green infrastructure; (4) develop training and educational materials regarding green infrastructure; (5) develop and implement a green infrastructure portfolio standard program; (6) protect or restore interconnected networks of natural areas that protect water quality; (7) monitor and evaluate the environmental, economic, or social benefits of green infrastructure; and (8) implement a best practices standard for a green infrastructure program. Requires the Administrator to give priority to applications from: (1) a community that has combined storm and sanitary sewers in its collection system or is low-income or disadvantaged; or (2) an eligible entity that will use at least 10% of the grant for a low-income or disadvantaged community. Requires the Administrator to: (1) establish within EPA's Office of Water a green infrastructure program to coordinate and promote the use of green infrastructure and to integrate green infrastructure into permitting programs; (2) direct each EPA regional office to develop a program to promote and integrate the use of green infrastructure within the region; (3) establish a green infrastructure compliance assistance center; and (4) establish measurable goals, to be known as the green infrastructure portfolio standard, to increase the percentage of annual water managed by eligible entities that uses green infrastructure.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Energy
Date: 2010-07-20 00:00:00

Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to require the Secretary of Energy (DOE): (1) acting through the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, to establish a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for geothermal heat pumps and the direct use of geothermal energy; and (2) identify and mitigate potential environmental impacts. Directs the Secretary to: (1) make grants to state and local governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofit entities, utilities, and for-profit companies to promote the development of geothermal heat pumps and the direct use of geothermal energy; (2) give priority to proposals that apply to large buildings, commercial districts, and residential communities; and (3) conduct a national solicitation for grant applications.
Topic: Energy — Alternative & Renewable
Subject: Energy
Date: 2010-07-21 00:00:00

Thermal Renewable Energy and Efficiency Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the tax credit for the production of electricity from renewable resources to the production of thermal energy and to include a naturally occurring cold water source as a qualified energy resource and a natural air conditioning system facility as a qualified facility for purposes of such credit. Modifies the definition of "local heating and cooling facilities" for purposes of tax-exempt facility bonds to include equipment for producing thermal energy in the form of hot water, chilled water, or steam, distributing that thermal energy in pipelines, and transferring the thermal energy. Defines "thermal energy" as heat (in the form of hot water or steam) or cooling (in the form of chilled water or ice). Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, with respect to the energy sustainability and efficiency grant and loan program for institutions, to: (1) include a not-for-profit district energy system as an institutional entity for purposes of such grant program; (2) increase the amounts of technical assistance grants and grants for efficiency improvement and energy sustainability; and (3) extend the authorization of appropriations for such grant program through FY2015.