Topic: Energy — General
Subject: Energy
Date: 2009-04-01 00:00:00

National Energy Security Act of 2009 or the NESA of 2009 - Amends the Federal Power Act to revise requirements concerning the siting of interstate electric transmission facilities, including requiring the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to oversee planning for the development of a Clean Energy Superhighway. Sets forth provisions concerning plug-in electric drive vehicles, including requiring: (1) a specified percentage of vehicles acquired for the federal fleet to be such vehicles; and (2) the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to provide grants and loans to local governments for the installation of recharging facilities for such vehicles. Amends the Energy and Independence and Security Act of 2007 to require the DOE Secretary to guarantee loans for the aggregate purchase of at least 5,000 batteries that use advanced battery technology within a year. Requires the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to investigate whether oil savings goals can be achieved in the trucking industry without adverse safety consequences by determining the safety impacts and other effects of increasing the maximum allowable gross weight for vehicles using the Interstate System to allow for larger, more fuel-efficient tractor-trailers. Requires each automobile manufacturer to ensure that a specified percentage of the automobiles it manufactures are flexible fuel automobiles. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise credits concerning renewable energy, alternative fuels, and electric and hybrid vehicles. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expand the list of innovative technology projects that are eligible for loan guarantees to include low-carbon technology projects. Authorizes appropriations for advanced biofuels research, development, and demonstration that will create fuels that are fungible in existing infrastructure. Sets forth provisions concerning the production of offshore oil or gas resources, including authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to make potential producing areas in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) available for oil and gas leasing. Amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to revise a moratorium on oil and gas leasing by changing the areas in the Gulf of Mexico affected by the prohibition on leasing. Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to: (1) require the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to review whether areas of the OCS should be restricted from exploration and operation and to offer for lease those areas that shouldn't remain under restriction; and (2) establish the Renewable Energy Reserve Account, which shall receive amounts from bonus bids, royalties, or rentals from any qualified lease on submerged land and which shall be used for the cost of carrying out this Act. Authorizes U.S. persons to: (1) engage in transactions necessary for the exploration for and extraction of hydrocarbon resources from portions of foreign exclusive economic zones that are contiguous to the U.S. exclusive economic zone; and (2) export, without license authority, equipment necessary for such exploration and extraction. Amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to require the Secretary of the Treasury to authorize under a general license specified travel-related transactions for travel to, from, or within Cuba in connection with such exploration and extraction. Provides for the establishment of a regional joint OCS lease and permit processing office for the Alaska OCS region. Amends the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act to raise the limitation on the amount of loans and other debt obligations guaranteed for such pipeline. Authorizes the DOE Secretary to: (1) award grants for the establishment of training and education programs for vocational workforce development through centers of excellence for a broad range of clean energy sector needs; (2) establish a national merit scholarship program for training and education for a clean energy workforce; and (3) study the impact of foreign fuel subsidies on global energy supplies, global energy demand, and the global economy.