lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Energy
Date: 2014-07-30 00:00:00

American Renewable Energy and Efficiency Act - Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to require each retail electric supplier to submit to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) a quantity of federal renewable electricity credits that is equal to at least the annual target of the retail electric supplier established by this Act for each of 2015 through 2040. Requires the target to be equal to the product of the supplier's base amount (electricity sold) for the year and a specified annual percentage for that year, which increases from 6% for 2015 to 25% for 2025 through 2040.

Sets forth provisions governing the issuance, tracking, verification, trading, banking, and retirement of federal renewable electricity credits.

Authorizes alternative compliance payments in lieu of credits.

Authorizes states to set the rates for a sale of electric energy by a facility generating electric energy from renewable energy sources pursuant to a voluntary production incentive program.

Requires the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to: (1) establish a program to implement, enforce, review, and adjust performance standards for specified cumulative electricity and natural gas savings for 2015 through 2025; (2) promulgate regulations establishing performance standards for 2026 through 2040 and for subsequent years by specified deadlines; and (3) set such standards at levels reflecting the maximum achievable level of cost-effective energy efficiency potential. Prohibits standards for any year from being lower than the standard for 2025.

Requires the Secretary, at 10-year intervals, to review the most recent standards and increase them if additional cost-effective energy efficiency potential is achievable.

Requires each retail electricity and natural gas supplier to submit a report annually demonstrating that it has achieved required savings, which the Secretary shall review to verify that performance standards have been met. Authorizes suppliers to use electricity or natural gas savings purchased from another supplier, a state, or a third-party efficiency provider to meet such standards.

Provides for state administration of an energy efficiency program to meet the requirements of this Act.

Requires the Secretary to direct the state to correct deficiencies found in a review and to report to the Secretary on progress not later than 180 days after the date of the receipt of review results.

Encourages state utility regulatory commissions to review their rules and regulations to ensure that utilities can recover the direct costs of energy efficiency programs, fully recover authorized fixed costs, and earn an incentive for shareholders if the energy efficiency standards are achieved.

Requires the Secretary to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to submit a comprehensive evaluation of all aspects of the program established by this Act by July 1, 2019, and every 10 years thereafter.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Housing and community development
Date: 2014-09-17 00:00:00

Home Improvement Loan Modernization Act of 2014 - Amends the National Housing Act to specify the premium charge paid by a financial institution to insure any loan, advance of credit, or purchase of obligations representing loans and advances of credit it makes to finance certain home improvements for both existing single-family and multifamily structures.

Sets the initial premium at 2.75% of the original insured principal obligation, with annual premium payments not to exceed 1.5% of the remaining balance.

Limits any premium charges to the minimum amounts necessary to maintain a negative credit subsidy for the insurance program.

Increases the maximum obligation that may be insured for improvements to: (1) an existing single-family dwelling from $25,000 to $42,000; and (2) an existing multi-family structure from $60,000 to $101,888, with an average amount of $20,378 (currently $12,000) per family unit.

Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop a method of indexing to increase these dollar amount limitations annually, based on the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) computed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Allows an increase in these dollar amount limitations also by up to 150% if at least half of the amount will be used for energy conserving improvements or the installation of solar energy systems.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2014-12-01 00:00:00

Powering American Jobs Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2015: (1) the tax credit for nonbusiness energy efficient improvements; (2) excise tax credits and payments for alternative fuels, biodiesel and renewable diesel fuel mixtures, and alternative fuels relating to liquefied hydrogen; (3) the tax credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property expenditures; and (4) the income tax credit for biodiesel and renewable fuels. Equalizes the excise tax rate for liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas. Modifies energy efficiency standards for windows, doors, skylights, roofing, water heaters, biomass stoves, and furnaces or hot water boilers.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-01-22 00:00:00

Promoting Efficiency and Savings in Government Act - Requires each energy manager of a building owned by the General Services Administration (GSA) to carry out an audit of that building that: (1) identifies any modification necessary to improve energy efficiency that, within 10 years of implementation, will result in energy cost savings equal to the total investment made; and (2) quantifies the estimated cost-savings associated with any identified efficiency improvements. Requires the Administrator of GSA to report on all efficiency improvements identified in the audit, the total estimated cost-savings associated with the efficiency improvements, and the status of implementation of the efficiency improvements.

Requires each lease of a building or space entered into by a federal department or agency to include: (1) a maximum energy intensity standard; (2) a lighting efficiency requirement, accounting for appropriate task lighting; and (3) an incentive structure that allows a department or agency leasing the building or space and the building owner to share the financial savings of efficiency investments and efficient operating practices.

Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to require the Federal Director of the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings to include in the report to Congress a summary of the energy and water use of federal buildings.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-04-11 00:00:00

Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to establish a pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations for the purpose of retrofitting buildings owned by such organizations with energy-efficiency improvements.

Directs the Secretary, in determining whether to award a grant, to apply performance-based criteria, which shall give priority to applications based on: (1) the cost-effectiveness of the energy-efficiency improvement; and (2) an effective plan for evaluation, measurement, and verification of energy savings. Limits each grant award to: (1) an amount equal to 50% of the energy-efficiency improvement, and (2) $200,000.

 Authorizes appropriations for such grants for FY2014-FY2017.

Requires the Secretary to use amounts otherwise made available for the Building Technologies Program to carry out such pilot program.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2013-04-17 00:00:00

Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), for each of the 2014-2018 crops of each market commodity, to make recourse loans available to producers on a farm electing to participate in the program.

Sets forth: (1) the recourse loan rate for corn, oats, barley, grain sorghum, wheat, and soybeans; and (2) market commodity-specific limitations on participation (inventory caps) for such crops.

Requires participating producers, until the Secretary authorizes loan repayment and release, to: (1) store and maintain the market commodity, and (2) not sell or otherwise release the commodity into the market.

Provides that during such storage period: (1) title to the commodity shall remain with the producers, and (2) the Secretary shall have a first lien on the commodity for which a recourse loan is received.

Provides USDA payments to producers at $0.40 per bushel per crop year.

Authorizes the Secretary to establish a partial commodity release if the market release of all of the stored commodity would depress prices below the release level.

Authorizes the Secretary to establish a set-aside program under which qualifying producers on a farm may remove acres from production for the following crop year if the inventory cap for a commodity is reached and such commodity's market price is below the recourse loan rate. Requires participating producers to maintain a cover crop on all enrolled acreage.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2013-04-22 00:00:00

Mechanical Insulation Installation Incentive Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an additional tax deduction for the cost of installing mechanical insulation property. Limits the amount of such deduction to the lesser of 30% or the reduction in energy loss from the installed mechanical insulation property compared to property that meets the minimum requirements of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standard 90.1-2007. Allows the cost of replacing mechanical insulation property to be treated as a deductible business expense in the current taxable year.

Defines "mechanical insulation property" as insulation materials, facings, and accessory products: (1) placed in service in connection with a mechanical system which is located in the United States and of a character subject to an allowance for depreciation; and (2) utilized for thermal, acoustical, and personnel safety requirements for mechanical piping and equipment, hot and cold applications, and heating, venting and air conditioning applications which can be used in a variety of facilities.

Allows a tax deduction for capital expenditures related to mechanical insulation property.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2013-05-22 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.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-05-22 00:00:00

All-Of-The-Above Federal Building Energy Conservation Act of 2013 - Amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to extend energy performance requirements for federal buildings for each of FY2016-FY2020 (from a 33% reduction from 2003 energy consumption level for FY2015 to a 45% reduction for FY2020).

Requires agencies to report to the Secretary of Energy (DOE) on buildings that carry out energy intensive activities and that are designated by the agency for exclusion from such requirements.

Requires the Secretary to review the results of the implementation of such requirements by December 31, 2016, (currently, December 31, 2013).

Authorizes the Secretary to amend or set such performance requirements for each of FY2018-FY2025 by a rule that: (1) requires a cost-benefit analysis and an opportunity for public comment, (2) establishes performance levels that are technically feasible and economically justifiable, and (3) considers any energy- and water-saving measures identified in energy and water evaluations.

Requires designated facility energy managers to consider using a system to manage energy use at their facilities in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization standard numbered 50001 and entitled "Energy Management Systems."

Establishes exemptions from energy and water evaluation requirements. Requires energy managers, as part of the web-based certification, to explain the reasons why any life-cycle cost effective measures identified in such evaluation were not implemented. Requires the Secretary to make available a report that summarizes information tracked under such certification.

 Amends the Energy Conservation and Production Act to revise the definition of "federal building" to include buildings altered by federal agencies, and to define "major renovation," for purposes of such Act. Requires the Secretary to establish revised federal building energy efficiency performance standards after the approval of revisions of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 or the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) to meet or exceed such revisions, including requiring, unless new or renovated federal buildings are demonstrated not to be life-cycle cost effective: (1) such buildings to be designed to achieve energy consumption levels that are at least 30% below the levels established in the ASHRAE Standard or the IECC, and (2) no less than 30% of the hot water demand for each new building or building undergoing a major renovation to be met through the installation and use of solar hot water heaters.

Repeals: (1) a standard on fossil fuel-generated energy use in federal buildings, and (2) a requirement for the Secretary to review federal building energy standards every five years.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2013-05-23 00:00:00

Storage Technology for Renewable and Green Energy Act of 2013 or the STORAGE 2013 Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow, through 2020, a 20% energy tax credit for investment in energy storage property that is directly connected to the electrical grid (i.e., a system of generators, transmission lines, and distribution facilities) and that is designed to receive, store, and convert energy to electricity, deliver it for sale, or use such energy to provide improved reliability or economic benefits to the grid; (2) make such property eligible for new clean renewable energy bond financing; (3) allow a 30% energy tax credit for investment in energy storage property used at the site of energy storage; and (4) allow a 30% nonbusiness energy property tax credit for the installation of energy storage equipment in a principal residence.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-06-03 00:00:00

Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act of 2013 - Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to direct the Secretary of Energy (DOE), acting through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, to act as the lead federal agency for coordinating and disseminating information on existing federal programs and assistance that may be used to help initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects for schools.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) carry out a review of existing programs and financing mechanisms available in or from appropriate federal agencies with jurisdiction over energy financing and facilitation that are currently used or may be used for such purposes; (2) establish a federal cross-departmental collaborative coordination, education, and outreach effort to streamline communication and promote available federal opportunities and assistance for such projects that enables states, local educational agencies, and schools to use existing federal opportunities more effectively and to form partnerships with governors, state energy programs, local educational, financial, and energy officials, state and local officials, nonprofit organizations, and other appropriate entities to support project initiation; (3) provide technical assistance for states, local educational agencies, and schools to help develop and finance projects that meet specified requirements; (4) develop and maintain a single online resource website with contact information for relevant technical assistance and support staff in the Office for states, local educational agencies, and schools to effectively access and use federal opportunities and assistance to develop such projects; and (5) establish a process for recognition of schools that have successfully implemented such projects and are willing to serve as resources for other local educational agencies and schools to assist initiation of similar efforts.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Housing and community development
Date: 2013-06-06 00:00:00

Sensible Accounting to Value Energy Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop and issue guidelines for all federal mortgage agencies (including the Federal National Mortgage Association [Fannie Mae], the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation [Freddie Mac], and any affiliates) to implement enhanced loan eligibility requirements, for use when testing the ability of a loan applicant to repay a covered loan, that account for the expected energy cost savings for a loan applicant at a subject property.

Directs the Secretary to issue guidelines for how covered agencies shall determine: (1) the maximum permitted loan amount based on the value of the property for all covered loans made on properties with an energy efficiency report, and (2) the estimated energy savings for properties with such a report.

Amends the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 to require standards for the performance of real estate appraisals in connection with federally related transactions to require at a minimum that state certified and licensed appraisers have timely access, where practicable, to information from the property owner and the lender that may be relevant in developing an opinion of value regarding the energy- and water-saving improvements or features of a property.

Applies the requirement of state certified appraisers to transactions involving any real property on which the appraiser makes adjustments using an energy efficiency report.

Directs the Secretary to establish an advisory group on the implementation of the enhanced energy efficiency underwriting criteria established in this Act.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-06-19 00:00:00

Better Buildings Act of 2013 - Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to require the Department of Energy's (DOE) Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to study the feasibility of: (1) significantly improving energy efficiency in commercial buildings through the design and construction of separate spaces with high-performance energy efficiency measures, and (2) encouraging owners and tenants to implement such measures in separate spaces. Requires the Secretary to publish such study on DOE's website.

Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Secretary of Energy to develop a voluntary Tenant Star program within the Energy Star program to recognize tenants in commercial buildings that voluntarily achieve high levels of energy efficiency in separate spaces. Requires DOE's Administrator of the Energy Information Administration to collect data on categories of building occupancy that consume significant quantities of energy and on other aspects of the property, building operation, or building occupancy determined to be relevant to lowering energy consumption. Prohibits the impact on climate change from being a factor in determining energy efficiency of commercial building tenants.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-06-20 00:00:00

All-Of-The-Above Federal Building Energy Conservation Act of 2013 - Amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to extend energy performance requirements for federal buildings for each of FY2016-FY2020 (from a 33% reduction from 2003 energy consumption level for FY2015 to a 45% reduction for FY2020).

Requires agencies to report to the Secretary of Energy (DOE) on buildings that carry out energy intensive activities and that are designated by the agency for exclusion from such requirements.

Requires the Secretary to review the results of the implementation of such requirements by December 31, 2016, (currently, December 31, 2013).

Authorizes the Secretary to amend or set such performance requirements for each of FY2018-FY2025 by a rule that: (1) requires a cost-benefit analysis and an opportunity for public comment, (2) establishes performance levels that are technically feasible and economically justifiable, and (3) considers any energy- and water-saving measures identified in energy and water evaluations.

Requires designated facility energy managers to consider using a system to manage energy use at their facilities in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization standard numbered 50001 and entitled "Energy Management Systems."

Establishes exemptions from energy and water evaluation requirements. Requires energy managers, as part of the web-based certification, to explain the reasons why any life-cycle cost effective measures identified in such evaluation were not implemented. Requires the Secretary to make available a report that summarizes information tracked under such certification.

 Amends the Energy Conservation and Production Act to revise the definition of "federal building" to include buildings altered by federal agencies, and to define "major renovation," for purposes of such Act. Requires the Secretary to establish revised federal building energy efficiency performance standards after the approval of revisions of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 or the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) to meet or exceed such revisions, including requiring, unless new or renovated federal buildings are demonstrated not to be life-cycle cost effective: (1) such buildings to be designed to achieve energy consumption levels that are at least 30% below the levels established in the ASHRAE Standard or the IECC, and (2) no less than 30% of the hot water demand for each new building or building undergoing a major renovation to be met through the installation and use of solar hot water heaters.

Repeals a standard on fossil fuel-generated energy use in federal buildings.
Topic: Energy — Conservation
Subject: Energy
Date: 2013-06-20 00:00:00

Residential Energy Savings Act of 2013 - Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to establish a voluntary loan program to provide support to states, U.S. territories, and Indian tribal governments (eligible entities) in establishing or expanding programs that provide to residential property owners or tenants financing for energy efficiency upgrades of residential buildings.

Authorizes assistance provided by eligible entities to be in the form of a: (1) revolving loan fund; (2) credit enhancement structure designed to mitigate the effects of default; or (3) program that adopts other approaches for providing financing for upgrades producing significant energy efficiency gains, produces a high-leverage ratio of non-federal funds, and incorporates measures for making the loan repayment system for recipients of financing consumer-friendly.

Requires the Secretary to establish a performance incentive providing a repayment discount in an amount equal to no more than the value of the interest accrued on the loan provided, based on performance as evaluated in accordance with specified factors.

Makes an authorization of appropriations under this Act effective for a fiscal year only to the extent and in the amounts provided in advance in appropriations Acts.