zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
American Innovation Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to carry out the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Innovation Prize program to award cash prizes to eligible contestants to advance the research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of alternative fuel vehicles, including: (1) a $10 billion grand prize for the production of a prototype alternative fuel vehicle meeting fuel efficiency, emissions, cost, and commercial application criteria; and (2) $100 million in additional prizes for substantial advancements in specific areas of alternative vehicle technologies, components, or systems or for transformational changes in technology.Establishes the Innovation Trust Fund in the Treasury, to be funded with amounts attributable to the exploration for, development of, or production of oil, natural gas, or oil shale located on federal lands in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) or in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer amounts in the Fund that are not required to carry out this Act to the account for public debt reduction.Declares without force or effect all existing federal law prohibiting spending appropriated funds to conduct oil or natural gas leasing and preleasing activities for any area of OCS.Revokes all presidential: (1) withdrawals from leasing under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of areas for exploration for, and development and production of, oil or natural gas; and (2) authorities to withdraw from disposition any unleased OCS lands, except in the interest of natural security or military operations.Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act to repeal provisions: (1) withdrawing public lands within the coastal plain of ANWR from entry or appropriation under U.S. mining laws and from operation of U.S. mineral leasing laws; and (2) prohibiting production, or development leading to production, of oil and gas from ANWR.

Date: 2008-09-16
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Renewable Energy Tax Extenders Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2018 the tax credit for producing electricity from certain renewable resources (e.g., wind, biomass, solar energy, small irrigation power, landfill gas, trash combustion, and hydropower facilities). Includes marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy as a renewable resource for purposes of such credit. Extends through 2018: (1) the energy tax credit for solar energy, fuel cell, and microturbine property; and (2) the tax credit for residential energy efficient property expenditures. Allows a 30% residential energy efficiency tax credit for the installation of geothermal heat pump systems.Extends through 2018 the alternative motor vehicle tax credit. Eliminates the limitation on the number of new qualified hybrid and advanced lean-burn technology vehicles eligible for such credit.

Date: 2008-09-16
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income and excise tax credit for the production of algae derived fuel and fuel mixtures. Defines "algae derived fuel" as a liquid hydrocarbon product that is derived from the biomass of algal organisms (single- or multi-cellular organisms that are inherently photosynthetic and aquatic). Terminates such credits after 2012.

Date: 2008-09-18
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
21st Century Energy Technology Deployment Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy, after consultation with the Energy Technology Advisory Council of the 21st Century Energy Deployment Corporation (both established by this Act), to develop and publish near-, medium-, and long-term goals for the deployment of clean energy technologies through the Corporation to establish or promote specified energy generation, transmission, and use and energy technology manufacturing capacities.Requires the Advisory Council to publish 5- and 10-year performance targets and to establish initial targets until those are published.Allows the Corporation to purchase, and make commitments to purchase, debt instruments associated with the deployment of clean energy technologies. Describes lending authorities of the Corporation. Allows the Corporation to issue securities for purchase by the Secretary of the Treasury.Requires annual reports to Congress on the technologies supported and on Corporation performance. Requires the Secretary to oversee Corporation operations and finances.Allows the Corporation to prepare a strategic plan to issue common stock to enable expansion of its operations and requires the plan to include consideration of Board restructuring alternatives.

Date: 2008-09-23
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Energy
Cleaner Trucks for America Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the credit amount for new qualified alternative fuel motor vehicles with gross vehicle weight ratings of more than 26,000 pounds from $40,000 to $80,000; (2) allow an increased tax credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling properties that dispense compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, or liquefied petroleum gas; and (3) allow such credit amounts against the regular and alternative minimum tax.

Date: 2008-09-25
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
Biogas Production Incentive Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a business tax credit for the production and sale of biogas. Defines "biogas" as a gas that is derived by processing qualified energy feedstock (i.e., manure of agricultural livestock and other organic agricultural or food industry byproduct waste material) in an anaerobic digester and that contains at least 60% methane and carbon dioxide and trace gases. Provides an increased credit for biogas produced from qualified cellulosic energy feedstock.

Date: 2008-09-25
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Western Hemisphere Energy Compact Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, to seek to establish a regional-based ministerial forum to be known as the Western Hemisphere Energy Cooperation Forum: (1) for the cooperation of Western Hemisphere on energy issues; (2) to lessen dependence on oil imports without reducing food availability; (3) to ensure that energy contributes to the economic, social, and environmental enhancement of the countries in the Western Hemisphere; and (4) to permit participating countries to cooperatively address broad challenges posed to the energy supply of the Western Hemisphere. Directs the U.S. to seek to implement, in cooperation with Energy Forum countries: (1) an energy crisis initiative; (2) an energy sustainability initiative; (3) an energy for development initiative; and (4) biofuels studies. Provides for the establishment of a Western Hemisphere Energy Industry Group to: (1) increase public-private partnerships; (2) foster private investment; and (3) enable countries in the Western Hemisphere to devise energy agendas compatible with industry capacity and cognizant of industry goals. Provides for: (1) the establishment of an Oil and Natural Gas Working Group; (2) a U.S.-Brazil biofuels partnership; (3) biofuels feasibility studies; (4) regional and hemispheric carbon trading mechanisms; (5) the establishment of a Western Hemisphere energy crisis response mechanism; (6) seeking to increase U.S. foreign assistance programming in renewable energy; and (7) energy public diplomacy.

Date: 2008-09-27
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to waive requirements for recertification of kits for the conversion of vehicles into vehicles that are powered by natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas in any case in which: (1) the kit has been previously certified for the model of vehicle to be converted; and (2) neither the kit nor the design and specifications of the model of vehicle to be converted have substantially changed. Requires the Administrator to waive emission certification system requirements for a vehicle that is more than 10 years old or has more than 120,000 miles and that is powered by natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas.

Date: 2008-09-28
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Environmental protection
Amends the Clean Air Act to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to approve a combination of conversions to a clean alternative fuel into a single test group, which would normally not be eligible to be in a single test group, if the manufacturer of motor vehicle or engine conversions provides: (1) substantial evidence that all the conversions in the larger grouping will have similar levels of emissions; (2) evidence of equivalent component durability over the vehicle's or engine's useful life; (3) evidence that the groups will result in sufficient in-use verification program data, appropriate tracking in use, and clear liability for the EPA's recall program; and (4) a statement that all vehicles within a test group are certified to the most stringent standards applicable to any vehicle within the test group.Establishes the Advancing Alternative Fuels Revolving Loan Fund. Directs the Administrator to use amounts in the Fund to provide loans to eligible local governments to finance purchases of authorized equipment to enable public vehicle fleets to operate on alternative fuels.

Date: 2008-10-03
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the tax credit for producing electricity from closed or open-loop biomass facilities equipped with a metering device to determine electricity consumption or sale to allow a tax credit after 2008 for electricity produced and consumed at such facilities and to extend the credit period for such production.

Date: 2008-11-19
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Biofuels Security Act of 2007 - Amends the Clean Air Act to replace provisions prescribing the volume of renewable fuel that gasoline sold in the United States must contain with provisions that require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine the applicable volume for 2010 and beyond. Requires such volume to be at least 10 billion gallons in 2010, 30 billion gallons in 2020, and 60 billion gallons in 2030. Requires the Secretary of Energy to promulgate regulations to ensure that each major oil company that sells gasoline in the United States through wholly-owned or branded stations provides pumps that dispense E-85 fuel (a blend approximately 85% of the content of which is derived from ethanol produced in the United States) at not less than: (1) a specified percentage of all of its stations (increasing from 5% in 2008 to 50% in 2017); and (2) a minimum percentage of its stations in each state. Allows a company to earn and sell production credits when it exceeds the percentage required. Prohibits companies from using credits purchased to fulfill geographic distribution requirements. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to increase to 100% the proportion of vehicles acquired by a federal fleet in and after 2008 that must be light duty alternative fueled vehicles. Amends the Clayton Act to: (1) prohibit restricting the right of a franchisee to install a renewable fuel pump; and (2) define "gasohol" as any blend of ethanol and gasoline. Requires makers of new automobiles capable of operating on gasoline or diesel fuel to ensure that a specified percentage of automobiles manufactured in any model year after 2007 for sale in the United States (increasing from 10% in 2008 to 100% in 2017) are dual fueled automobiles. Allows the manufacturer to earn and sell production credits if it exceeds the number required. Requires the Secretary of Transportation to promote the use of fuel mixtures containing gasoline or diesel fuel and one or more alternative fuels. Prescribes formulas to be used by the Administrator to measure the fuel economy of dual fueled automobiles manufactured in model years beginning 18, 30, 42, and 54 months after enactment of this Act.

Date: 2007-01-04
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Energy
Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a biofuels innovation program which shall: (1) encourage production of dedicated energy crops in a sustainable manner that protects the soil, air, water, and wildlife; (2) provide financial and technical assistance to owners and operators of eligible cropland to produce energy crops and crop mixes to support development and expansion of crop use for biofuels, power or heat generation to supplement or replace nonbiobased energy sources, and biobased products to supplement or replace non-biobased products; (3) establish biofuels innovation program project areas; and (4) provide financial and technical assistance to owners and operators for harvesting, storing, and transporting cellulosic material. Extends (and increases for FY2008-FY2010) authorization of appropriations for research, extension, and educational programs on biobased energy technologies and products.

Date: 2007-05-23
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Agriculture and food
American Fuels Act of 2007 - Establishes in the Executive Office of the President the Office of Energy Security to oversee all federal energy security programs, including coordination of all federal agency efforts to assist the United States in achieving full energy independence. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide: (1) a tax credit, against both ordinary and alternative minimum tax, for production of qualified flexible fuel motor vehicles; and (2) an alternative fuel retail sales credit. Amends the Clayton Act and the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act to prohibit restrictions on the installation of alternative fuel pumps within fuel franchise documents. Amends the Clean Air Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations to ensure that diesel sold or introduced into commerce in the United States, on an annual average basis, contains specified percentages of alternative diesel fuel. Sets forth a credit program for the generation of diesel fuel. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an excise tax credit for: (1) production of cellulosic biomass ethanol; and (2) qualifying ethanol blending and processing equipment. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPA) to treat a medium or heavy duty hybrid vehicle as an alternative fueled vehicle. Sets a deadline by which: (1) any federal property with at least one fuel refueling station must include at least one alternative fuel refueling station; and (2) any alternative fuel refueling station on federally-owned property must permit full public access for the purpose of refueling using alternative fuel. Amends federal transportation law to require that any bus purchased with funds from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund to be a clean fuel bus. Amends armed forces law governing energy-related procurement to direct the Secretary of Defense to develop a strategy to use fuel produced from domestically produced fuel using starch, sugar, cellulosic biomass, plant or animal oils, or thermal chemical conversion, thermal depolymerization, or thermal conversion processes (covered fuel). Authorizes the Secretary to enter into contracts to: (1) develop and operate covered fuel production facilities; and (2) provide for construction or capital modification of such facilities. Amends the EPA to include among alternative fueled vehicles any vehicle propelled by electric drive transportation, engine dominant hybrid electric, or plug-in hybrid technology.

Date: 2007-01-04
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Energy
National Fuels Initiative - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the alcohol fuels tax credit and the alternative fuel tax credit by calculating such rates based on a formula related to the average price of a barrel of oil. Sets tax credit rates for alcohol fuels, qualified alcohol fuel mixtures, and alternative fuels sold or used before January 1, 2011. Extends such credits. Sets forth sunset provisions terminating the small ethanol producer tax credit. Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Secretary of Energy to promulgate regulations to ensure that each major oil company that sells gasoline in the United States through wholly-owned or branded stations provides pumps that dispense E-85 fuel at not less than a specified graduated percentage of all of its stations. Amends federal transportation law to require manufacturers of new automobiles that can operate on gasoline or diesel fuel to manufacture such automobiles by increasing percentages after model year 2007. Revises the definition of automobile to require including all automobiles up to 10,000 pounds (currently, not all automobiles up to 10,000 pounds are required to be included in the definition). Continues applying the current minimum corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for non-passenger and passenger automobiles to automobiles manufactured through model year 2011, but, for passenger automobiles, adds an increase of four percent per year in such standard for model years 2009 through 2011. Requires an average fuel economy standard of 27.5 miles per gallon for all automobiles manufactured by all manufacturers for model year 2012, with an increase of four percent in the average fuel economy from the level for the prior model year for model year 2013 and beyond. Requires the average fuel economy standard in a model year for a manufacturer's domestic and foreign fleetwide passenger automobiles under calculation of average fuel economy provisions to be at least 92% of the average fuel economy projected by the Secretary for the combined domestic and foreign fleets manufactured by all manufacturers in that model year. Permits lower fuel economy standards if they are: (1) technologically unachievable; (2) materially reduce auto safety; or (3) not cost effective. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) terminate the limitation on the number of new qualified hybrid and advanced lean burn technology vehicles eligible for the alternative motor vehicle credit; and (2) allow an advanced technology motor vehicles manufacturing credit. Sets forth certain requirements regarding the collecting, re-refining, reusing, and labeling of used oil. Extends the period a taxpayer may elect to deduct 50% of the expense costs of a qualified refinery property that processes non-virgin lube oil from used, refined oil. Allows a tax credit for re-refined lubricating oil feedstock.

Date: 2007-01-04
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Energy
Cellulosic Ethanol Development and Implementation Act of 2007 - Amends the Clean Air Act to direct the Secretary of Energy to establish: (1) a grants program for eligible entities to implement research, development, and demonstration projects relating to the use of cellulosic ethanol fuel for motor vehicles; and (2) a pilot program to provide grants to eligible entities for use in installing infrastructure (such as pumps) that would enable retail gas stations to sell and dispense ethanol fuel. Requires an eligible entity to provide matching funds in the amount of 20% of the total amount of the grant.

Date: 2007-01-04
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Environmental protection
Renewable Energy, Fuel Reduction, and Economic Stabilization and Enhancement Act of 2007 or REFRESH Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy to make grants to: (1) promote geothermal power development; (2) develop all forms of ocean energy; and (3) assist in the development of new technology for the production of plug-in hybrid electric-combustion engine vehicles. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in calculating average fuel economy, to use the procedures described in the final rule relating to fuel economy labeling published in the Federal Register on December 27, 2006. Requires the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to study anticipated economic impacts and fuel savings from a requirement that all vehicles manufactured in the United States with a gross vehicle weight of not less than 10,000 pounds meet specific average fuel economy standards. Requires all passenger automobile tires sold in the United States to meet low rolling resistance standards prescribed by the NHTSA Administrator. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to states to develop telecommuting and flexible work scheduling incentives to reduce traffic congestion in urban areas. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) include wave, current, tidal, and ocean thermal resources as qualified energy resources under the renewable energy tax credit; (2) extend through 2012 the qualified hybrid motor vehicle credit for plug-in hybrids; and (3) eliminate the limit on new qualified hybrid and advanced lean burn technology vehicles eligible for the full alternative motor vehicle tax credit.

Date: 2007-01-16
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Energy
Transit System Flexibility Protection Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to make public transportation formula grants for operating costs of equipment and facilities for use in public transportation in an urbanized area with a population of more than 200,000 if such public transportation system operates less than 100 buses on fixed route service during peak hours.

Date: 2007-01-26
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Transportation and public works
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate after 2006 the reduction in the rate of the tax credit for electricity produced from open-loop biomass, small irrigation power, landfill gas, trash combustion, and hydropower facilities (thus allowing the same credit rate for all renewable resource facilities).

Date: 2007-01-26
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include kinetic hydropower as a renewable resource eligible for the tax credit for electricity produced from certain renewable resources. Defines "kinetic hydropower" as: (1) ocean free flowing water derived from flows from tidal currents, ocean currents, waves, or estuary currents; (2) ocean thermal energy; or (3) free flowing water in rivers, lakes, man made channels, or streams.

Date: 2007-01-29
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
Biofuels Investment Trust Fund Act - Establishes a Biofuels Investment Trust Fund consisting of transferred amounts received in the U.S. Treasury from duties collected on imports of ethyl alcohol or any mixture containing ethyl alcohol that is to be used as a fuel or in producing a mixture of gasoline and alcohol, a mixture of a special fuel and alcohol, or any other mixture to be used as a fuel (including motor fuel). Directs the Secretary of Energy to use amounts in the Trust Fund to: (1) provide assistance to farmers, producers, biorefiners, researchers, universities, and other persons or entities involved in the research, development, and deployment, or production of biofuels, especially for cellulosic ethanol production; or (2) advance research, development, and deployment of biofuels, especially cellulosic ethanol produced from biomass feedstocks.

Date: 2007-01-29
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Energy
Student Aid Reward Act of 2007 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a Student Aid Reward (SAR) Program of payments to encourage institutions of higher education (IHEs) to participate in the student loan program under title IV that is most cost-effective for taxpayers. Requires that a SAR payment to an IHE equal at least 50% of the savings to the federal government generated by the IHE's participation in the most cost-effective student loan program, rather than one not cost-effective for taxpayers. Requires IHEs receiving SAR payments to: (1) provide student loans under that most cost-effective program for five years after the payment date; and (2) use payment funds, where appropriate, to supplement student Pell Grants. Allows such funds to be used also to award need-based grants to lower and middle income graduate students.

Date: 2007-02-13
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Education
Securing America's Energy Independence Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2016: (1) the energy tax credit for solar energy property and qualified fuel cell property; and (2) the tax credit for residential energy efficient property expenditures. Allows such credits to be applied against alternative minimum tax liability. Expands the definition of "energy property" for purposes of the tax credit to include certain equipment which uses solar energy to generate or store excess electricity.Provides for a special credit amount for solar photovoltaic energy property and residential energy efficient property based upon kilowatt capacity.Allows a tax credit for the full amount of qualified photovoltaic property expenditures (currently, limited to 30%).Allows accelerated depreciation (three-year recovery period) for solar energy and fuel cell property.

Date: 2007-02-14
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
Rural Community Renewable Energy Bonds Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the issuance of tax-exempt facility bonds to finance qualified renewable energy facilities (facilities using wind, biomass, solar power, hydropower and other renewable sources to produce electricity).

Date: 2007-02-16
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007, or the K.T. Safety Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to initiate a rulemaking for motor vehicles to require: (1) automatic reversal of direction by power windows and panels when they detect an obstruction; (2) an expanded rearward field of view to prevent backing incidents; and (3) automatic transmissions to have an anti-rollaway system that requires the service brake to be depressed before the transmission can be shifted out of park, which shall function in any starting system key position in which the transmission can be shifted out of park. Requires the Secretary, if it is determined that no additional safety standards are reasonable and appropriate, to: (1) report to Congress the reason such standards were not prescribed; and (2) make available to the public information on which vehicles are or are not equipped with automatic reversal of direction by power windows and panels when they detect an obstruction. Provides a phase-in period for the power window and rearward visibility provisions. Requires: (1) motor vehicle manufacturers for each year through 2010 to transmit to the Secretary the make and model of motor vehicles with automatic transmissions that do not have an anti-rollaway system; and (2) the Secretary to make such information available to the public. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish and maintain a database of injuries and deaths in nontraffic, noncrash motor vehicle events; (2) supplement an existing consumer information program on child safety or create a new program with information about hazards to children in nontraffic, noncrash incident situations; and (3) make such information available to the public.

Date: 2007-02-27
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Transportation and public works
Fair Currency Act of 2007 - Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to expand the authority of the administering authority or the International Trade Commission (ITC) to impose countervailing duties on products from a nonmarket economy country that have been provided a countervailable subsidy. Includes exchange-rate misalignment (undervaluation of a foreign currency) by a country as a countervailable subsidy. Requires the administering authority to use methodologies that measure certain benchmarks outside of a nonmarket economy country where exchange-rate misalignment exists when measuring the benefit of a countervailable subsidy bestowed on a product by such country in a countervailing duty proceeding. Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to include exchange-rate misalignment by the People's Republic of China as a condition in determining market disruption to the domestic producers of a like or directly competitive product from products imported from China. Prohibits the Department of Defense from procuring defense articles imported from China if such articles are competitive with domestic industry articles critical to the defense industrial base of the United States. Applies provisions of this Act to goods from Canada and Mexico. Amends the Exchange Rates and International Economic Policy Coordination Act of 1988 to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to consider in the annual analysis of foreign exchange rate policies whether countries have a currency that is in fundamental misalignment, and if so, to initiate bilateral corrective negotiations. Directs the Secretary, prior to U.S. approval of a change in an international financial institution's governance, to determine whether a member who would benefit from such change has a currency that is manipulated or in fundamental misalignment, and if so, oppose such change. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to require the administering authority in determining whether a country is a nonmarket economy country to consider whether such country's manipulation or fundamental misalignment of its currency adversely affects the U.S. economy.

Date: 2007-03-07
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
Creating Renewable Energy through Science and Technology Act, or the CREST Act - Amends the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 to instruct the Director of the National Science Foundation to establish the Council on Renewable Energy (CORE) to: (1) advise Congress on renewable energy development, strategy, research, and marketability; and (2) facilitate collaboration among federal agencies regarding the execution of national renewable energy objectives. Requires the CORE to: (1) promote renewable energy research and development in the areas of wind, wave, solar, geothermal, and biofuels production, particularly cellulosic; (2) consult with renewable energy experts regarding renewable energy policies and make policy recommendations to federal agencies; and (3) identify and recommend public and private research institutions to carry out renewable energy research.

Date: 2007-03-28
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Energy
Biogas Production Incentive Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a business tax credit for the production and sale of biogas. Defines "biogas" as a gas that is derived by processing qualified energy feedstock (i.e., manure of agricultural livestock and other waste material) in an anaerobic digester and which contains at least 60% methane and carbon dioxide and trace gases. Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) use Commodity Credit Corporation funds for making countercyclical payments to qualified biogas producers for biogas production facilities placed in service before December 31, 2013; and (2) make loans, loan guarantees, and grants to providers of qualified energy feedstock for collecting and transporting such feedstock to a biogas facility or for the purchase or construction of equipment of facilities for such collection and transportation activities.

Date: 2007-04-18
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
Alternative Fuel Standard Act of 2007 - Amends the Clean Air Act to replace the renewable fuel program with an alternative fuel program. Includes within in the meaning of "alternative fuel" alcohols, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, coal-derived liquid fuels, fuels derived from biological materials, electricity, and other fuels that are not derived from crude oil and would yield energy security or environmental benefits.Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish an alternative fuel program that: (1) ensures that motor vehicle and nonroad fuel sold or introduced into U.S. commerce contains a specified volume of alternative fuel; (2) establishes compliance provisions for refineries, blenders, distributors, and importers; and (3) provides for the generation, banking, trading, and use of identification numbers generated and assigned to each quantifiable unit of production of alternative fuel by the producer of any facility located in the United States and by the importer of alternative fuel imported into the United States. Prohibits the program from: (1) restricting the geographic area in which alternative fuel may be used; and (2) imposing any per-gallon obligation for the use of alternative fuel.Specifies such applicable volume of alternative fuel for each of calendar years 2010 through 2017 (rising from 10 billion gallons to 35 billion gallons). Requires the Administrator to determine the applicable volume for subsequent calendar years based on a review of the impact of the use of alternative fuels on public health, air and water quality, job creation, rural economic development, the expected annual rate of future production of alternative fuels, the reduction of the use of fuels derived from crude oil, energy security, and costs to consumers.Excludes from the term "cellulosic biomass ethanol" any ethanol produced in facilities where waste materials are used to displace 90% or more of the fossil fuel normally used in the production of ethanol. Provides for a waste-derived ethanol credit.Requires the Administrator to annually evaluate the domestic production and import capabilities relating to the required volumes of alternative fuel standard. Authorizes the Administrator to adjust the applicable volume of any alternative fuel for the following year if any condition affects the production or importation of alternative fuel, including drought, environmental degradation, economic unfeasibility, and national security interests.

Date: 2007-04-19
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Environmental protection
Wind Energy Development Act of 2007 or the WEnD Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2012 the tax credit for production of electricity from certain renewable resources; (2) modify the inflation adjustment applicable to such credit; (3) extend through 2012 the tax credit for holders of clean renewable energy bonds and increase the limitation on the amount of such bonds authorized for issuance; and (4) set forth allocations of bond amounts for certain projects.

Date: 2007-05-03
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
Clean Energy Investment Assurance Act of 2007 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to the tax credit for the production of electricity from renewable resources to: (1) extend such credit through 2013; (2) allow a credit for the production of thermal energy; (3) allow a credit for investment in resources that produce electricity without carbon emissions; and (4) modify the definition of "closed-loop biomass" and "nonhydroelectric dams" for purposes of such tax credit.Extends through 2013 the tax credit for holders of clean renewable energy bonds. Increases the annual national limitation for such bonds to $5 billion between 2009 and 2014.Extends through 2016 the tax credit for residential energy efficient property expenditures. Eliminates the 30% limitation on solar electric property expenditures. Allows such credit for energy storage air conditioner property used in a principal residence. Calculates the maximum allowable amounts of such credit for solar property based upon kilowatt capacity.Extends through 2016 the energy investment tax credit.Extends through 2012 the tax credits for: (1) nonbusiness energy property expenditures; and (2) new energy efficient homes.Extends through 2014 the tax deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings. Increases the rate of such deduction to $2.25 per square foot.Assigns a five-year recovery period for the depreciation of any qualified energy management device ("smart meter") that is placed in service before 2012 and that measures and records electricity usage data on a time-differentiated basis of at least 10 minutes.

Date: 2007-05-11
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
Farm-to-Fuel Investment Act of 2007 - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to designate as bioenergy cropsheds areas that are physically located within a 50-mile radius, or some other economically-practicable distance, from an existing or planned biorefinery. States that each designated bioenergy cropshed shall include local conservation objectives, including water quality, wildlife habitat, soil quality, and air quality. Directs the Secretary, through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, to offer to enter into contracts with producers on a farm in a bioenergy cropshed to provide bioenergy crop transition assistance to encourage the producers to produce bioenergy crops.

Date: 2007-05-15
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Clean, Affordable, and Domestic Fuels for Energy Security Act of 2007 - Instructs the President to promulgate regulations to ensure that aviation fuel, motor vehicle fuel, home heating oil, and boiler fuel sold or introduced into commerce in the United States on an annual average basis contains prescribed volumes of coal-derived fuel. Requires such coal-derived fuel to meet specified greenhouse gas emissions levels.Sets forth: (1) standards for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions levels; and (2) a calendar year schedule for the applicable volume of coal-derived fuels in billions of gallons. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to: (1) authorize the Secretary of Energy to guarantee loans up to 100% of principal and interest for projects that produce coal-derived fuel; (2) increase the authorization of appropriations for fossil energy research and development; and (3) direct the Secretary to establish coal research centers to target transportation fuels in designated states, with an emphasis on specified technologies and procedures. Instructs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the feasibility of developing a domestic coal-derived fuels industry.

Date: 2007-05-21
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Energy
Clean Energy Production Tax Incentives Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the rate of the tax credit for producing electricity from renewable resources and extend such credit through 2018; (2) extend the national limitation amount for clean renewable energy bonds through 2017; (3) extend the advanced coal project tax credit; and (4) extend through 2018 the tax credit for investment in qualified fuel cell and microturbine property and solar property.Allows new tax credits for the capture and storage or use of carbon dioxide and for investment in clean coal energy bonds, carbon dioxide capture bonds, and electric transmission property and bonds.Treats certain controlled foreign corporations created or organized under the laws of a tax haven country (as identified by the Secretary of the Treasury) as domestic corporations for income tax purposes.Includes in foreign base company income, for purposes of determining the foreign trade income of controlled foreign corporations, imported property income (income attributable to property manufactured outside of the United States and imported for sale into the United States). Changes the effective date of certain loss deferral rules applicable to leases entered into with a foreign person or entity on or before March 12, 2004. Sets forth rules for the application of the economic substance doctrine in evaluating transactions with tax implications. Imposes a penalty for understatements of tax due to transactions lacking economic substance. Denies a tax deduction for interest on underpayments of tax due to transactions lacking economic substance.

Date: 2007-05-24
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2007- Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish: (1) a marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy research program; and (2) an Adaptive Management and Environmental Fund to lend funds to approved applicants to cover the costs of projects that produce marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy. Instructs the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior to prepare jointly programmatic environmental impact statements regarding the impacts of the deployment of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies in U.S. navigable waters. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a tax credit for electricity produced from marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy; and (2) an investment credit and five-year depreciation for equipment which produces electricity from marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy. Denies a tax credit for producing fuel from a nonconventional source (dual benefit) with respect to a marine and hydrokinetic facility for which an investment credit under this Act is claimed by the taxpayer.

Date: 2007-05-24
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Energy
Clean Renewable Energy and Economic Development Incentives Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2018 the tax credits for producing electricity from renewable resources and for investment in clean renewable energy bonds.Allows new tax credits for: (1) holders of water conservation, reuse, and efficiency bonds; (2) expenditures for geothermal exploration; (3) holders of qualified renewable school energy bonds; and (4) investment in solar energy manufacturing facilities.Expands the tax credit for residential energy efficient property to include expenditures for wind energy property that uses a qualifying wind turbine (with a rated capacity of 100 kilowatts or less) to generate electricity.Extends through 2013 the new energy efficient home tax credit.Expands the energy tax credit to include investment in equipment used to produce advanced battery and related power electronics for use in certain electric or hybrid motor vehicles or in residential or small commercial applications.Allows the tax-exempt bond financing of renewable energy resource facilities (i.e., facilities for the production of electric or thermal energy from certain renewable resources).Makes permanent the energy tax credit for investment in solar energy property. Includes as energy property for purposes of such credit excess energy storage devices.Allows solar and geothermal public utility property to qualify for the energy tax credit. Makes permanent the tax credit for residential energy efficient property expenditures. Allows three-year accelerated depreciation of solar energy property.

Date: 2007-05-25
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
National Geothermal Initiative Act of 2007 - Declares a national goal to achieve 20% of total electrical energy production in the United States from geothermal resources by 2030. Establishes a national geothermal initiative under which the federal government shall seek to achieve the national goal.Requires each federal agency to give priority to programs and efforts necessary to achieve such national goal. Specifies goals for the Secretaries of Energy and of the Interior. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to implement a geothermal research and development program to achieve such goals, and the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a related comprehensive nationwide geothermal resource assessment. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to authorize appropriations for the Intermountain West Geothermal Consortium. Directs the U.S. Agency for International Development to support international and regional development to promote the use of geothermal resources, including the African Rift Geothermal Development Facility. Directs the U.S. Trade and Development Agency to: (1) support the national geothermal initiative; and (2) provide grants and other financial support for feasibility and resource assessment studies.

Date: 2007-06-05
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Energy
Energy Infrastructure Tax Reform and Incentives Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) treat income and gains from certain electric transmission property as qualifying income of a publicly traded partnership; (2) allow accelerated depreciation of qualified energy management devices, cellulosic biomass ethanol plant property, coal-to-liquid plant property, and dedicated ethanol pipelines; (3) allow a tax credit for pollution abatement equipment; (4) modify certain rules and definitions relating to clean renewable energy bonds; (5) extend through 2013 the tax credit for producing electricity from renewable resources; and (6) allow an energy tax credit for investment in thermal storage systems or daylight dimming technologies.

Date: 2007-06-12
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
Fuel Reduction using Electrons to End Dependence On the Mid-East (FREEDOM) Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax credits for: (1) the purchase of a new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle; (2) the conversion of a motor vehicle to a plug-in electric drive vehicle; and (3) rebates paid by electric utilities to purchasers of or converters to plug-in electric drive vehicles. Defines "new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle" as a motor vehicle which: (1) is powered by traction batteries with an aggregate capacity of not less than 2.5 kilowatt hours; (2) uses an offboard source of electricity to recharge batteries; and (3) has a certificate of conformity under the Clean Air Act.Allows a taxpayer election to expense 100% of the cost of facilities for manufacturing plug-in electric drive motor vehicles (and vehicle components) placed in service before January 1, 2013. Reduces such percentage to 50% for facilities placed in service after 2012, and before January 1, 2015.

Date: 2007-06-14
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for the production of cellulosic biofuel. Defines "cellulosic biofuel" as any liquid transportation fuel derived from any lignocellulosic or hemicellulosic matter (other than food starch) that is available on a renewable or recurring basis.

Date: 2007-06-14
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation
Requires the Administrator of General Services to establish a program to accelerate the use of geothermal heat pumps at General Services Administration (GSA) facilities. Requires such program to: (1) ensure centralized responsibility for the coordination of geothermal heat pump recommendations, practices, and activities of all relevant federal agencies; (2) provide technical assistance and operational guidance to tenants to achieve maximum feasible replacement of existing heating and cooling technologies with geothermal heat pump technologies within five years; and (3) establish methods to track the success of federal agencies with respect to that goal.Requires the Administrator to: (1) review the current use of geothermal heat pump technologies in GSA facilities and the availability of such technologies to facility managers; and (2) establish an acceleration program to achieve maximum feasible replacement of existing heating and cooling technologies with geothermal heat pump technologies in each GSA facility.Requires the Administrator to: (1) ensure that a manager responsible for accelerating the use of geothermal heat pump technologies is designated for each GSA geothermal heat pump technologies and practices facility; and (2) submit to Congress a plan for implementing, within five years, geothermal heat pump technologies and practices at GSA facilities.

Date: 2007-06-15
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Renewable Energy Tax Parity Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include a 30% credit for qualified biomass fuel property expenditures as part of the tax credit for residential energy efficient property. Defines "qualified biomass fuel property expenditure" as an expenditure for property which uses the burning of biomass fuel (i.e., any renewable plant-derived fuel) to heat a residence and which has a thermal efficiency rating of at least 75%.

Date: 2007-06-26
Topic: Energy (Alternative & Renewable)
Subject: Taxation