zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Biodiesel Promotion and Quality Assurance Act of 2007 - Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate regulations to ensure that diesel fuel sold in the United States contains the volume of biodiesel specified for 2008 through 2012. Requires the Administrator to determine the volume for 2013 and thereafter based on a review of the program. Requires at least 80% of the minimum applicable volume for each of 2008 through 2012 to be biodiesel.Requires the biodiesel fuel standards to contain compliance provisions applicable to refineries, blenders, distributors, and importers. Prohibits such standards from restricting geographic areas in which biodiesel may be used or imposing any per-gallon obligation for the use of biodiesel.Authorizes the Administrator to reduce the quantity of biodiesel required by a specified amount if market circumstances would make the price of biodiesel fuel unreasonable. Exempts diesel fuel subject to a state biodiesel mandate enacted as of January 1, 2007. Prohibits states or local governments from establishing or enforcing a requirement that the level of production or use of biodiesel or bio-based diesel replacement exceed the maximum level described in any engine warranty or specification derived in accordance with the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM). Requires the Administrator to: (1) promulgate regulations to ensure that only high-quality biodiesel that is consistent with appropriate ASTM International standards is introduced into commerce; and (2) establish an inspection program to ensure that biodiesel and biodiesel blends entering commerce meet such standards. Prohibits the production of distribution of biodiesel, a biodiesel blend, or any bio-based diesel replacement that does not meet ASTM standards, regardless of whether the Administrator promulgates such regulations.Requires retail diesel fuel pumps to be labeled to inform consumers of the percent of biodiesel in the biodiesel blend.

Date: 2007-06-13
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue a decision on each request submitted by a state for a waiver of preemption under that Act: (1) within 30 days, but in no case later than September 30, 2007, for requests submitted before January 31, 2006, but pending as of the date of enactment of this Act; and (2) within 180 days after receipt for requests submitted after enactment of this Act.

Date: 2007-07-12
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Clean Air Attainment Enforcement Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to declare that if a state in which a covered (nonattainment) area is located does not submit a required implementation plan (for achieving and maintaining national ambient air quality standards), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): (1) shall not have discretion to select whether highway and emission offset sanctions will be imposed on the covered area; and (2) shall impose such sanctions, with a specified exception regarding the emission offset requirements. Requires implementation plan revisions relating to the attainment plans for serious, severe, and extreme areas to require each major stationary source located in a covered area that emits VOCs (volatile organic compounds) or NOx (oxides of nitrogen) to pay the Administrator a fee as a penalty for the failure to attain the standard for ozone by the attainment date. Requires the Administrator: (1) upon approval of a state implementation plan, to annually determine whether a covered area is making sufficient progress to achieve attainment; (2) to impose on each major stationary source located in the covered area a penalty for failure to meet a national primary ambient air quality standard for ozone; and (3) to suspend the imposition of such penalties if a covered area is making sufficient progress for the current calendar year. Requires such fees and actions by the Administrator with respect to implementation plan revision requirements for major stationary sources that emit PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers).

Date: 2007-07-13
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to study and report to Congress on the feasibility of increasing consumption in the United States of ethanol-blended gasoline with levels of ethanol of not less than 10% and not more than 40%.Requires the study to evaluate: (1) production and infrastructure constraints on increasing consumption; (2) the economic, market, and energy impacts of state and regional differences in ethanol blends and of separate and distinctly-labeled fuel storage facilities and dispensers; (3) the environmental impacts of mid-level ethanol blends on evaporative and exhaust emissions from, and on the operation, durability and performance of, on-road, off-road, and marine engines, recreational boats, vehicles, and equipment (engines); and (4) the safety impacts of mid-level ethanol blends on consumers that own and operate such engines.Authorizes appropriations.

Date: 2007-07-19
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Containing and Managing Climate Change Costs Efficiently Act - Establishes the Carbon Market Efficiency Board to: (1) analyze market information to promote understanding of the dynamics of each federal greenhouse gas (GHG) emission market; (2) gather information regarding the status of the markets; and (3) carry out cost relief measures if it determines that a federal GHG market poses significant harm to the U.S. economy.Requires the Board, during the two-year period beginning on the date the initial federally established GHG market begins operation: (1) to study other markets for tradeable permits to emit covered GHGs; and (2) if it determines that the average daily closing price of GHG permits during a 180-day period exceeds the upper range of an estimate, to increase the quantity of permits that covered entities may borrow from their prescribed allocations for future years and take specified subsequent action.Requires the Board to report to the President and Congress on the status of each federal GHG market, the economic effects of the markets, regional, industrial, and consumer responses to the markets, corrective measures that should be carried out to relieve excessive costs of the markets, and plans to compensate for those measures.Authorizes the Board to carry out cost relief measures to ensure functioning, stable, and efficient markets for tradeable permits to emit GHGs beginning on the day after the expiration of the initial two-year period. Sets forth requirements for the Board to follow in carrying out the cost relief measures.Limits the Board's authority, including prohibiting the Board from prescribing entity-level petitions for relief from the costs of a federal permit allocation or trading program.Requires the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to report to Congress on the projected price range at which GHG permits are expected to trade during the initial two-year period of the market.

Date: 2007-07-25
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Study Act of 2007 - Requires the Secretary of Energy to study, and report the results to Congress on, the feasibility of the construction and operation of: (1) pipelines for the transportation of carbon dioxide for sequestration or enhanced oil recovery; and (2) carbon dioxide sequestration facilities.

Date: 2007-10-04
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Energy
Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to accept, as part of a settlement of any alleged violations of environmental law, diesel emissions reduction Supplemental Environmental Projects if the projects: (1) protect human health or the environment; (2) are related to the underlying alleged violations; (3) do not constitute activities that the defendant would otherwise be legally required to perform; and (4) do not provide funds for EPA's staff or for contractors to carry out EPA's internal operations.Directs the Administrator, in any such settlement agreement, to require the defendant to include in the settlement documents a certification under penalty of law that the defendant would have agreed to perform a comparably valued, alternative project other than a diesel emissions reduction Supplemental Environmental Project if the Administrator were precluded by law from accepting a diesel emission reduction Supplemental Environmental Project. States that failure by the Administrator to include this language shall not create a cause of action against the United States under the Clean Air Act or any other law or create a basis for overturning a settlement agreement entered into by the United States.Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to include the District of Columbia as a state for purposes of grant programs for diesel emission reductions.

Date: 2007-10-04
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Renewable Fuel Standard Extension Act of 2007 - Amends the Clean Air Act to redefine the term "cellulosic biomass ethanol" to mean ethanol derived from any cellulose, hemicellulose, or lignin that is derived from renewable biomass. Redefines the term "renewable fuel" to include motor vehicle fuel that is derived from renewable biomass other than ethanol derived from corn starch.Increases the volume of renewable fuel that gasoline is required to contain for 2008-2012. Sets forth the applicable volume of renewable fuel for 2013-2016.Revises the calculation used to determine the applicable volume of renewable fuel for 2017 and beyond by using the ratio of 18 billion gallons (currently, 7.5 billion gallons) of renewable fuels to the number of gallons of gasoline sold or introduced into commerce in 2012.

Date: 2007-10-18
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Global Warming Wildlife Survival Act - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to establish: (1) a national strategy for assisting wildlife populations and habitats in adapting to the impact of global warming; (2) an advisory board on such impact; (3) the National Global Warming and Wildlife Science Center within the United States Geological Survey (USGS); and (4) a State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program.Global Warming and Acidification Coastal and Ocean Resiliency Act - Requires the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) establish a national strategy to protect, maintain, and restore coastal and marine ecosystems so that they are more resilient and better able to withstand the additional stresses associated with global warming, including relative sea level rise, and ocean acidification; (2) establish an advisory board on the impact of global warming on the ocean and coastal communities; (3) make grants for protecting, maintaining, or restoring the resilience and health of coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes ecosystems and resources; and (4) arrange with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) for a report to Congress on such impact.Amends the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to require the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) establish a coastal climate change resiliency planning and response program; and (2) issue guidelines for the implementation of climate change resiliency planning grants to states.Requires the Director of USGS to convene regional scientific symposia to examine the ecological impact of global warming on each imperiled species in each U.S. ecosystem. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to arrange with NAS to convene a panel to report on: (1) such impact; (2) different ecological scenarios that may result from different intensities, rates, and other critical manifestations of global warming; and (3) assisting such species.

Date: 2007-10-18
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Carbon Capture and Storage Technology Act of 2007 - Requires the Secretary of Energy to establish a competitive grant program to provide assistance to at least three, but not more than five, eight-year commercial demonstration projects to demonstrate the long-term effects of sequestration of carbon dioxide in deep geological formations, of which: (1) not fewer than two shall be conducted in deep saline aquifers; and (2) the remainder may be conducted in saline aquifers combined with storage in established oil or gas fields. Requires the Secretary to establish a competitive grant program to provide grants to at least three, but not more than five, commercial demonstration projects for the capture of carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. Establishes an interagency task force composed of the Secretary, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Secretary of the Interior to develop regulations providing guidelines and practices for the capture and storage of carbon dioxide.Requires the Director of the Office of Science to carry out a program for the research and development of potential technologies and approaches for the capture of carbon dioxide. Requires the Secretary to: (1) carry out a program for the research and development of carbon dioxide storage technologies; and (2) develop recommendations for optimal carbon dioxide storage features, practices, and conditions.Requires the Secretary to complete a national carbon dioxide storage capacity assessment.Requires the Secretary to offer to enter into agreements with China and India and any other country that is heavily dependent on coal-fired power plants for electricity generation to pursue technology-sharing agreements with respect to carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies.

Date: 2007-11-07
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Climate Change Adaptation Act - Amends the National Climate Program Act to revise congressional findings and add a definition of "coastal state." Revises the elements of the National Climate Program to require a strategic planning process to address the impacts of climate change in the United States and establish a National Climate Service within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Requires the President to provide to Congress a five-year national strategic plan to address the impacts of climate change in the United States, define the Program roles of federal officers and agencies, and provide for coordination. Sets forth the minimum contents of the strategic plan, including requirements concerning: (1) climate change impacts on federally managed resources; (2) cooperation and partnership with state and local governments, nongovernmental entities, and international entities; (3) development of agency-specific plans; and (4) identification of necessary authorities and data.Requires the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) coordinate and support regional assessments of coastal and ocean vulnerability, including living marine resources, to climate change; (2) submit to Congress a national coastal and ocean adaptation plan composed of regional plans that recommend targets and strategies to address coastal and ocean impacts associated with climate change, ocean acidification, and sea level rise; (3) provide technical planning assistance and products to assist coastal states and local governments in developing and implementing coastal and ocean adaptation or mitigation strategies and plans.Amends the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to require the Secretary to provide grants to coastal states with federally approved coastal zone management programs for developing and implementing coastal and ocean adaptation plans. Requires such plans to be approved by the Secretary and consistent with the coastal and ocean adaptation plan to be developed pursuant to this Act and with the state's coastal management program and hazard mitigation plans.Authorizes appropriations.

Date: 2007-11-14
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Reducing Global Warming Pollution from Vehicles Act of 2008 - Amends the Clean Air Act to approve the application of the state of California for a waiver of federal preemption of its motor vehicle emission standards.

Date: 2008-01-24
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Amends the Clean Air Act to revise the definition of "renewable biomass" to include certain commercial waste material harvested from National Forest System or public lands.

Date: 2008-01-25
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Greenhouse Gas Emission Atmospheric Removal Act or the GEAR Act - Declares that it is the policy of the United States to provide incentives to encourage the development and implementation of technology to permanently remove greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere on a significant scale.Establishes within the Department of Energy (DOE) the Greenhouse Gas Emission Atmospheric Removal Commission.Requires the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Commission, to provide financial awards on a competitive basis to entities for the achievement of milestones in developing and applying technology that could significantly slow or reverse the accumulation of GHGs in the atmosphere by permanently capturing or sequestrating those gases without significant countervailing harmful effects.Requires the Commission to: (1) develop specific requirements for the competition, performance, monitoring and verification, and the scale of awards; (2) establish minimum levels for the capture or net sequestration of GHGs required to qualify for a financial award; (3) offer awards to entities that demonstrate achievement of specified technological goals; and (4) establish standards for required peer review of proposals seeking such awards.Vests title to intellectual property arising from such awards in U.S. entities. Bars title transfer to an entity not incorporated in the United States until the first obtained patent expires. Authorizes the United States to reserve a license to have such property practiced on its behalf.

Date: 2008-02-08
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Mercury Emissions Control Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to propose regulations to: (1) control the emission of hazardous air pollutants, including mercury pollutants, from electric utility steam generating units; and (2) require a reduction of not less than 90% in such mercury emissions.

Date: 2008-02-14
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Amends the Clean Air Act to: (1) extend the duration of credits for renewable fuel and biodiesel to 36 months (currently, 12 months) after the date of generation; (2) extend the temporary exemption for small refineries from renewable fuel program requirements until 2013 (currently, they are exempted until 2011); and (3) apply the authorization of funding for the cost of loan guarantees to carry out commercial demonstration projects to demonstration projects for celluosic biomass ethanol and ethanol (currently, for celluosic biomass ethanol and sucrose-derived ethanol).

Date: 2008-02-14
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding Deadline and California Waiver Reconsideration Act - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), not later than June 30, 2009, to reconsider, and confirm or reverse, the decision to deny California's request to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from new motor vehicles.Requires the Administrator, not later than 60 days after this Act's enactment, to issue a finding in accordance with: (1) the Clean Air Act with respect to whether such emissions from one or more classes of new motor vehicles or engines causes or contributes to air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare; and (2) the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency.

Date: 2008-04-02
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Amends the Clean Air Act to require the applicable volume of ethanol derived from corn starch in renewable fuel for the years 2006 through 2022 to not exceed nine billion gallons. Requires the renewable fuel regulations to impose penalties for failures to comply with advanced biofuel, cellulosic biofuel, and biomass-based diesel standards.

Date: 2008-05-19
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to revise requirements for the sale by the Secretary of Energy of products from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve. Authorizes the Secretary to sell from the Reserve if the President finds that: (1) there is a severe energy supply interruption (as under existing law); or (2) the price of home heating oil threatens the health and safety of residents of the Northeast. Requires the Secretary to sell specified percentages of the quantity of products in the Reserve as of November 1 of a fiscal year if the President finds that, on successive monthly winter dates of the same fiscal year, the average retail price of No.2 heating oil in the Northeast is equal to or more than $4.00 per gallon. Requires the Secretary to use any revenue derived from such sales to provide assistance to low-income consumers of heating oil under the Weatherization Assistance Program for Low-Income Persons of the Energy Conservation and Production Act.

Date: 2008-06-19
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Energy
International Clean Development Technology Fund Act of 2008 - Establishes in the Treasury the International Clean Development Technology Fund to provide assistance to qualified entities for: (1) capacity building programs such as greenhouse gas emissions measuring and related technology and policy assessments; and (2) greenhouse gas emissions mitigation in eligible countries.

Date: 2008-07-16
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: International affairs
Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to work with representatives of industry and environmental groups to conduct a study of black carbon emissions, which shall include: (1) an identification of the major sources of black carbon emissions in the United States and throughout the world, an estimate of the quantity of current and future emissions, and the net climate effects of the emissions from those sources; (2) an identification of the most effective and cost-effective control technologies, operations, or strategies for additional domestic and international reductions in black carbon reductions and the health benefits associated with additional reductions; and (3) recommendations regarding areas of focus for additional research for technologies, operations, and strategies with the highest potential to reduce black carbon emissions, government actions to encourage or require additional black carbon emission reductions, and the development of a climate-beneficial tropospheric ozone reduction strategy. Requires the Administrator to report to Congress on the study results within 180 days after enactment of this Act.

Date: 2008-09-15
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Air and Health Quality Empowerment Zone Designation Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate areas nominated by local air pollution control districts as air and health quality empowerment zones, which shall be eligible for grants for replacing or retrofitting polluting vehicles and/or engines in order to improve the health of the population living in the zones.Sets forth area eligibility requirements, including: (1) being in nonattainment of specified national ambient air quality standards for ozone or PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter that does not exceed 2.5 micrometers); (2) having specified emission levels from agricultural sources; (3) meeting or exceeding national averages for asthma, school days missed for ozone levels, and unemployment; and (4) being eligible for state or local matching funds.Prohibits an area from being designated unless the relevant district provides satisfactory assurances that the strategic plan (to be contained in its application) will be implemented. Authorizes the Administrator to revoke the designation if the relevant district: (1) has been designated as being in attainment with the air quality standards; or (2) is failing to comply with, or make progress in achieving the goals of, its strategic plan.

Date: 2008-09-16
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Air and Health Quality Empowerment Zone Designation Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate areas nominated by local air pollution control districts as air and health quality empowerment zones, which shall be eligible for grants for replacing or retrofitting polluting vehicles and/or engines in order to improve the health of the population living in the zones.Sets forth area eligibility requirements, including: (1) being in nonattainment of specified national ambient air quality standards for ozone or PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter that does not exceed 2.5 micrometers); (2) having specified emission levels from agricultural sources; (3) meeting or exceeding national averages for asthma, school days missed for ozone levels, and unemployment; and (4) being eligible for state or local matching funds.Prohibits an area from being designated unless the relevant district provides satisfactory assurances that the strategic plan (to be contained in its application) will be implemented. Authorizes the Administrator to revoke the designation if the relevant district: (1) has been designated as being in attainment with the air quality standards; or (2) is failing to comply with, or make progress in achieving the goals of, its strategic plan.

Date: 2008-09-24
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Motor Fuel Supply and Distribution Improvement Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to: (1) update provisions limiting the number of gasoline or diesel fuels allowed in a state implementation plan; and (2) allow a limited, temporary waiver of a control or prohibition of a fuel or fuel additive in circumstances that prevent the distribution of an adequate supply of such fuel or fuel additive to consumers.

Date: 2008-09-25
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Clean, Low-Emission, Affordable, New Transportation Efficiency Act - Establishes the Low Greenhouse Gas Transportation Fund. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for each of calendar 2012-2050, to auction 10% of emission allowances established under any EPA program providing for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the auctioning of emission allowances. Requires deposit of auction proceeds into the Fund to implement state and metropolitan planning organization (MPO) greenhouse gas emission reduction plans, and provide funding to transit projects that help reduce such emissions. Requires states and MPOs to: (1) establish goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector for the next 10 years; and (2) develop transportation greenhouse gas emission reduction plans, updated quadrennially, including supporting lists of prioritized transit projects, that are integrated into state and MPO long-range transportation and transportation improvement plans. Directs the Secretary of Transportation and the EPA Administrator to arrange with the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences to study and report recommendations for improving research tools and federal data sources necessary to assess the effect of transportation and land use plans on motor vehicle use rates and transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions.

Date: 2008-09-26
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Transportation and public works
Livestock Emissions Tax Ban Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from imposing a fee or tax under such Act on any direct gaseous emissions by livestock.

Date: 2008-12-10
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Amends the Clean Air Act to: (1) prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating under such Act emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, or methane resulting from agricultural production; and (2) exclude such emissions from the definition of "air pollutant."

Date: 2008-12-11
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Greenhouse Gas Registry Act - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) determine and publish the quantity of each greenhouse gas (GHG) that makes the same contribution to global warming as one metric ton of carbon dioxide; and (2) designate as a GHG any directly emitted anthropogenic gas that is included in the Inventory of the United States Greenhouse Gases and Sinks, one metric ton of which makes the same or greater contribution to global warming as one metric ton of carbon dioxide. Directs each covered entity to report to the Administrator its GHG emissions for the prior calendar year.Directs the Administrator to issue regulations establishing a federal GHG registry. Specifies that such regulations shall: (1) ensure accuracy and reliability of data submitted; (2) take into account best practices for measuring, accounting, reporting, and verifying GHG emissions and the latest scientific research; (3) require that submitted data are monitored using monitoring systems for fuel use, fuel flow, or emissions, wherever feasible; (4) require annual reporting on the emission of GHGs; (5) establish consistent policies for calculating carbon content and GHG emissions for each type of fossil fuel reported; (6) provide for immediate public dissemination of data reported, with certain exceptions; and (7) take into account the work done by the Climate Registry and other mandatory state or multistate authorized programs and explain the major differences in approach between the system established under the regulations and the respective registries or programs. Provides that nothing in this Act preempts any state or regional GHG registry efforts.Authorizes the Administrator to bring a civil action against entities that fail to comply with this Act's requirements. Sets forth civil penalties for violations.

Date: 2009-01-07
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Amends the Clean Air Act to: (1) exclude from the definition of the term "air pollutant" carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, or sulfur hexafluoride; and (2) declare that nothing in the Act shall be treated as authorizing or requiring the regulation of climate change or global warming.

Date: 2009-01-09
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Boutique Fuel Reduction Act of 2009 - Amends the Clean Air Act to add as "extreme and unusual circumstances that prevent the distribution of an adequate supply of fuel or fuel additives to consumers" under which the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may temporarily waive a control or prohibition on the use of a fuel or fuel additive circumstances that are the result of unexpected problems with equipment necessary for transportation and delivery of fuel or fuel additives. States that EPA shall have no authority, when considering a state implementation plan (SIP) or SIP revision, to approve any fuel included in such plan or revision if the effect of such approval increases the total number of fuels set forth on the published list of approved fuels (currently EPA does not have the authority to approve a fuel if it increases the total number of fuels approved as of September 1, 2004, in all SIPs).Requires notice and opportunity for comment before the Administrator removes a fuel from the list. Requires EPA to remove a fuel from the list if such fuel has ceased to be included in an SIP or is identical to a federal fuel control or prohibition. Repeals provisions prohibiting EPA from reducing the total number of authorized fuels. Requires EPA to publish a revised list reflecting the reduction in the number of fuels. Deletes as a condition under which the Administrator's authority to approve a control or prohibition respecting any new fuel is limited that such new fuel will increase the total number of fuels on the list.

Date: 2009-01-09
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Energy
Right to Clean Vehicles Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to approve the application of the state of California for a waiver of federal preemption of its motor vehicle emission standards.

Date: 2009-01-16
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Green Transit Act - Requires long-range transportation plans and transportation improvement programs for public transportation and highways to: (1) be developed after metropolitan planning organizations have considered emissions of greenhouse gases as defined by the Clean Air Act; and (2) provide for reductions in such emissions.

Date: 2009-02-03
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Transportation and public works
Mercury Emissions Reduction Act - Declares that this Act's purpose is to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate a rule that requires mercury emissions from electric utility steam generating units to be subject to Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards under the Clean Air Act for hazardous air pollutants. Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator to promulgate standards for mercury emissions from electric utility steam generating units.

Date: 2009-02-03
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Clean, Low-Emission, Affordable, New Transportation Efficiency Act - Establishes the Low Greenhouse Gas Transportation Fund. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for each of calendar 2012-2050, to auction 10% of emission allowances established under any EPA program providing for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the auctioning of emission allowances. Requires deposit of auction proceeds into the Fund to implement state and eligible regional or local entity greenhouse gas emission reduction plans, and provide funding to transit projects that help reduce such emissions. Requires states and eligible regional or local entities representing populations of more than 200,000 people to: (1) establish goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector for the next 10 years; and (2) develop transportation greenhouse gas emission reduction plans, including supporting lists of prioritized transit projects, that are integrated into state and eligible regional or local entity long-range transportation and transportation improvement plans. Directs the Secretary of Transportation and the EPA Administrator to contract with the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences to study and report recommendations for improving research tools and federal data sources necessary to assess the effect of state and local transportation, land use, and environmental plans on motor vehicle use rates and transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions.

Date: 2009-03-05
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Transportation and public works
America's Energy Security Trust Fund Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an excise tax on any taxable carbon substance sold by a manufacturer, producer, or importer. Defines "taxable carbon substance" as: (1) coal (including lignite and peat); (2) petroleum and any petroleum products; and (3) natural gas that is extracted, manufactured, or produced in the United States, or entered into the United States for consumption, use, or warehousing. Establishes in the Treasury the America's Energy Security Trust Fund to finance research in clean energy technology, assist industries negatively affected by this Act, and provide carbon tax rebates to individual taxpayers.Allows individual taxpayers a tax credit equal to carbon tax rebate amounts calculated by the Secretary of the Treasury.Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to study and report to Congress on the best methods to assess and collect taxes on non-carbon greenhouse gases.Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should establish binding agreements with major greenhouse gas emitting nations to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Date: 2009-03-05
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Energy
Amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit the issuance of permits under such Act for any carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, water vapor, or methane emissions resulting from biological processes associated with livestock production.

Date: 2009-03-11
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Prohibits federal agencies, in carrying out any Act or program to reduce the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change, from imposing a fee or tax on gaseous emissions emitted directly by livestock.

Date: 2009-03-11
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Taxation
Safe Markets Development Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) conduct auctions of allowances (authorizations to emit one carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gas) in accordance with procedures established by the Climate Program Oversight and Coordination Board (established by this Act); (2) establish an allowance transfer system to issue, record, and track emission allowances; (3) maintain a registry of allowances for each recorded holder of allowances; and (4) provide for allowance banking. Provides that the privilege of purchasing, holding, and transferring emission allowances shall not be restricted to the owners and operators of covered facilities. Requires: (1) the owner or operator of a covered facility to submit to the Secretary an emission allowance for each carbon dioxide equivalent attributable to such facility as calculated by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under a greenhouse gases emissions registry; and (2) revenues from the auctions to be deposited in the Auction Revenue Trust Fund (established by this Act). Sets forth penalties for excess emissions. Requires the Board to forecast and select gradually rising annual allowance prices for 2012-2020. Specifies initial expectation amounts of greenhouse gas emissions of covered facilities in the cap and trade program for each of calendar years 2012-2050. Provides for reductions in the emissions target for 2020 and the expected emissions for 2021-2030 by specified amounts of any cumulative emissions of covered entities for 2012-2020 in excess of the specified expected emission levels over such years.

Date: 2009-03-23
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
EMPLOY Act or the Emission Migration Prevention with Long-term Output Yields Act - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to distribute emission allowances (authorizations to emit one carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gas) annually in specified amounts to the owners and operators of facilities in eligible industrial sectors under a domestic cap and trade program, subject to a maximum quantity limitation. Requires the Administrator to promulgate a rule designating the industrial sectors and subsectors (sectors) in which facility owners or operators may receive emission allowances. Requires allowances to be given to a owners or operators of facilities in sectors that are included in a six-digit classification of the 2007 North American Industrial Classification System and that meet either the energy intensity criteria or greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity criteria and the trade intensity criteria. Authorizes the Administrator to rescind the eligibility of a sector only if it does not meet such criteria and would not be subject to carbon leakage in the absence of the allowance distribution. Defines "carbon leakage" to mean any substantial increase in GHG emissions by manufacturing facilities located in countries without commensurate GHG regulation which is caused by an incremental cost of production increase in the United States as a result of a domestic cap and trade program. Authorizes any person to petition the Administrator to designate as eligible to receive allowances any sector that does not meet such criteria but is subject to carbon leakage comparable to that of sectors that meet the criteria. Sets forth the calculations to determine the quantity of allowances distributed to facilities. Requires the Administrator to reduce in 2026 and each year thereafter on a pro-rata basis the amount of emission allowances distributed by an amount equal to 10% of the amount of emission allowances distributed in calendar year 2025. Provides for the review and elimination of such reduction under certain circumstances.

Date: 2009-03-26
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Black Carbon Emissions Reduction Act of 2009 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to report to Congress on black carbon (light-absorbing component of carbonaceous aerosols) emissions, including : (1) a summary of current research identifying major sources, control technologies, quantifying metrics, and public health and environmental benefits associated with additional controls; and (2) recommendations regarding emissions monitoring techniques and capabilities, areas for additional study of technologies, operations, and strategies with the greatest potential to reduce emissions, and actions the government may take to encourage or require emission reductions. Requires the Administrator, within a year, to finalize regulations under the Clean Air Act to reduce emissions of black carbon or propose a finding that existing regulations promulgated pursuant to such Act adequately regulate them. Requires the Administrator to report to Congress on the amount, type, and direction of all present U.S. financial, technical, and related assistance to foreign countries to reduce, mitigate, and abate black carbon emissions.

Date: 2009-03-26
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Smart Planning for Smart Growth Act of 2009 - Amends the Clean Air Act to require states and metropolitan planning organizations in areas with a population exceeding 200,000 to submit to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Secretary of Transportation goals for reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions and plans to achieve such reductions. Requires such states and organizations to establish goals on a statewide basis and to consider specified transportation and land use planning strategies, including increasing public transportation systems and supporting land use regulation that coordinates transportation and land use planning and uses existing infrastructure. Authorizes the Administrator to award competitive grants to metropolitan planning organizations to develop or implement emission reduction plans.

Date: 2009-03-30
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Low Carbon Fuel Standard Act of 2009 - Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue regulations that: (1) determine the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of all transportation fuels; (2) determine the fuel emission baseline (i.e., average lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy of all transportation fuels sold in the United States in 2005); (3) apply to refineries, blenders, and importers of transportation fuel; (4) ensure that, for 2014-2022, annual average lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions do not exceed the fuel emission baseline; and (5) ensure that, for 2023 and thereafter, transportation fuel providers make specified reductions in the annual average lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions for transportation fuel sold in the United States. Grants the Administrator authority to waive emission reduction requirements of this Act to prevent economic or environmental harm. Requires the Administrator to study the environmental and resource conservation impacts of the regulations required by this Act and their effect on energy security.

Date: 2009-03-30
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection
Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish an independent Offsets Integrity Advisory Board to make recommendations for promulgating regulations on offsets of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and for ensuring the overall environmental integrity of the offset program (a program that recognizes the act of reducing or avoiding GHG emissions in one place in order to offset emissions occurring somewhere else). Requires the Board to provide recommendations to the Administrator periodically regarding offset project types that should be considered eligible under the program. Requires the Board, by January 1, 2017, and at five-year intervals thereafter, to submit to the Administer and make available to the public an analysis of relevant scientific and technical information related to the offsets program. Requires the Board to: (1) review offset methodologies, scientific studies, offset project monitoring, offset project verification reports, and audits and evaluate the net emissions effects of implemented offset projects; and (2) recommend changes to offset methodologies, protocols, or project types or to the overall offset program to ensure that offset credits do not compromise the integrity of the emissions cap and to avoid or minimize any adverse effects to human health or the environment. Requires the Administrator, at least every five years, to review and revise: (1) the methodologies established; (2) the reversal policies and mechanisms established; (3) measures to improve the accountability of the offsets program; and (4) any other requirements established to ensure the environmental integrity and effective operation of the offsets program.

Date: 2009-03-30
Topic: Environment (Air Pollution)
Subject: Environmental protection