Summary:
North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015

TITLE I--MODERNIZING AND PROTECTING INFRASTRUCTURE

Subtitle A--Energy Delivery, Reliability, and Security

(Sec. 1101) This bill amends the Natural Gas Act to revise procedures for consideration by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) of applications for federal authorization of the exportation or importation of natural gas, including a deadline for a final decision on a federal authorization within 90 days after FERC issues its final environmental document.

The bill repeals an applicant's option to pursue certain remedies if a federal or state administrative agency fails to complete a mandatory approval proceeding in accordance with FERC's schedule.

The bill prescribes requirements for: (1) concurrent federal and state application reviews, (2) issue identification and resolution, (3) failure to meet schedule, (4) remote environmental surveys, and (5) application processing that allows an applicant to fund third-party contractor to assist in reviewing the application. When an application requires multiple federal authorizations, FERC must track and publicize on its website the actions required to complete permitting, reviews, and other requisite actions.

(Sec. 1102) The Federal Power Act (FPA) is amended to require FERC, in resolving environmental and grid reliability conflicts, to ensure that any emergency order which may result in conflict with federal, state, or local environmental law or regulations:

 requires electric energy generation, delivery, interchange, or transmission only during hours necessary to meet the emergency; is consistent with environmental law or regulation; and minimizes adverse environmental impacts. An order that does conflict with federal, state, or local environmental law must expire within 90 days after issuance, although FERC may renew it for subsequent 90-day periods.

(Sec. 1103) The Department of Energy (DOE) shall:

 adopt procedures, among other things, to improve communication and coordination between DOE's energy response team, federal partners, and the oil and natural gas industry regarding enhanced emergency preparedness for natural disasters; and order 15-day (renewable) emergency measures to protect the reliability of either critical electric infrastructure or the defense critical electric infrastructure in the event of an imminent grid security emergency. (Sec. 1104) FERC must establish a mechanism that permits owners, operators, or users of critical electric infrastructure to recover prudently incurred substantial costs of complying with an order for emergency measures if the costs cannot reasonably be recovered through regulated rates or market prices for the electric energy or services sold. Owners or operators of critical defense facilities that rely upon defense critical electric infrastructure, however, shall bear the full incremental costs of those measures.

DOE shall identify and designate U.S. facilities that are both critical to defense and are vulnerable to an electric energy supply disruption.

The bill prescribes requirements and restrictions for temporary access to classified information which DOE and federal agencies must provide with respect to a grid security emergency.

DOE must designate facilities located in the U.S. and its territories that may be defense critical electric infrastructure.

The bill prescribes measures addressing grid security vulnerabilities: weaknesses that, in the event of a malicious act using an electromagnetic pulse, would pose a substantial risk of disruption to the operation of electrical or electronic devices or communications networks essential to the reliability of the bulk-power system.

FERC shall direct the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to submit reliability standards that: (1) protect the bulk-power system from foreseeable geomagnetic storms or electromagnetic pulse events, and (2) address the availability of large transformers. The Tennessee Valley Authority and the Bonneville Power Administration shall be exempt for 11 years, though, from any requirement addressing grid security vulnerabilities under this Act.

(Sec. 1105) DOE shall submit to Congress a plan to establish a Strategic Transformer Reserve for the storage, in strategically located facilities, of spare large power transformers and emergency mobile substations in numbers sufficient to temporarily replace critically damaged large power transformers and substations that are critical to electric infrastructure, or that serve defense and military installations.

The purpose of the Reserve shall be to mitigate significant impacts to the electric grid from physical attack, cyber attack, electromagnetic pulse attack, geomagnetic disturbances, severe weather, or seismic events.

DOE may also establish a Strategic Transformer Reserve in accordance with the Plan.

(Sec. 1106) DOE shall establish a voluntary Cyber Sense program to identify and promote cyber-secure products intended for use in the bulk-power system.

(Sec. 1107) The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) is amended to require each electric utility to:

 develop a plan to use resiliency-related technologies and other approaches designed to improve the resilience of electric infrastructure, mitigate power outages, continue delivery of vital services, and maintain the flow of power to critical facilities; develop and implement a plan for deploying advanced energy analytics technology; and adopt or modify policies to ensure that the electric utility incorporates reliable generation into its integrated resource plan to assure the availability of electric energy over a 10-year planning period. Each state regulatory authority shall consider authorizing an electric utility to recover costs related to resiliency-related technologies, including a reasonable rate of return on its capital expenditures for those technologies.

A state regulatory authority must evaluate specified aspects of subsidizing customer-side technology.

The bill exempts from PURPA any electric utility operations related to the competitive sale of retail electric energy that is unbundled or separated from the regulated provision or sale of distribution service.

(Sec. 1108) FERC shall conduct an independent reliability analysis of any proposed or final covered rule issued by a federal agency for which compliance with the rule may impact an electric utility generating unit or units. The analysis shall evaluate the rule's effects upon: (1) electric reliability and resource adequacy; (2) the U.S. electricity generation portfolio; (3) the operation of wholesale electricity markets; and (4) energy delivery and infrastructure, including electric transmission facilities and natural gas pipelines.

(Sec. 1109) DOE shall also evaluate annually each project it has conducted regarding carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration technologies.

(Sec. 1110) The FPA is further amended to require each Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) and certain Independent System Operators that operate capacity markets intended to ensure the procurement and availability of sufficient future electric energy resources to analyze for FERC how the structures of those markets meet specified criteria.

(Sec. 1111) DOE and the Department of Commerce shall study the feasibility of establishing an ethane storage and distribution hub in the United States.

(Sec. 1112) The bill expresses U.S. policy to promote and advance the modernization of the U.S. energy delivery infrastructure and of the electric grid to enable a robust multi-directional power flow.

(Sec. 1113) DOE shall report to Congress on methods to increase electric grid resilience with respect to all threats, including cyber attacks, vandalism, terrorism, and severe weather.

(Sec. 1114) The Government Accountability Office (GAO) shall study ways to improve the capabilities of the National Response Center.

(Sec. 1115) The Mineral Leasing Act is amended to allow natural gas pipeline rights-of-way through all federally owned lands, including lands in the National Park System, except lands held in trust for an Indian or Indian tribe and lands on the outer Continental Shelf.

The Department of the Interior must: (1) identify and designate suitable federal lands as National Energy Security Corridors for construction, operation, and maintenance of natural gas transmission facilities; and (2) incorporate such Corridors into the relevant agency land use and resource management plans.

The governor of a state may request Corridors to be designated on federal land within that state. For purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) neither the designation of a Corridor, nor its incorporation into agency plans, shall be treated as a major federal action subject to environmental impact evaluation.

Applications for rights-of-way for natural gas transmission facilities across the designated Corridors shall be subject to specified environmental protections. Interior shall designate at least 10 National Energy Security Corridors in certain contiguous states.

(Sec. 1116) The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 is amended to require Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to lands under their respective jurisdictions, to provide direction to ensure that all existing and future rights-of-way for electric transmission and distribution facilities on such lands include requirements, meeting specified criteria, for utility vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance activities.

Interior and USDA shall:

 give facility owners and operators the option to submit their own vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plans for approval; and develop jointly a consolidated and coordinated process for review and approval of those plans. Interior and USDA shall apply their respective categorical exclusion processes under NEPA to any plans developed on existing transmission and distribution rights-of-way located on lands under their respective jurisdictions.

(A "categorical exclusion" under NEPA is a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and which have been found to have no such effect in procedures adopted by a federal agency in implementing environmental regulations and for which, therefore, neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is required.)

An approved plan shall become part of the authorization governing the covered right-of-way and hazard trees adjacent to that right-of-way. A hazard tree is any tree inside or located outside a right-of-way that has been found likely to fall and cause a high risk of injury, damage, or disruption within 10 feet or less of an electric power line or related structure if it fell.

If vegetation on federal lands within, or hazard trees on federal lands adjacent to, an electric transmission or distribution right-of-way granted by Interior or USDA have contacted, or are in imminent danger of contacting, one or more electric transmission or distribution lines, the owner or operator:

 may prune or remove the vegetation to avoid disruption of electric service and risk of fire; and shall notify the local agent of the relevant Department within 24 hours after such removal. An owner or operator of a transmission or distribution facility shall not be held liable for wildfire damage, loss, or injury, including the cost of fire suppression, if Interior or USDA fails to allow the owner or operator to:

 operate consistently with an approved vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan on federal lands within or adjacent to a right-of-way to comply with federal, state, or local electric system reliability and fire safety standards; or perform vegetation management activities in response to an identified hazard tree or a tree in imminent danger of contacting the owner's or operator's transmission or distribution facility. Interior and USDA should develop a program to train their personnel involved in vegetation management decisions relating to transmission and distribution facilities to ensure that they:

 understand electric system reliability and fire safety requirements, assist transmission and distribution facility owners and operators to comply with applicable electric reliability and fire safety requirements, and encourage and assist willing owners and operators to incorporate vegetation management practices voluntarily. Subtitle B--Hydropower Regulatory Modernization

(Sec. 1201) The Federal Power Act is amended, regarding the issuance of licenses for construction of dams, conduits, and reservoirs, to direct FERC, when deciding whether to issue a license for project works, to give equal consideration to minimizing infringement on the useful exercise and enjoyment of property rights held by nonlicensees.

The licensee, in developing any recreational resource within the project boundary, shall consider private landownership as a means to encourage and facilitate private investment, increased tourism, and recreational use.

(Sec. 1202) Upon request of the licensee for project 12642 (W. Kerr Scott Hydropower Project in Wilkes County, North Carolina), FERC may extend the time during which the licensee must commence construction for up to three consecutive two-year periods from the date of the expiration of the extension originally granted.

(Sec. 1203) FERC shall be the lead agency to coordinate all applicable federal authorizations and for compliance with NEPA. Governmental entities and Indian tribes, when considering an aspect of an application for federal authorization, must coordinate with FERC and comply with its deadlines.

 The bill prescribes intergovernmental administrative procedures affecting issue identification and resolution, scheduling, the scope of environmental review, and judicial review of a delayed federal authorization.

(Sec. 1205) FERC shall:

 compile best practices in performing studies required in license proceedings; encourage all parties to a license application to use open-source methodologies and tools applicable across a wide array of projects, including water balance models and streamflow analyses; use current, accepted science toward studies and data in support of their actions; and develop comprehensive plans, on a regional or basin-wide scale, upon project applicant request, in in basins or regions having more than one project or application for a project. (Sec. 1206) FERC may issue and amend licenses and preliminary permits for closed-loop pumped storage projects (in which the upper and lower reservoirs do not impound or directly withdraw water from navigable waters, or that are not continuously connected to a naturally flowing water feature). Before issuing such a license, FERC must assess the safety of existing dams and other structures related to the project, including the possible consequences of project failures.

(Sec. 1207) The FPA is further amended to prescribe: (1) license amendments governing project upgrades, and (2) rules establishing new standards and procedures for license amendment applications.

(Sec. 1208) FERC may exempt from FPA license requirements any qualifying facility.

No federal authorization required for a qualifying facility may include any condition or other requirement that results in any material change to the storage, control, withdrawal, diversion, release, or flow operations of the associated qualifying nonpowered dam.

 Unless FERC determines that its obligations under NEPA can be met through a categorical exclusion, its environmental review of a proposed exemption shall be only an environmental assessment.

TITLE II--ENERGY SECURITY AND DIPLOMACY

(Sec. 2002) DOE shall collaborate with the Secretary of State to develop recommendations for certain congressional committees regarding:

 U.S. energy security valuation methods; improved planning and coordination with Canada and Mexico to enhance energy integration and strengthen North American energy security; improved collaboration with Caribbean and Central American partners on energy security; the strengthening of domestic energy security and the energy security of U.S. allies and trading partners; and the convening of at least two energy security forums to promote the collective energy security of the U.S., its allies, and its trading partners. (Sec. 2005) The bill sets a deadline for DOE to issue a final decision on applications to export natural gas export if such applications must also obtain authorization from either FERC or the U.S. Maritime Administration to site, construct, expand, or operate liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities.

The Natural Gas Act is amended to direct DOE, as a prerequisite for approval of any authorization to export LNG, to require the applicant to disclose publicly the specific destination of any such authorized LNG exports.

(Sec. 2006) A permit to which NEPA applies for the construction, operation, or maintenance of an export facility for bulk commodities shall not be denied until each applicable federal agency has completed all required NEPA reviews.

(Sec. 2007) The bill requires a certificate of crossing for the construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of a cross-border segment of a pipeline or electric transmission facility for the import or export of liquid products or natural gas, or for the transmission of electricity, to or from Canada or Mexico.

The bill identifies the following officials responsible for issuance of a certificate of crossing :

 the Secretary of State with respect to liquid pipelines; FERC with respect to natural gas pipelines; and DOE with respect to electric transmission facilities. A certificate of crossing is not required for modifications to existing projects unless those modifications would result in a significant impact at the national boundary.

The FPA is amended to repeal the requirement for a FERC order for the transmission of electric energy to a foreign country.

(Sec. 2008) DOE must report to Congress on the weaknesses in currently available smart meters' security architecture and features (including an absence of event logging).

TITLE III--ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Subtitle A--Energy Efficiency

 Chapter 1--Federal Agency Energy Efficiency

(Sec. 3111) The bill amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007) to require each federal agency to coordinate with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), DOE, and EPA to develop an implementation strategy for the maintenance, purchase, and use of energy-efficient and energy-saving information technologies, taking specified performance goals into consideration.

OMB must establish performance goals to evaluate federal agency efforts to improve the maintenance, purchase, and use of energy-efficient and energy-saving information technology.

(Sec. 3112) With respect to energy efficiency data centers, EISA 2007 is further amended to:

 repeal the requirement that DOE and EPA designate an information technology industry organization to consult with and coordinate the voluntary national information program, and require DOE and EPA to implement that program in collaboration with the information technology industry and other key stakeholders. DOE and EPA shall also update for 2008-2015 the Report to Congress on Server and Data Center Energy Efficiency.

In collaboration with key stakeholders and OMB, DOE shall maintain a data center energy practitioner program leading to the certification of energy practitioners qualified to evaluate the energy usage and efficiency opportunities in federal data centers.

In addition, DOE shall:

 establish an open data initiative for federal data center energy usage data, participate in harmonizing global specifications and metrics for data center energy and water efficiency, facilitate the development of an efficiency metric that measures the energy efficiency of a data center. (Sec. 3113) DOE shall report to certain congressional committees on the impact of thermal insulation on both energy and water use systems for potable hot and chilled water in federal buildings, and the return on investment of installing such insulation.

(Sec. 3114) GAO shall report to Congress on the potential of battery energy storage.

(Sec. 3115) The Energy Policy Act of 2005 is further amended to permit a federal agency to consider electric energy generation purchased from a facility to be renewable energy if the municipal solid waste used by the facility to generate the electricity is

 separately collected from commonly recycled paper, and processed in a way that segregates commonly recycled paper from non-recyclable solid waste. (Sec. 3116) The National Energy Conservation Policy Act (NECPA) is amended to prescribe energy consumption reductions for federal buildings in FY2006-FY2017.

DOE shall report to Congress on the feasibility of requiring each federal agency to apply energy conservation measures to, and improve the design for the construction of, the agency's buildings so that the energy consumption per gross square foot of the buildings in each of FY2018-FY2030 is reduced by 3% from the comparable energy consumption in the prior fiscal year.

The energy manager of each agency facility shall consider use of a system to manage energy as well as certification of the facility in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization standard numbered 50001, "Energy Management Systems."

The bill prescribes criteria for exempting a federal agency facility from the annual comprehensive energy and water evaluation and recommissioning or retrocommissioning required for approximately 25% of the facilities meeting specified requirements, especially if the facility has received an evaluation within the past 8 years or been commissioned, recommissioned, or retrocommissioned during the past 10 years.

("Recommissioning" means a process of commissioning a facility or system beyond its project development and warranty phases, the primary goal of which is to ensure optimum performance over its useful life while meeting building occupancy requirements. "Retrocommissioning" means a process of commissioning a facility or system that was not commissioned at the time of its construction.) (Sec. 3117) The Energy Conservation and Production Act (ECPA) is amended to revise energy efficiency performance standards for federal buildings. Current mandatory standards for green buildings are repealed, including specified reductions in fossil fuel-generated energy consumption.

(Sec. 3118) The bill authorizes the installation and use of battery recharging stations in parking areas designated for federal employees, except those installed or maintained by the Architect of the Capitol, as well as the imposition of fees to cover the costs of maintaining those stations.

(Sec. 3119) DOE shall report to certain congressional committees on: (1) the impact of captured methane converted for energy and power generation on federal lands and buildings, as well as upon municipalities that use such generation, and (2) the return on investment and the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of utilizing such power generation.

Chapter 2--Energy Efficient Technology And Manufacturing

(Sec. 3121) The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) is amended to direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to initiate a rulemaking to consider noting prominently on any Energy Guide label for a product that includes Smart Grid capability that:

 the product features Smart Grid capability, the use and value of that feature depend upon the Smart Grid capability of the utility system in which the product is installed and the active utilization of that feature by the customer, and using the product's Smart Grid capability on such a system could reduce the product's annual operation costs. (Sec. 3122) DOE shall initiate a rulemaking to develop criteria with consensus support for achieving its recognition of approved voluntary verification programs, on whose testing it shall rely, for air conditioning, furnace, boiler, heat pump, and water heater products.

(Sec. 3123) DOE shall also publish a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking for, or a notice of data availability updating the proposed rule, entitled "Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Furnaces," in order to allow certain stakeholders to continue negotiations for a limited time period regarding the adoption of consensus energy conservation standards for nonweatherized residential gas furnaces and mobile home gas furnaces.

Between July 1 and July 31, 2016, DOE must publish a final rule, with recommended amendments, determining whether the standards for nonweatherized gas furnaces and mobile home gas furnaces should be amended.

(Sec. 3124) EPCA is amended to declare that no disclosure about a product's participation in the Energy Star program either creates an express or implied warranty, or gives rise to any private claims under state or federal law relating to the disqualification of that product from Energy Star, if the product has been certified by an Energy Star program-recognized certification body, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved corrective measures with which the responsible party has complied fully.

(Sec. 3126) DOE shall report to certain congressional committees regarding:

 the use of advanced technologies such as Internet of Things end-to-end platform solutions to provide real-time actionable analytics and enable predictive maintenance and asset management to improve energy efficiency, a coordinated federal strategy to increase the beneficial reuse of used lubricating oil, including sustainable reuse options for used oil by federal agencies, federal grant recipients, federal contractors, and the general public. (Sec. 3128) EPCA is amended to exclude from the meaning of "external power supply" any power supply circuit, driver, or device designed exclusively to be connected to and power either light-emitting or organic light-emitting diodes providing illumination.

(Sec. 3129) DOE, however, may prescribe an energy conservation standard for such a power supply circuit, driver, or device.

Chapter 3--School Buildings

(Sec. 3131) EPCA is amended to direct DOE to establish a clearinghouse to disseminate information regarding federal programs and financing mechanisms that may be used to initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, distributed generation, and energy retrofitting projects for schools.

Chapter 4--Building Energy Codes

(Sec. 3141) EPCA is amended to direct DOE to give technical assistance to help states, Indian tribes, and local governments implement technically feasible and cost-effective building energy codes.

 By a specified deadline, states and Indian tribes must certify whether they have reviewed and updated the energy requirements of their respective building codes.

 Full compliance shall mean: at least 90% of building space covered by a building energy code in the preceding year substantially meets all requirements of the applicable code or achieves an equivalent or greater energy savings level; or the estimated excess energy use of buildings that did not meet the applicable code in the preceding year, compared to a baseline of comparable buildings that meet this code, is not more than 5% of the estimated energy use of all buildings covered by this code during the preceding year. A state or Indian tribe shall be considered to have made significant progress toward achieving compliance if it has developed a plan for achieving compliance and has met the most recent target.

A state or Indian tribe not meeting building energy code requirements by the deadline shall submit a status report to DOE regarding compliance and certification.

DOE shall give: (1) both technical assistance and federal support to states and Indian tribes in implementing codes, and (2) technical assistance for the development of voluntary programs that exceed the model building energy codes for residential and commercial buildings.

GAO shall study the impact of updating national model building energy codes for residential and commercial buildings.

DOE shall study building energy code improvements, procedures to incorporate a 10-year payback in trade-offs and performance calculations, and legislative options, as well as best practices regarding delivery of aggregated energy consumption information to owners and managers of multitenant residential and commercial buildings.

The bill prescribes requirements for DOE technical assistance for updating model building energy codes.

(Sec. 3142) Any DOE program that may enable the owner of a commercial or a residential building to obtain a rating, score, or label regarding a building's actual or anticipated energy usage or performance shall be made available on a voluntary, optional, and market-driven basis.

Chapter 5--EPCA Technical Corrections and Clarifications

(Sec. 3151) The bill makes technical corrections to EPCA regarding product definitions and rulemaking procedures.

Chapter 6--Energy and Water Efficiency

(Sec. 3161) DOE shall carry out a smart energy and water efficiency management pilot program that awards grants to demonstrate advanced and innovative technology-based solutions that:

 increase and improve the energy efficiency of water, wastewater, and water reuse systems to help communities conserve water, save energy, and reduce costs; support innovative processes and advanced automated systems that provide real-time data on energy and water; and improve energy and water conservation, water quality, and predictive maintenance of energy and water systems, through the use of Internet-connected technologies, including sensors, intelligent gateways, and security embedded in hardware. (Sec. 3162) EPCA is further amended to establish within the EPA a voluntary "WaterSense" program to identify water efficient products, buildings, landscapes, facilities, processes, and services that:

 reduce water use; reduce the strain on public and community water systems and wastewater and stormwater infrastructure; conserve energy used to pump, heat, transport, and treat water; and preserve water resources affecting products, buildings, landscapes, facilities, processes, and services. The EPA Administrator shall establish a WaterSense label and the procedure by which an item may be certified to display it.

Subtitle B--Accountability

Chapter 1--Market Manipulation, Enforcement, and Compliance

(Sec. 3211) The FPA is further amended to rename the FERC Office of Public Participation as the Office of Compliance Assistance and Public Participation, which shall make recommendations for FERC rules to ensure that: (1) rates and charges for the transmission or sale of electric energy are just, reasonable, and not unduly discriminatory or preferential; (2) markets for electric energy transmission and sales are not impaired nor consumers damaged; and (3) the impact of FERC rules and orders upon small entities is taken into account.

Chapter 2--Market Reforms

(Sec. 3221) The GAO must study whether and how the current market rules, practices, and structures of each regional transmission entity produce rates that are just and reasonable.

(Sec. 3222) The FPA is amended to limit the requirement for prior FERC authorization for the merger or consolidation of facilities to those facilities whose value exceeds $10 million.

Chapter 3--Code Maintenance

(Sec. 3231) EPCA is amended to repeal the mandates for specified DOE studies of off-highway motor vehicles and methanol plants.

(Sec. 3233) NECPA is amended to repeal the mandates for: (1) a Department of Housing and Urban Development study of residential energy efficiency standards and a presidential study of weatherization, (2) a DOE report to Congress on voluntary rating guidelines, and (3) the FERC national action plan for demand response.

(Sec. 3236) The Energy Policy Act of 1992 is amended to repeal the mandates for: (1) the annual General Services Administration (GSA) report to Congress on its activities involving energy management, (2) GSA intergovernmental energy management planning and coordination workshops, (3) federal agency Inspector General audit surveys and the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency report to Congress on each Inspector General review, and (4) GSA and Department of Defense programs for procurement and identification of energy efficient products.

(Sec. 3241) The Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act of 1978 (PIFUA) is amended to repeal mandates for studies about: (1) national coal policy on alternative uses of coal, (2) compliance problems experienced by small electric utility systems regarding the use of coal and other alternate fuels as primary energy sources, (3) the socioeconomic impact of increased coal production and other energy development, and (4) the use of petroleum and natural gas in combustors.

(Sec. 3246) The PIFUA is further amended to repeal the mandate for an electric utility conservation plan for electric utilities using natural gas as a primary energy source in an electric powerplant.

(Sec. 3248) The Emergency Energy Conservation Act of 1979 (EECA) is amended to repeal mandates for: (1) minimum automobile fuel purchase measures, (2) the exemption of out-of-state vehicles from odd-even motor fuel purchase restrictions, and (3) a study and report concerning commercial and industrial storage of gasoline and middle distillates.

(Sec. 3249) ECPA is further amended to repeal the program for state utility regulatory assistance grants.

(Sec. 3250) NECPA is amended to repeal mandates for: (1) a survey of energy saving potential for federal buildings, and (2) the commercialization program for accelerated procurement and installation of photovoltaic solar electric systems for electric production in federal facilities.

(Sec. 3252) The Energy Security Act is amended to repeal the Energy Auditor Training and Certification program of grants to states to train and certify individuals to conduct energy audits for residential and commercial buildings.

 Chapter 4--Authorization

(Sec. 3261) Appropriations are authorized to implement this bill.

TITLE IV--CHANGING CRUDE OIL MARKET CONDITIONS

(Sec. 4002) EPCA is further amended to repeal the authority of the President to restrict exports of coal, petroleum products, natural gas, or petrochemical feedstocks, including related materials or equipment.

(Sec. 4003) No federal official may impose or enforce any restriction on the export of crude oil.

(Sec. 4004) DOE shall study the net greenhouse gas emissions that will result from the repeal of the crude oil export ban.

Commerce shall study the state and national implications of lifting the crude oil export ban with respect to consumers and the economy.

(Sec. 4006) DOE shall:

 continue to develop and broaden partnerships with minority-serving institutions, including Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), regarding oil and gas exploration, production, midstream, and refining; and encourage public-private partnerships between the energy sector and these institution. (Sec. 4008) DOE and Commerce shall report jointly to Congress on: (1) the impact of lifting the oil export ban as it relates to promoting U.S. energy and national security, and (2) how lifting the ban creates opportunities for veterans and women in the United States while doing so.

(Sec. 4009) Nothing in this title shall be construed to authorize the export of crude oil, refined petroleum products, and petrochemical products to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

TITLE V--OTHER MATTERS

(Sec. 5001) The EPA shall satisfy specified executive orders regarding: (1) regulatory planning and review, (2) improving regulation and regulatory review, and (3) any successor executive order establishing requirements for uniform reporting of regulatory and deregulatory agendas.

The EPA shall also satisfy mandates to: (1) publish bi-annually a regulatory flexibility agenda; (2) certify regulatory compliance with principles of fundamental federalism; and (3) prepare statements to accompany significant regulatory actions likely to result in expenditures by state, local, and tribal governments of $100 million or more (adjusted for inflation).

(Sec. 5003) The proper U.S. district court shall be the venue for any civil action regarding agency action affecting the leasing of federal land, and any action under a lease, for the exploration, development, production, processing, or transmission of oil, natural gas, coal, geothermal, hydroelectric, biomass, solar, or any other source of energy. The bill details further procedural requirements for such an action.

(Sec. 5008) DOE and Commerce shall study jointly to: (1) identify legal and regulatory barriers that delay, prohibit, or impede the export of natural energy resources; and (2) estimate the economic impacts of such barriers.

(Sec. 5009) DOE shall determine the maximum level of volatility consistent with the safest practicable shipment of crude oil by rail.

(Sec. 5010) The bill prescribes the smart meter privacy rights of customers of an electrical or gas consumption corporation.

(Sec. 5011) DOE and Commerce shall establish jointly an energy enterprise competition to encourage youth to propose solutions to energy challenges and promote their interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), especially as those fields relate to energy.

(Sec. 5013) Interior or USDA may authorize an owner or operator of an electric transmission or distribution facility to manage vegetation selectively within 150 feet of the exterior boundary of the right-of-way near structures for selective thinning and fuel reduction.

(Sec. 5014) The bill repeals the final rule entitled "Standards of Performance for New Residential Wood Heaters, New Residential Hydronic Heaters and Forced-Air Furnaces."

TITLE VI--PROMOTING RENEWABLE ENERGY WITH SHARED SOLAR

 Promoting Renewable Energy with Shared Solar Act of 2015

(Sec. 6002) PURPA and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 are further amended to require an electric utility, upon request, to make available to an electric consumer an interconnection service and net billing service for a community solar facility, consisting of a solar photovoltaic system with a nameplate rating of 2 megawatts or less and allocating electricity to multiple individual electric consumers as well as meeting other specified characteristics.

Each state regulatory authority and each nonregulated utility must, by specified deadlines, commence consideration of and determine ratemaking standards. States, state regulatory authorities, and each nonregulated utilities already meeting specified requirements shall be exempt from these requirements.

TITLE VII--MARINE HYDROKINETIC

(Sec. 7001) The EISA 2007 is further amended to reauthorize through FY2019 the research and development program to expand marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy production. The program must give priority to fostering accelerated research, development, and commercialization of technology.

"Marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy" shall mean all forms of energy, not just electricity, from: (1) waves, tides, and currents in oceans, estuaries, and tidal areas; (2) free flowing water in rivers, lakes, and streams; (3) free flowing water in man-made channels; and (4) differentials in ocean temperature (ocean thermal energy conversion).

 (Sec. 7003) National Marine Renewable Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Centers shall support in-water testing and demonstration of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies, including facilities capable of testing:

 marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy systems of various technology readiness levels and scales, a variety of technologies in multiple test berths at a single location, and arrays of technology devices.

north american energy security infrastructure act title modernizing protecting infrastructure subtitle energy delivery reliability security sec bill amends natural gas act revise procedures consideration federal_energy_regulatory_commission ferc applications federal authorization exportation importation natural gas including deadline final decision federal authorization days ferc issues final environmental document bill repeals applicant option pursue certain remedies federal state administrative agency fails complete mandatory approval proceeding accordance ferc schedule bill prescribes requirements concurrent federal state application reviews issue identification resolution failure meet schedule remote environmental surveys application processing allows applicant fund party contractor assist reviewing application application requires multiple federal authorizations ferc track publicize website actions required complete permitting reviews requisite actions sec federal power act amended require ferc resolving environmental grid reliability conflicts ensure emergency order result conflict federal state local environmental law regulations requires electric energy generation delivery interchange transmission hours necessary meet emergency consistent environmental law regulation minimizes adverse environmental impacts order conflict federal state local environmental law expire days issuance ferc renew subsequent day periods sec department_of_energy doe shall adopt procedures things improve communication coordination doe energy response team federal partners oil natural gas industry enhanced emergency preparedness natural disasters order day renewable emergency measures protect reliability critical electric infrastructure defense critical electric infrastructure event imminent grid security emergency sec ferc establish mechanism permits owners operators users critical electric infrastructure recover incurred substantial costs complying order emergency measures costs reasonably recovered regulated rates market prices electric energy services sold owners operators critical defense facilities rely defense critical electric infrastructure shall bear incremental costs measures doe shall identify designate facilities critical defense vulnerable electric energy supply disruption bill prescribes requirements restrictions temporary access classified information doe federal agencies provide respect grid security emergency doe designate facilities located territories defense critical electric infrastructure bill prescribes measures addressing grid security vulnerabilities weaknesses event malicious act electromagnetic pulse pose substantial risk disruption operation electrical electronic devices communications networks essential reliability bulk power system ferc shall direct electric reliability organization submit reliability standards protect bulk power system foreseeable storms electromagnetic pulse events address availability large transformers tennessee_valley_authority bonneville_power_administration shall exempt years requirement addressing grid security vulnerabilities act sec doe shall submit congress plan establish strategic reserve storage strategically located facilities spare large power transformers emergency mobile numbers sufficient temporarily replace critically damaged large power transformers critical electric infrastructure serve defense military installations purpose reserve shall mitigate significant impacts electric grid physical attack cyber attack electromagnetic pulse attack disturbances severe weather seismic events doe establish strategic reserve accordance plan sec doe shall establish voluntary cyber sense program identify promote cyber secure products intended use bulk power system sec public_utility_regulatory_policies_act purpa amended require electric utility develop plan use resiliency related technologies approaches designed improve resilience electric infrastructure mitigate power outages continue delivery vital services maintain flow power critical facilities develop implement plan deploying advanced energy analytics technology adopt modify policies ensure electric utility incorporates reliable generation integrated resource plan assure availability electric energy year planning period state regulatory authority shall consider authorizing electric utility recover costs related resiliency related technologies including reasonable rate return capital expenditures technologies state regulatory authority evaluate specified aspects subsidizing customer technology bill exempts purpa electric utility operations related competitive sale retail electric energy separated regulated provision sale distribution service sec ferc shall conduct independent reliability analysis proposed final covered rule issued federal agency compliance rule impact electric utility generating unit units analysis shall evaluate rule effects electric reliability resource adequacy electricity generation portfolio operation wholesale electricity markets energy delivery infrastructure including electric transmission facilities natural gas pipelines sec doe shall evaluate annually project conducted carbon capture utilization sequestration technologies sec amended require regional transmission organization certain independent system operators operate capacity markets intended ensure procurement availability sufficient future electric energy resources analyze ferc structures markets meet specified criteria sec doe department_of_commerce shall study feasibility establishing storage distribution hub united_states sec bill expresses policy promote advance modernization energy delivery infrastructure electric grid enable robust multi directional power flow sec doe shall report congress methods increase electric grid resilience respect threats including cyber attacks terrorism severe weather sec government_accountability_office gao shall study ways improve capabilities national_response_center sec mineral_leasing_act amended allow natural gas pipeline rights way federally owned lands including lands national_park_system lands held trust indian indian tribe lands outer_continental_shelf department_of_the_interior identify designate suitable federal lands national energy security corridors construction operation maintenance natural gas transmission facilities incorporate corridors relevant agency land use resource management plans governor state request corridors designated federal land state purposes national_environmental_policy_act nepa designation corridor incorporation agency plans shall treated major federal action subject environmental impact evaluation applications rights way natural gas transmission facilities designated corridors shall subject specified environmental protections interior shall designate national energy security corridors certain contiguous states sec federal_land_policy_and_management_act amended require interior department_of_agriculture usda respect lands respective jurisdictions provide direction ensure existing future rights way electric transmission distribution facilities lands include requirements meeting specified criteria utility vegetation management facility inspection operation maintenance activities interior usda shall facility owners operators option submit vegetation management facility inspection operation maintenance plans approval develop jointly consolidated coordinated process review approval plans interior usda shall apply respective categorical exclusion processes nepa plans developed existing transmission distribution rights way located lands respective jurisdictions categorical exclusion nepa category actions individually cumulatively significant effect human environment found effect procedures adopted federal agency implementing environmental regulations environmental assessment environmental impact statement required approved plan shall authorization governing covered right way hazard trees adjacent right way hazard tree tree inside located outside right way found likely fall cause high risk injury damage disruption feet electric power line related structure vegetation federal lands hazard trees federal lands adjacent electric transmission distribution right way granted interior usda contacted imminent danger contacting electric transmission distribution lines owner operator remove vegetation avoid disruption electric service risk fire shall notify local agent relevant department hours removal owner operator transmission distribution facility shall held liable wildfire damage loss injury including cost fire suppression interior usda fails allow owner operator operate consistently approved vegetation management facility inspection operation maintenance plan federal lands adjacent right way comply federal state local electric system reliability fire safety standards perform vegetation management activities response identified hazard tree tree imminent danger contacting owner operator transmission distribution facility interior usda develop program train personnel involved vegetation management decisions relating transmission distribution facilities ensure understand electric system reliability fire safety requirements assist transmission distribution facility owners operators comply applicable electric reliability fire safety requirements encourage assist willing owners operators incorporate vegetation management practices voluntarily subtitle hydropower regulatory modernization sec federal power act amended issuance licenses construction dams conduits reservoirs direct ferc deciding issue license project works equal consideration minimizing infringement useful exercise enjoyment property rights held licensee developing recreational resource project boundary shall consider private means encourage facilitate private investment increased tourism recreational use sec request licensee project scott hydropower project county north_carolina ferc extend time licensee commence construction consecutive year periods date expiration extension originally granted sec ferc shall lead agency coordinate applicable federal authorizations compliance nepa governmental entities indian tribes considering aspect application federal authorization coordinate ferc comply deadlines bill prescribes intergovernmental administrative procedures affecting issue identification resolution scheduling scope environmental review judicial review delayed federal authorization sec ferc shall compile best practices performing studies required license proceedings encourage parties license application use open source methodologies tools applicable wide array projects including water balance models streamflow analyses use current accepted science studies data support actions develop comprehensive plans regional basin wide scale project applicant request basins regions having project application project sec ferc issue amend licenses preliminary permits closed loop pumped storage projects upper lower reservoirs impound directly withdraw water navigable waters continuously connected naturally flowing water feature issuing license ferc assess safety existing dams structures related project including possible consequences project failures sec amended prescribe license amendments governing project upgrades rules establishing new standards procedures license amendment applications sec ferc exempt license requirements qualifying facility federal authorization required qualifying facility include condition requirement results material change storage control withdrawal diversion release flow operations associated qualifying dam ferc determines obligations nepa met categorical exclusion environmental review proposed exemption shall environmental assessment title energy security diplomacy sec doe shall collaborate secretary state develop recommendations certain congressional committees energy security valuation methods improved planning coordination canada mexico enhance energy integration strengthen north american energy security improved collaboration caribbean central american partners energy security strengthening domestic energy security energy security allies trading partners convening energy security forums promote collective energy security allies trading partners sec bill sets deadline doe issue final decision applications export natural gas export applications obtain authorization ferc maritime_administration site construct expand operate liquefied natural gas lng export facilities natural gas act amended direct doe prerequisite approval authorization export lng require applicant disclose publicly specific destination authorized lng exports sec permit nepa applies construction operation maintenance export facility bulk commodities shall denied applicable federal agency completed required nepa reviews sec bill requires certificate crossing construction connection operation maintenance cross border segment pipeline electric transmission facility import export liquid products natural gas transmission electricity canada mexico bill identifies following officials responsible issuance certificate crossing secretary state respect liquid pipelines ferc respect natural gas pipelines doe respect electric transmission facilities certificate crossing required modifications existing projects modifications result significant impact national boundary amended repeal requirement ferc order transmission electric energy foreign country sec doe report congress weaknesses currently available smart meters security architecture features including absence event logging title iii energy efficiency accountability subtitle energy efficiency chapter agency energy efficiency sec bill amends energy_independence_and_security_act require federal agency coordinate office_of_management_and_budget omb doe epa develop implementation strategy maintenance purchase use energy efficient energy saving information technologies taking specified performance goals consideration omb establish performance goals evaluate federal agency efforts improve maintenance purchase use energy efficient energy saving information technology sec respect energy efficiency data centers amended repeal requirement doe epa designate information technology industry organization consult coordinate voluntary national information program require doe epa implement program collaboration information technology industry key stakeholders doe epa shall update report congress server data center energy efficiency collaboration key stakeholders omb doe shall maintain data center energy practitioner program leading certification energy practitioners qualified evaluate energy usage efficiency opportunities federal data centers addition doe shall establish open data initiative federal data center energy usage data participate global specifications metrics data center energy water efficiency facilitate development efficiency metric measures energy efficiency data center sec doe shall report certain congressional committees impact thermal insulation energy water use systems potable hot water federal buildings return investment installing insulation sec gao shall report congress potential battery energy storage sec energy policy act amended permit federal agency consider electric energy generation purchased facility renewable energy municipal solid_waste facility generate electricity separately collected commonly recycled paper processed way commonly recycled paper non solid_waste sec national_energy_conservation_policy_act amended prescribe energy consumption reductions federal buildings fy2006 fy2017 doe shall report congress feasibility requiring federal agency apply energy conservation measures improve design construction agency buildings energy consumption gross square foot buildings fy2018 reduced comparable energy consumption prior fiscal year energy manager agency facility shall consider use system manage energy certification facility accordance international organization standardization standard numbered energy management systems bill prescribes criteria exempting federal agency facility annual comprehensive energy water evaluation required approximately facilities meeting specified requirements especially facility received evaluation past years commissioned past years means process commissioning facility system project development warranty phases primary goal ensure optimum performance useful life meeting building occupancy requirements means process commissioning facility system commissioned time construction sec energy_conservation_and_production_act amended revise energy efficiency performance standards federal buildings current mandatory standards green buildings repealed including specified reductions fossil fuel generated energy consumption sec bill authorizes installation use battery recharging stations parking areas designated federal employees installed maintained architect capitol imposition fees cover costs maintaining stations sec doe shall report certain congressional committees impact captured methane converted energy power generation federal lands buildings municipalities use generation return investment reduction greenhouse gas emissions utilizing power generation chapter efficient technology manufacturing sec energy_policy_and_conservation_act epca amended direct federal_trade_commission ftc initiate rulemaking consider prominently energy guide label product includes smart grid capability product features smart grid capability use value feature depend smart grid capability utility system product installed active utilization feature customer product smart grid capability system reduce product annual operation costs sec doe shall initiate rulemaking develop criteria consensus support achieving recognition approved voluntary verification programs testing shall rely air conditioning boiler heat pump water heater products sec doe shall publish supplemental notice_of_proposed_rulemaking notice data availability updating proposed rule entitled energy conservation program consumer products energy conservation standards residential furnaces order allow certain stakeholders continue negotiations limited time period adoption consensus energy conservation standards residential gas furnaces mobile home gas furnaces july july doe publish final rule recommended amendments determining standards gas furnaces mobile home gas furnaces amended sec epca amended declare disclosure product participation energy_star program creates express implied warranty gives rise private claims state federal law relating disqualification product energy_star product certified energy_star program recognized certification body environmental_protection_agency epa approved corrective measures responsible party complied fully sec doe shall report certain congressional committees use advanced technologies internet things end end platform solutions provide real time actionable analytics enable predictive maintenance asset management improve energy efficiency coordinated federal strategy increase beneficial reuse lubricating oil including sustainable reuse options oil federal agencies federal grant recipients federal contractors general public sec epca amended exclude meaning external power supply power supply circuit driver device designed exclusively connected power light emitting organic light emitting providing sec doe prescribe energy conservation standard power supply circuit driver device chapter buildings sec epca amended direct doe establish clearinghouse disseminate information federal programs financing mechanisms initiate develop finance energy efficiency distributed generation energy retrofitting projects schools chapter energy codes sec epca amended direct doe technical assistance help states indian tribes local governments implement technically feasible cost effective building energy codes specified deadline states indian tribes certify reviewed updated energy requirements respective building codes compliance shall mean building space covered building energy code preceding year substantially meets requirements applicable code achieves equivalent greater energy savings level estimated excess energy use buildings meet applicable code preceding year compared baseline comparable buildings meet code estimated energy use buildings covered code preceding year state indian tribe shall considered significant progress achieving compliance developed plan achieving compliance met recent target state indian tribe meeting building energy code requirements deadline shall submit status report doe compliance certification doe shall technical assistance federal support states indian tribes implementing codes technical assistance development voluntary programs exceed model building energy codes residential commercial buildings gao shall study impact updating national model building energy codes residential commercial buildings doe shall study building energy code improvements procedures incorporate year trade performance calculations legislative options best practices delivery aggregated energy consumption information owners managers residential commercial buildings bill prescribes requirements doe technical assistance updating model building energy codes sec doe program enable owner commercial residential building obtain rating score label building actual anticipated energy usage performance shall available voluntary optional market driven basis chapter technical corrections sec bill makes technical corrections epca product definitions rulemaking procedures chapter water efficiency sec doe shall carry smart energy water efficiency management pilot program awards grants demonstrate advanced innovative technology based solutions increase improve energy efficiency water wastewater water reuse systems help communities conserve water save energy reduce costs support innovative processes advanced automated systems provide real time data energy water improve energy water conservation water quality predictive maintenance energy water systems use internet connected technologies including sensors security embedded hardware sec epca amended establish epa voluntary watersense program identify water efficient products buildings landscapes facilities processes services reduce water use reduce strain public community water systems wastewater stormwater infrastructure conserve energy pump heat transport treat water preserve water resources affecting products buildings landscapes facilities processes services epa administrator shall establish watersense label procedure item certified display subtitle accountability chapter manipulation enforcement compliance sec amended rename ferc office public participation office_of_compliance assistance public participation shall recommendations ferc rules ensure rates charges transmission sale electric energy reasonable unduly discriminatory preferential markets electric energy transmission sales impaired consumers damaged impact ferc rules orders small entities taken account chapter reforms sec gao study current market rules practices structures regional transmission entity produce rates reasonable sec amended limit requirement prior ferc authorization merger consolidation facilities facilities value exceeds million chapter maintenance sec epca amended repeal mandates specified doe studies highway motor vehicles methanol plants sec amended repeal mandates department_of_housing_and_urban_development study residential energy efficiency standards presidential study weatherization doe report congress voluntary rating guidelines ferc national action plan demand response sec energy policy act amended repeal mandates annual general_services_administration gsa report congress activities involving energy management gsa intergovernmental energy management planning coordination workshops federal agency inspector_general audit surveys president council integrity efficiency report congress inspector_general review gsa department_of_defense programs procurement identification energy efficient products sec industrial fuel use act amended repeal mandates studies national coal policy alternative uses coal compliance problems experienced small electric utility systems use coal alternate fuels primary energy sources socioeconomic impact increased coal production energy development use petroleum natural gas sec amended repeal mandate electric utility conservation plan electric utilities natural gas primary energy source electric sec emergency energy conservation act amended repeal mandates minimum automobile fuel purchase measures exemption state vehicles odd motor fuel purchase restrictions study report concerning commercial industrial storage gasoline middle distillates sec amended repeal program state utility regulatory assistance grants sec amended repeal mandates survey energy saving potential federal buildings commercialization program accelerated procurement installation photovoltaic solar electric systems electric production federal facilities sec energy security act amended repeal energy auditor training certification program grants states train certify individuals conduct energy audits residential commercial buildings chapter sec appropriations authorized implement bill title changing crude oil market conditions sec epca amended repeal authority president restrict exports coal petroleum products natural gas petrochemical feedstocks including related materials equipment sec federal official impose enforce restriction export crude oil sec doe shall study net greenhouse gas emissions result repeal crude oil export ban commerce shall study state national implications lifting crude oil export ban respect consumers economy sec doe shall continue develop broaden partnerships minority serving institutions including hispanic serving institutions historically black colleges universities oil gas exploration production refining encourage public private partnerships energy sector institution sec doe commerce shall report jointly congress impact lifting oil export ban relates promoting energy national security lifting ban creates opportunities veterans women united_states sec title shall construed authorize export crude oil refined petroleum products petrochemical products islamic_republic_of_iran title matters sec epa shall satisfy specified executive orders regulatory planning review improving regulation regulatory review successor executive order establishing requirements uniform reporting regulatory epa shall satisfy mandates publish annually regulatory flexibility agenda certify regulatory compliance principles fundamental prepare statements accompany significant regulatory actions likely result expenditures state local tribal governments million adjusted inflation sec proper district_court shall venue civil action agency action affecting leasing federal land action lease exploration development production processing transmission oil natural gas coal geothermal hydroelectric biomass solar source energy bill details procedural requirements action sec doe commerce shall study jointly identify legal regulatory barriers delay prohibit impede export natural energy resources estimate economic impacts barriers sec doe shall determine maximum level volatility consistent safest practicable shipment crude oil rail sec bill prescribes smart meter privacy rights customers electrical gas consumption corporation sec doe commerce shall establish jointly energy enterprise competition encourage youth propose solutions energy challenges promote interest science technology engineering math stem especially fields relate energy sec interior usda authorize owner operator electric transmission distribution facility manage vegetation feet exterior boundary right way near structures selective thinning fuel reduction sec bill repeals final rule entitled standards performance new residential wood heaters new residential heaters forced air furnaces title promoting renewable energy shared solar promoting renewable energy shared solar act sec purpa energy policy act amended require electric utility request available electric consumer interconnection service net billing service community solar facility consisting solar photovoltaic system nameplate rating megawatts allocating electricity multiple individual electric consumers meeting specified characteristics state regulatory authority nonregulated utility specified deadlines commence consideration determine ratemaking standards states state regulatory authorities nonregulated utilities meeting specified requirements shall exempt requirements title vii marine hydrokinetic sec amended reauthorize fy2019 research development program expand marine hydrokinetic renewable energy production program priority fostering accelerated research development commercialization technology marine hydrokinetic renewable energy shall mean forms energy electricity waves currents oceans estuaries tidal areas free flowing water rivers lakes streams free flowing water man channels differentials ocean temperature ocean thermal energy conversion sec national marine renewable energy research development demonstration_centers shall support water testing demonstration marine hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies including facilities capable testing marine hydrokinetic renewable energy systems technology readiness levels scales variety technologies multiple test berths single location technology devices


Summary:
Planning for American Energy Act of 2015

 Amends the Mineral Leasing Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior (the Secretary) and the Secretary of Agriculture to publish every four years a Quadrennial Federal Onshore Energy Production Strategy to direct federal land energy development and department resource allocation in order to promote the energy and national security of the United States in accordance with the Bureau of Land Management mission to promote the multiple use of federal lands.

Instructs the Secretary to consult with the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration on the projected energy demands of the United States for the next 30 years and on how energy derived from federal onshore lands can put the United States on a trajectory that meets such demand during the next four years, with a goal for increasing energy independence and production.

Requires the Secretary to determine a domestic strategic production objective for the development of energy resources from such lands.

Expresses the sense of Congress that federally recognized Indian tribes may elect to set their own production objectives as part of the Strategy.

Grants the relevant Secretary all necessary authority to make determinations regarding which additional federal lands available for leasing at the time the lease sale occurs will be available to meet the production objectives established by the strategies. Directs the Secretary also to take all necessary actions to achieve such objectives unless the President determines that it is not in U.S. national security and economic interests to increase federal domestic energy production and to further decrease dependence upon foreign energy sources.

Requires the Secretary, within 12 months of this Act's enactment, to complete a programmatic environmental impact statement in accordance with certain requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Deems such statement sufficient to be in compliance with NEPA requirements for all necessary resource management and land use plans associated with implementation of the Strategy.

Requires the Secretary to submit to: (1) the President and Congress, each proposed strategy, together with comments received from the affected states, federally recognized tribes, and local governments prior to publishing it; and (2) Congress the first Strategy within 18 months of enactment.

planning american energy act amends mineral_leasing_act direct secretary interior secretary secretary agriculture publish years quadrennial_federal_onshore_energy_production_strategy direct federal land energy development department resource allocation order promote energy national security united_states accordance bureau_of_land_management mission promote multiple use federal lands instructs secretary consult administrator energy_information_administration projected energy demands united_states years energy derived federal onshore lands united_states trajectory meets demand years goal increasing energy independence production requires secretary determine domestic strategic production objective development energy resources lands expresses sense congress federally recognized indian tribes elect set production objectives strategy grants relevant secretary necessary authority determinations additional federal lands available leasing time lease_sale occurs available meet production objectives established strategies directs secretary necessary actions achieve objectives president determines national security economic interests increase federal domestic energy production decrease dependence foreign energy sources requires secretary months act enactment complete programmatic environmental impact statement accordance certain requirements national_environmental_policy_act nepa deems statement sufficient compliance nepa requirements necessary resource management land use plans associated implementation strategy requires secretary submit president congress proposed strategy comments received affected states federally recognized tribes local governments prior publishing congress strategy months enactment


Summary:
Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity Act

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal: (1) the excise tax credits for alcohol fuel, biodiesel, and alternative fuel mixtures; (2) the tax credits for the purchase of alternative motor vehicles and new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles; (3) the alternative fuel vehicle refueling property tax credit; (4) the income tax credits for alcohol, biodiesel, and renewable diesel used as fuel; (5) the enhanced oil recovery tax credit and the tax credit for producing oil and gas from marginal wells; (6) the tax credits for producing electricity from renewable resources and from advanced nuclear power facilities; (7) the tax credit for carbon dioxide sequestration; (8) the energy tax credit; and (9) the tax credits for investment in qualifying advanced coal projects and qualifying gasification projects.

Directs the Department of the Treasury to prescribe a flat income tax rate for corporations, in lieu of the existing marginal tax rates, based upon the overall revenue savings from the repeal of energy tax expenditures by this Act.

energy freedom economic prosperity act amends_the_internal_revenue_code repeal excise tax credits alcohol fuel biodiesel alternative fuel mixtures tax credits purchase alternative motor vehicles new qualified plug electric drive motor vehicles alternative fuel vehicle refueling property tax credit income tax credits alcohol biodiesel renewable diesel fuel enhanced oil recovery tax credit tax credit producing oil gas marginal wells tax credits producing electricity renewable resources advanced nuclear power facilities tax credit carbon dioxide sequestration energy tax credit tax credits investment qualifying advanced coal projects qualifying gasification projects directs department_of_the_treasury prescribe flat income tax rate corporations lieu existing marginal tax rates based overall revenue savings repeal energy tax expenditures act


Summary:
Critical Electric Infrastructure Protection Act

Amends the Federal Power Act to authorize the Department of Energy (DOE), with or without notice, hearing, or report, to issue orders for emergency measures to protect the reliability of either the bulk-power system or the defense critical electric infrastructure whenever the President issues a written directive or determination identifying an imminent grid security emergency.

Requires the President to notify specified congressional committees promptly whenever the President issues such a directive.

Instructs DOE, before issuing an order for such emergency measures, to the extent practicable in light of the nature of the grid security emergency and the urgency of the need for action, to consult with governmental authorities in Canada and Mexico, regarding implementation of the emergency measures.

Prescribes: (1) implementation procedures (including expiration and reissuance of emergency orders); and (2) related cost recovery measures affecting owners, operators, or users of the bulk-power system.

Requires DOE, to the extent practicable and consistent with obligations to protect classified information, to provide temporary access to classified information relating to a grid security emergency to key personnel of relevant entities in order to optimize communications between them and federal agencies.

Requires DOE to identify facilities in the U.S. and its territories that are: (1) critical to the defense of the United States, and (2) vulnerable to a disruption of the supply of electric energy provided by an external provider.

Exempts critical electric infrastructure information from mandatory disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

Directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to: (1) designate critical electric infrastructure information, and (2) prescribe regulations and orders prohibiting its unauthorized disclosure but also authorizing appropriate voluntary sharing with federal, state, local, and tribal authorities.

Shields a person or entity in possession of critical electric infrastructure information from any cause of action for sharing or receiving information that was done in accordance with this Act.

critical electric infrastructure protection act amends federal power act authorize department_of_energy doe notice hearing report issue orders emergency measures protect reliability bulk power system defense critical electric infrastructure president issues written directive determination identifying imminent grid security emergency requires president notify specified congressional committees promptly president issues directive instructs doe issuing order emergency measures extent practicable light nature grid security emergency urgency need action consult governmental authorities canada mexico implementation emergency measures prescribes implementation procedures including expiration reissuance emergency orders related cost recovery measures affecting owners operators users bulk power system requires doe extent practicable consistent obligations protect classified information provide temporary access classified information relating grid security emergency key personnel relevant entities order optimize communications federal agencies requires doe identify facilities territories critical defense united_states vulnerable disruption supply electric energy provided external provider exempts critical electric infrastructure information mandatory disclosure freedom information act directs federal_energy_regulatory_commission designate critical electric infrastructure information prescribe regulations orders prohibiting unauthorized disclosure authorizing appropriate voluntary sharing federal state local tribal authorities shields person entity possession critical electric infrastructure information cause action sharing receiving information accordance act


Summary:
National Energy Security Corridors Act

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Mineral Leasing Act to allow natural gas pipeline rights-of-way through all federally owned lands, including lands in the National Park System, except lands held in trust for an Indian or Indian tribe and lands on the outer Continental Shelf.

The Department of the Interior must: (1) identify and designate suitable federal lands as National Energy Security Corridors for construction, operation, and maintenance of natural gas transmission facilities; and (2) incorporate such Corridors into the relevant agency land use and resource management plans.

Additionally, Interior shall: (1) take into account certain considerations when evaluating federal land for designation as a National Energy Security Corridor, and (2) establish specified procedures to expedite and approve applications for rights-of-way for natural gas pipelines across National Energy Security Corridors.

The governor of a state may request Corridors to be designated on federal land within that state.

For purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 neither the designation of a Corridor, nor the incorporation of a Corridor into agency plans, shall be treated as a major federal action subject to environmental impact evaluation.

All applications for rights-of-way for natural gas transmission facilities across the designated Corridors shall be subject to specified environmental protections.

(Sec. 3) Interior shall notify certain congressional committees whenever an agency or Interior official fails to comply with federal authorization schedules established under the Natural Gas Act.

national energy security corridors act sec bill amends mineral_leasing_act allow natural gas pipeline rights way federally owned lands including lands national_park_system lands held trust indian indian tribe lands outer_continental_shelf department_of_the_interior identify designate suitable federal lands national energy security corridors construction operation maintenance natural gas transmission facilities incorporate corridors relevant agency land use resource management plans additionally interior shall account certain considerations evaluating federal land designation national energy security corridor establish specified procedures expedite approve applications rights way natural gas pipelines national energy security corridors governor state request corridors designated federal land state purposes national_environmental_policy_act designation corridor incorporation corridor agency plans shall treated major federal action subject environmental impact evaluation applications rights way natural gas transmission facilities designated corridors shall subject specified environmental protections sec interior shall notify certain congressional committees agency interior official fails comply federal authorization schedules established natural gas act


Summary:
Protecting Critical Infrastructure Act

This bill amends the Federal Power Act to: (1) exempt protected electric security information from mandatory public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act; and (2) prohibit any state, local, or tribal authority from disclosing such information pursuant to state, local, or tribal law.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) shall promulgate specified regulations and issue the orders necessary to designate protected electric security information and to prohibit its unauthorized disclosure.

There is no requirement for a person or entity in possession of protected electric security information to share it with federal, state, local, or tribal authorities. Sharing information with Congress, however, is permitted.

 Unless specifically redesignated by FERC, information may not be designated as protected electric security information for longer than five years. FERC shall remove a designation, in whole or in part, if it determines that its unauthorized disclosure could no longer be used to impair the security or reliability of the bulk-power system or distribution facilities.

protecting critical infrastructure act bill amends federal power act exempt protected electric security information mandatory public disclosure freedom information act prohibit state local tribal authority disclosing information pursuant state local tribal law federal_energy_regulatory_commission ferc shall promulgate specified regulations issue orders necessary designate protected electric security information prohibit unauthorized disclosure requirement person entity possession protected electric security information share federal state local tribal authorities sharing information congress permitted specifically redesignated ferc information designated protected electric security information longer years ferc shall remove designation determines unauthorized disclosure longer impair security reliability bulk power system distribution facilities


Summary:
Powering American Jobs Act of 2015

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2016: (1) the tax credit for nonbusiness energy efficiency improvements, (2) excise tax credits and payments for alternative fuels and biodiesel and renewable diesel fuel mixtures, (3) the tax credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property expenditures, and (4) the income tax credit for biodiesel and renewable fuels. Equalizes the excise tax rate for liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas. Modifies energy efficiency standards for windows, doors, skylights, roofing, water heaters, biomass stoves, and furnaces or hot water boilers.

powering american_jobs act amends_the_internal_revenue_code extend tax credit nonbusiness energy efficiency improvements excise tax credits payments alternative fuels biodiesel renewable diesel fuel mixtures tax credit alternative fuel vehicle refueling property expenditures income tax credit biodiesel renewable fuels excise tax rate liquefied natural gas liquefied petroleum gas modifies energy efficiency standards windows doors water heaters biomass stoves furnaces hot water boilers


Summary:
Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act

 Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships as corporations, to expand the definition of "qualifying income" for such partnerships to include income and gains from renewable and alternative fuels (in addition to fossil fuels), including energy derived from thermal resources, waste, renewable fuels and chemicals, energy efficient buildings, gasification, and carbon capture in secure geological storage.

master limited partnerships parity act amends_the_internal_revenue_code respect tax treatment publicly traded partnerships corporations expand definition qualifying income partnerships include income gains renewable alternative fuels addition fossil fuels including energy derived thermal resources waste renewable fuels chemicals energy efficient buildings gasification carbon capture secure geological storage


Summary:
Renewable Energy Certainty Act

Amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to authorize federal agencies to enter into contracts for the acquisition of renewable energy or energy from cogeneration facilities for a period of up to 30 years.

Directs the Federal Energy Management Program to publish a standardized energy purchase agreement that federal agencies may use for such an acquisition.

renewable energy certainty act amends national_energy_conservation_policy_act authorize federal agencies enter contracts acquisition renewable energy energy facilities period years directs federal_energy_management_program publish standardized energy purchase agreement federal agencies use acquisition


Summary:
Energy Consumers Relief Act of 2015

 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to submit a report to Congress and the Department of Energy (DOE) before promulgating a final rule that regulates any aspect of the production, supply, distribution, or use of energy and that is estimated by the EPA or the Office of Management and Budget to impose aggregate costs of more than $100 million. The report must contain: (1) an estimate of the total costs and benefits of the rule, (2) an estimate of the increases in energy prices that may result from implementation or enforcement of the rule, and (3) a detailed description of the employment effects that may result from implementation or enforcement of the rule.

DOE must: (1) prepare an independent analysis to determine whether the rule will cause any increase in energy prices for consumers, any impact on fuel diversity of the nation's electricity generation portfolio or on electric reliability, or any adverse effect on energy supply, distribution, or use; and (2) determine whether the rule will cause significant adverse effects to the economy and publish the determination.

The EPA may not promulgate the final rule if DOE determines that the rule will cause significant adverse effects to the economy.

The EPA may not use the social cost of carbon in any cost-benefit analysis relating to an energy-related rule estimated to cost more than $100 million unless a federal law is enacted authorizing such use. The social cost of carbon is an estimate of the monetized damages associated with an incremental increase in carbon dioxide emissions in a given year.

energy consumers relief_act bill requires environmental_protection_agency epa submit report congress department_of_energy doe promulgating final rule regulates aspect production supply distribution use energy estimated epa office_of_management_and_budget impose aggregate costs million report contain estimate total costs benefits rule estimate increases energy prices result implementation enforcement rule detailed description employment effects result implementation enforcement rule doe prepare independent analysis determine rule cause increase energy prices consumers impact fuel diversity nation electricity generation portfolio electric reliability adverse effect energy supply distribution use determine rule cause significant adverse effects economy publish determination epa promulgate final rule doe determines rule cause significant adverse effects economy epa use social cost carbon cost benefit analysis relating energy related rule estimated cost million federal law enacted authorizing use social cost carbon estimate damages associated incremental increase carbon dioxide emissions given year


Summary:
Bridge to a Clean Energy Future Act of 2015

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend various tax credits and deductions relating to energy and to repeal certain tax preferences for oil and gas activities.

TITLE I--EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF ENERGY TAX PROVISIONS

This title extends through 2016:

 the tax credit for nonbusiness energy property; the tax credit for new qualified fuel cell motor vehicles; the tax credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property expenditures; the tax credit for second generation biofuel production; the tax credits for biodiesel and renewable diesel used as fuel; excise tax credits for alcohol used as fuel and biodiesel mixtures; the tax credit for the production of electricity from renewable resources; the tax credit for energy-efficient new homes; the special depreciation allowance for second generation biofuel plant property; the tax deduction for energy-efficient commercial buildings; tax deferral rules for sales or dispositions of qualified electric facilities; and excise tax credits for alternative fuels and alternative fuel mixtures. The title also revises the income and excise tax credits for biodiesel fuels to allow an increased credit for small biodiesel producers.

TITLE II--ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

This title amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend the energy tax credit to solar energy, fuel cell, microturbine, combined heat and power system, small wind energy, and thermal energy properties the construction of which begins before January 1, 2017; (2) modify capacity limitations for combined heat and power system property; (3) allow an energy tax credit for waste heat to power property; (4) define "qualified small wind energy property" for purposes of the energy tax credit; (5) allow renewable and alternative fuel projects to operate as publicly-traded partnerships; and (6) permit additional allocations of qualifying advanced energy project tax credits.

TITLE III--ENDING OIL AND GAS TAX SUBSIDIES

The title modifies or eliminates oil and gas tax subsidies by:

 increasing to seven years the amortization period for geological and geophysical expenditures; repealing after 2015 the tax credits for producing oil and gas from marginal wells and for enhanced oil recovery; repealing after 2015 the tax deduction for the intangible drilling and development costs of oil and gas wells; repealing percentage depletion for oil and gas wells and the tax deduction for tertiary injectants; repealing the exception to passive loss rules for interests in oil and gas properties; repealing the tax deduction for income attributable to domestic production activities involving oil and gas; prohibiting the use of the last-in, first-out (LIFO) accounting method for major integrated oil companies; and limiting the foreign tax credit for dual capacity taxpayers (i.e., taxpayers who are subject to a levy of a foreign country or U.S. possession and who receive specific economic benefits from such country or possession).

bridge clean energy future act bill amends_the_internal_revenue_code extend tax credits deductions relating energy repeal certain tax preferences oil gas activities title extension modification energy tax provisions title extends tax credit nonbusiness energy property tax credit new qualified fuel cell motor vehicles tax credit alternative fuel vehicle refueling property expenditures tax credit second generation biofuel production tax credits biodiesel renewable diesel fuel excise tax credits alcohol fuel biodiesel mixtures tax credit production electricity renewable resources tax credit energy efficient new homes special depreciation allowance second generation biofuel plant property tax deduction energy efficient commercial buildings tax deferral rules sales dispositions qualified electric facilities excise tax credits alternative fuels alternative fuel mixtures title revises income excise tax credits biodiesel fuels allow increased credit small biodiesel producers title additional provisions title amends_the_internal_revenue_code extend energy tax credit solar energy fuel cell microturbine combined heat power system small wind energy thermal energy properties construction begins january modify capacity limitations combined heat power system property allow energy tax credit waste heat power property define qualified small wind energy property purposes energy tax credit allow renewable alternative fuel projects operate publicly traded partnerships permit additional allocations qualifying advanced energy project tax credits title iii ending oil gas tax subsidies title modifies eliminates oil gas tax subsidies increasing seven years amortization period geological geophysical expenditures repealing tax credits producing oil gas marginal wells enhanced oil recovery repealing tax deduction intangible drilling development costs oil gas wells repealing percentage depletion oil gas wells tax deduction tertiary repealing exception passive loss rules interests oil gas properties repealing tax deduction income attributable domestic production activities involving oil gas prohibiting use lifo accounting method major integrated oil companies limiting foreign tax credit dual capacity taxpayers taxpayers subject levy foreign country possession receive specific economic benefits country possession


Summary:
Biennial Commission on Energy Policy Act of 2016

This bill amends the Department of Energy Organization Act to establish the Biennial Commission on Energy Policy.

The commission must be composed of 15 members from a diverse group of industries and political party affiliations with no federal, state, or local officers or employees. The commission must:

 carry out specific analytical and research tasks related to a broad range of energy issues; and report to Congress on its findings, conclusions, and recommendations for legislative and administrative actions to create an integrated and comprehensive national energy policy for the United States. This bill replaces provisions requiring the President to submit a biennial National Energy Policy Plan.

biennial commission energy policy act bill amends department_of_energy_organization_act establish biennial commission energy policy commission composed members diverse group industries political party affiliations federal state local officers employees commission carry specific analytical research tasks related broad range energy issues report congress findings conclusions recommendations legislative administrative actions create integrated comprehensive national energy policy united_states bill replaces provisions requiring president submit biennial national energy policy plan


Summary:
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend and modify tax credits for investments in certain energy property.

The bill extends the tax credits to apply to investments in certain energy property with construction that begins before January 1, 2022. The extensions apply to investments in:

 qualified fuel cell property, qualified microturbine property, combined heat and power system property, qualified small wind energy property, and thermal energy property. The bill sets forth a schedule for reducing from 30% to 22% the credit rate for investments in qualified fuel cell property and small wind energy property.

bill amends_the_internal_revenue_code extend modify tax credits investments certain energy property bill extends tax credits apply investments certain energy property construction begins january extensions apply investments qualified fuel cell property qualified microturbine property combined heat power system property qualified small wind energy property thermal energy property bill sets forth schedule reducing credit rate investments qualified fuel cell property small wind energy property


Summary:
Federal Land Freedom Act of 2015

This bill permits a state that has an established leasing, permitting, and regulatory program to: (1) declare to the Secretaries of the Interior, of Agriculture, and of Energy that it has either established or amended the program; and (2) seek to transfer to itself, and to implement, existing federal responsibilities for leasing, permitting, and regulating oil, natural gas, and other forms of energy development.

Any state action to lease, permit, or regulate oil and gas exploration and development shall not be subject to, or considered, a federal action, a federal permit, or a federal license with respect to specified administrative and environmental laws and is therefore exempt from them.

State-issued leases or permits must provide for: (1) the collection of royalties or other revenues in an amount equal to what would have been collected if the lease or permit had been federally issued, and (2) their deposit into the same federal account in which they would have been deposited if the lease or permit had been federally issued.

A state may collect and retain lease or permit application processing fees.

federal land freedom act bill permits state established leasing permitting regulatory program declare secretaries interior agriculture energy established amended program seek transfer implement existing federal responsibilities leasing permitting regulating oil natural gas forms energy development state action lease permit regulate oil gas exploration development shall subject considered federal action federal permit federal license respect specified administrative environmental laws exempt state issued leases permits provide collection royalties revenues equal collected lease permit federally issued deposit federal account deposited lease permit federally issued state collect retain lease permit application processing fees