[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4773 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4773

   To authorize the Department of Energy to make grants to carry out 
           renewable energy projects, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 17, 2007

 Mr. Young of Alaska introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize the Department of Energy to make grants to carry out 
           renewable energy projects, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Renewable and Hydroelectric Energy 
for Alaska's Tomorrow Act (the Renewable HEAT Act)''.

SEC. 2. RENEWABLE ENERGY CONSTRUCTION GRANTS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Alaska small hydroelectric power.--The term ``Alaska 
        small hydroelectric power'' means power that--
                    (A) is generated--
                            (i) in the State of Alaska;
                            (ii) through the use of--
                                    (I) a lake tap (but not a perched 
                                alpine lake);
                                    (II) a run-of-river screened at the 
                                point of diversion; or
                                    (III) a dam or impoundment of 
                                water; and
                    (B) has a nameplate capacity rating of a wattage 
                that is not more than 15 megawatts.
            (2) Eligible applicant.--The term ``eligible applicant'' 
        means any--
                    (A) governmental entity;
                    (B) private utility;
                    (C) public utility;
                    (D) municipal utility;
                    (E) cooperative utility;
                    (F) Indian tribe; or
                    (G) Regional Corporation (as defined in section 3 
                of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 
                1602)).
            (3) Ocean energy.--
                    (A) Inclusions.--The term ``ocean energy'' includes 
                current, wave, and tidal energy.
                    (B) Exclusion.--The term ``ocean energy'' excludes 
                thermal energy.
            (4) Renewable energy project.--The term ``renewable energy 
        project'' means a project--
                    (A) for the commercial generation of electricity; 
                and
                    (B) that generates electricity from--
                            (i) solar, wind, or geothermal energy or 
                        ocean energy;
                            (ii) biomass (as defined in section 203(b) 
                        of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
                        15852(b)));
                            (iii) landfill gas; or
                            (iv) Alaska small hydroelectric power.
    (b) Renewable Energy Construction Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Energy shall use amounts 
        appropriated under this Act to make grants for use in carrying 
        out renewable energy projects.
            (2) Criteria.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall set forth 
        criteria for use in awarding grants under this section.
            (3) Application.--To receive a grant from the Secretary of 
        Energy under paragraph (1), an eligible applicant shall submit 
        to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, 
        and containing such information as the Secretary may require, 
        including a written assurance that--
                    (A) all laborers and mechanics employed by 
                contractors or subcontractors during construction, 
                alteration, or repair that is financed, in whole or in 
                part, by a grant under this section shall be paid wages 
                at rates not less than those prevailing on similar 
                construction in the locality, as determined by the 
                Secretary of Labor in accordance with sections 3141-
                3144, 3146, and 3147 of title 40, United States Code; 
                and
                    (B) the Secretary of Labor shall, with respect to 
                the labor standards described in this paragraph, have 
                the authority and functions set forth in Reorganization 
                Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (5 U.S.C. App.) and section 
                3145 of title 40, United States Code.
            (4) Non-federal share.--Each eligible applicant that 
        receives a grant under this subsection shall contribute to the 
        total cost of the renewable energy project constructed by the 
        eligible applicant an amount not less than 50 percent of the 
        total cost of the project.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Fund such sums as are necessary to carry out this 
Act.
                                 <all>