I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2385 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 13, 2009 Mrs. Christensen (for herself, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Faleomavaega, Mr. Pierluisi, and Mr. Sablan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To require the Secretary of Energy to assemble a team of technical, policy, and financial experts to address the energy needs of the insular areas of the United States and the Freely Associated States through the development of action plans aimed at reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels and increasing use of indigenous clean-energy resources, and for other purposes.

1.

Affiliated island energy independence team

(a)

Definitions

In this section: (1)

Affiliated island

The term affiliated island means— (A)the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; (B)Guam; (C)American Samoa; (D)the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; (E)the Federated States of Micronesia; (F)the Republic of the Marshall Islands; (G)the Republic of Palau; and (H)the United States Virgin Islands. (2)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy (acting through the Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy), in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of State. (3)

Team

The term team means the team established by the Secretary under subsection (b). (b)

Establishment

As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall assemble a team of technical, policy, and financial experts to address the energy needs of each affiliated island— (1)to reduce the reliance and expenditure of each affiliated island on imported fossil fuels; (2)to increase the use by each affiliated island of indigenous, nonfossil fuel energy sources; (3)to improve the performance of the energy infrastructure of the affiliated island through projects— (A)to improve the energy efficiency of power generation, transmission, and distribution; and (B)to increase consumer energy efficiency; (4)to improve the performance of the energy infrastructure of each affiliated island through enhanced planning, education, and training; (5)to adopt research-based and public-private partnership-based approaches as appropriate; (6)to stimulate economic development and job creation; and (7)to enhance the engagement by the Federal Government in international efforts to address island energy needs. (c)

Duties of team

(1)

Energy Action Plans

(A)

In general

In accordance with subparagraph (B), the team shall provide technical, programmatic, and financial assistance to each utility of each affiliated island, and the government of each affiliated island, as appropriate, to develop and implement an energy Action Plan for each affiliated island to reduce the reliance of each affiliated island on imported fossil fuels through increased efficiency and use of indigenous clean-energy resources. (B)

Requirements

Each Action Plan described in subparagraph (A) for each affiliated island shall require and provide for— (i)the conduct of 1 or more studies to assess opportunities to reduce fossil fuel use through— (I)the improvement of the energy efficiency of the affiliated island; and (II)the increased use by the affiliated island of indigenous clean-energy resources; (ii)the identification and implementation of the most cost-effective strategies and projects to reduce the dependence of the affiliated island on fossil fuels; (iii)the promotion of education and training activities to improve the capacity of the local utilities of the affiliated island, and the government of the affiliated island, as appropriate, to plan for, maintain, and operate the energy infrastructure of the affiliated island through the use of local or regional institutions, as appropriate; (iv)the coordination of the activities described in clause (iii) to leverage the expertise and resources of international entities, the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior, and the regional utilities of the affiliated island; (v)the identification, and development, as appropriate, of research-based and private-public, partnership approaches to implement the Action Plan; and (vi)any other component that the Secretary determines to be necessary to reduce successfully the use by each affiliated island of fossil fuels. (2)

Reports to Secretary

Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Secretary establishes the team and biannually thereafter, the team shall submit to the Secretary a report that contains a description of the progress of each affiliated island in— (A)implementing the Action Plan of the affiliated island developed under paragraph (1)(A); and (B)reducing the reliance of the affiliated island on fossil fuels. (d)

Use of regional utility organizations

To provide expertise to affiliated islands to assist the affiliated islands in meeting the purposes of this section, the Secretary shall consider— (1)including regional utility organizations in the establishment of the team; and (2)providing assistance through regional utility organizations. (e)

Annual reports to Congress

Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary receives a report submitted by the team under subsection (c)(2), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that contains a summary of the report of the team. (f)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.