[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1283 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1283

 To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to repeal certain programs, to 
      establish a coal technology program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 11, 2015

  Mr. Manchin (for himself and Ms. Heitkamp) introduced the following 
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to repeal certain programs, to 
      establish a coal technology program, 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. REPEALS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Sections 962 and 963 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
        (42 U.S.C. 16292, 16293) are repealed.
            (2) Subtitle A of title IV of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
        (42 U.S.C. 15961 et seq.) is repealed.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 703(a)(3) of the Energy Independence and 
        Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17251(a)(3)) is amended--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                striking the first and second sentences; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``including'' 
                in the matter preceding clause (i) and all that follows 
                through the period at the end and inserting ``, 
                including such geologic sequestration projects as are 
                approved by the Secretary''.
            (2) Section 704 of the Energy Independence and Security Act 
        of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17252) is amended in the first sentence by 
        striking ``under section 963(c)(3) of the Energy Policy Act of 
        2005 (42 U.S.C. 16293(c)(3)), as added by section 702 of this 
        subtitle, and''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (as amended by 
section 2) is amended by inserting after section 961 (42 U.S.C. 16291) 
the following:

``SEC. 962. COAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Large-scale pilot project.--The term `large-scale 
        pilot project' means a pilot project that--
                    ``(A) represents the scale of technology 
                development beyond laboratory development and bench 
                scale testing, but not yet advanced to the point of 
                being tested under real operational conditions at 
                commercial scale;
                    ``(B) represents the scale of technology necessary 
                to gain the operational data needed to understand the 
                technical and performance risks of the technology 
                before the application of that technology at commercial 
                scale or in commercial-scale demonstration; and
                    ``(C) is large enough--
                            ``(i) to validate scaling factors; and
                            ``(ii) to demonstrate the interaction 
                        between major components so that control 
                        philosophies for a new process can be developed 
                        and enable the technology to advance from 
                        large-scale pilot plant application to 
                        commercial scale demonstration or application.
            ``(2) Program.--The term `program' means the program 
        established under subsection (b).
            ``(3) Transformational technology.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `transformational 
                technology' means a power generation technology that 
                represents an entirely new way to convert energy that 
                will enable a step change in performance, efficiency, 
                and cost of electricity as compared to the technology 
                in existence on the date of enactment of this Act.
                    ``(B) Inclusions.--The term `transformational 
                technology' includes a broad range of technology 
                improvements, including--
                            ``(i) thermodynamic improvements in energy 
                        conversion and heat transfer, including--
                                    ``(I) pressurized oxygen 
                                combustion;
                                    ``(II) chemical looping; and
                                    ``(III) the replacement of steam 
                                cycles with supercritical carbon 
                                dioxide cycles;
                            ``(ii) improvements in turbine technology; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) improvements in carbon capture 
                        systems technology.
    ``(b) Coal Technology Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a coal 
        technology program to ensure the continued use of the abundant, 
        domestic coal resources of the United States through the 
        development of technologies that will significantly improve the 
        efficiency, effectiveness, costs, and environmental performance 
        of coal use.
            ``(2) Requirements.--The program shall include--
                    ``(A) a research and development program;
                    ``(B) large-scale pilot projects; and
                    ``(C) demonstration projects.
            ``(3) Performance standards.--In consultation with the 
        interested entities described in paragraph (4)(C), the 
        Secretary shall develop performance standards for technologies 
        and the application of those technologies included in the 
        program, taking into consideration the following objectives:
                    ``(A) Ensure reliable, low cost power from new and 
                existing coal plants.
                    ``(B) Have high conversion efficiencies.
                    ``(C) Address emissions of carbon dioxide through 
                high efficiency platforms and carbon capture from new 
                and existing coal plants.
                    ``(D) Support small-scale and modular technologies 
                to enable incremental capacity additions and load 
                growth.
                    ``(E) Support flexible baseload operations for new 
                and existing applications of coal generation.
                    ``(F) Further reduce emissions of criteria 
                pollutants and reduce the use and manage the discharge 
                of water in power plant operations.
                    ``(G) Accelerate the development of technologies 
                that have transformational energy conversion 
                characteristics.
                    ``(H) Validate geologic storage of large volumes of 
                anthropogenic sources of carbon dioxide and the 
                infrastructure needed to support a carbon dioxide use 
                and storage industry.
                    ``(I) Examine methods of converting coal to other 
                valuable products and commodities in addition to 
                electricity.
            ``(4) Consultations required.--In carrying out the program, 
        the Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) undertake international collaborations, as 
                recommended by the National Coal Council;
                    ``(B) use existing authorities to encourage 
                international cooperation; and
                    ``(C) consult with interested entities, including--
                            ``(i) coal producers;
                            ``(ii) industries that use coal;
                            ``(iii) organizations that promote coal and 
                        advanced coal technologies;
                            ``(iv) environmental organizations;
                            ``(v) organizations representing workers; 
                        and
                            ``(vi) organizations representing 
                        consumers.
    ``(c) Report.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
        Congress a report describing the performance standards adopted 
        under subsection (b)(3).
            ``(2) Update.--Once every 2 years after the initial report 
        is submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to 
        Congress a report describing the progress made towards 
        achieving the objectives and performance standards adopted 
        under subsection (b)(3).
    ``(d) Funding.--
            ``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out 
        this Act, to remain available until expended--
                    ``(A) $610,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 
                through 2020; and
                    ``(B) $560,000,000 for fiscal year 2021.
            ``(2) Allocations.--The amounts made available under 
        paragraph (1) shall be allocated as follows:
                    ``(A) For activities under the research and 
                development program component described in subsection 
                (b)(2)(A)--
                            ``(i) $275,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
                        2017 through 2020; and
                            ``(ii) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2021.
                    ``(B) For activities under the demonstration 
                projects program component described in subsection 
                (b)(2)(B)--
                            ``(i) $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
                        2017 through 2020; and
                            ``(ii) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2021.
                    ``(C) For activities under the large-scale pilot 
                projects program component described in subsection 
                (b)(2)(C), $285,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 
                through 2021.''.
    (b) Cost Sharing for Large-Scale Pilot Projects.--Section 988(c) of 
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraph (2)'' and 
        inserting ``paragraphs (2) and (3)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Cost-sharing for large-scale pilot projects.--
        Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the cost-
        sharing requirements under this section shall not apply to the 
        coal technology program established under section 962.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801 note) is amended--
            (1) by striking the items relating to sections 962 and 963 
        and inserting the following:

``Sec. 962. Coal technology program.'';
        and
            (2) by striking the items relating to subtitle A of title 
        IV.
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