[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 523 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 523

   To coordinate the provision of energy retrofitting assistance to 
                                schools.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 12, 2015

  Ms. Collins (for herself, Mr. Warner, Ms. Ayotte, and Mr. Merkley) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
               Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To coordinate the provision of energy retrofitting assistance to 
                                schools.

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

SECTION 1. COORDINATION OF ENERGY RETROFITTING ASSISTANCE FOR SCHOOLS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) School.--The term ``school'' means--
                    (A) an elementary school or secondary school (as 
                defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801));
                    (B) an institution of higher education (as defined 
                in section 102(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
                (20 U.S.C. 1002(a));
                    (C) a school of the defense dependents' education 
                system under the Defense Dependents' Education Act of 
                1978 (20 U.S.C. 921 et seq.) or established under 
                section 2164 of title 10, United States Code;
                    (D) a school operated by the Bureau of Indian 
                Affairs;
                    (E) a tribally controlled school (as defined in 
                section 5212 of the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 
                1988 (25 U.S.C. 2511)); and
                    (F) a Tribal College or University (as defined in 
                section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1059c(b))).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.
    (b) Designation of Lead Agency.--The Secretary, acting through the 
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, shall act as the lead 
Federal agency for coordinating and disseminating information on 
existing Federal programs and assistance that may be used to help 
initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and 
energy retrofitting projects for schools.
    (c) Requirements.--In carrying out coordination and outreach under 
subsection (b), the Secretary shall--
            (1) in consultation and coordination with the appropriate 
        Federal agencies, carry out a review of existing programs and 
        financing mechanisms (including revolving loan funds and loan 
        guarantees) available in or from the Department of Agriculture, 
        the Department of Energy, the Department of Education, the 
        Department of the Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service, the 
        Environmental Protection Agency, and other appropriate Federal 
        agencies with jurisdiction over energy financing and 
        facilitation that are currently used or may be used to help 
        initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, renewable 
        energy, and energy retrofitting projects for schools;
            (2) establish a Federal cross-departmental collaborative 
        coordination, education, and outreach effort to streamline 
        communication and promote available Federal opportunities and 
        assistance described in paragraph (1) for energy efficiency, 
        renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects that enables 
        States, local educational agencies, and schools--
                    (A) to use existing Federal opportunities more 
                effectively; and
                    (B) to form partnerships with Governors, State 
                energy programs, local educational, financial, and 
                energy officials, State and local government officials, 
                nonprofit organizations, and other appropriate entities 
                to support the initiation of the projects;
            (3) provide technical assistance for States, local 
        educational agencies, and schools to help develop and finance 
        energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting 
        projects--
                    (A) to increase the energy efficiency of buildings 
                or facilities;
                    (B) to install systems that individually generate 
                energy from renewable energy resources;
                    (C) to establish partnerships to leverage economies 
                of scale and additional financing mechanisms available 
                to larger clean energy initiatives; or
                    (D) to promote--
                            (i) the maintenance of health, 
                        environmental quality, and safety in schools, 
                        including the ambient air quality, through 
                        energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy 
                        retrofit projects; and
                            (ii) the achievement of expected energy 
                        savings and renewable energy production through 
                        proper operations and maintenance practices;
            (4) develop and maintain a single online resource website 
        with contact information for relevant technical assistance and 
        support staff in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
        Energy for States, local educational agencies, and schools to 
        effectively access and use Federal opportunities and assistance 
        described in paragraph (1) to develop energy efficiency, 
        renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects; and
            (5) establish a process for recognition of schools that--
                    (A) have successfully implemented energy 
                efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting 
                projects; and
                    (B) are willing to serve as resources for other 
                local educational agencies and schools to assist 
                initiation of similar efforts.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing 
the implementation of this section.
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