[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 123 (Thursday, October 5, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9996-S9997]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONSTRUCTION OF THE SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA INTERTIE SYSTEM

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 2439) to authorize the 
appropriation of funds for the construction of the Southeastern Alaska 
Intertie system, and for other purposes.
  The amendment (No. 4292) was agreed to, as follows:


                           amendment no. 4292

   (Purpose: To limit the authorization for the Southeastern Alaska 
   Intertie and provide an authorization for Navajo electrification)

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:
       ``That upon the completion and submission to the United 
     States Congress by the Forest Service of the ongoing High 
     Voltage Direct Current viability analysis pursuant to USFS 
     Collection Agreement #00CO-111005-105 or no later than 
     February 1, 2001, there is hereby authorized to be 
     appropriated to the Secretary of Energy such sums as may be 
     necessary to assist in the construction of the Southeastern 
     Alaska Intertie system as generally identified in Report #97-
     01 of the Southeast Conference. Such sums shall equal 80 
     percent of the cost of the system and may not exceed $384 
     million. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit or 
     waive any otherwise applicable State or Federal Law.

     ``SEC. 2. NAVAJO ELECTRIFICATION DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Energy shall 
     establish a five year program to assist the Navajo Nation to 
     meet its electricity needs. The purpose of the program shall 
     be to provide electric power to the estimated 18,000 occupied 
     structures on the Navajo Nation that lack electric power. The 
     goal of the program shall be to ensure that every household 
     on the Navajo Nation that requests it has access to a 
     reliable and affordable source of electricity by the year 
     2006.
       ``(b) Scope.--In order to meet the goal in subsection (a), 
     the Secretary of Energy shall provide grants to the Navajo 
     Nation to--
       ``(1) extend electric transmission and distribution lines 
     to new or existing structures that are not served by electric 
     power and do not have adequate electric power service;
       ``(2) purchase and install distributed power generating 
     facilities, including small gas turbines, fuel cells, solar 
     photovoltaic systems, solar thermal systems, geothermal 
     systems, wind power systems, or biomass-fueled systems;
       ``(3) purchase and install other equipment associated with 
     the generation, transmission, distribution, and storage of 
     electric power; or
       ``(4) provide training in the installation operation, or 
     maintenance of the lines, facilities, or equipment in 
     paragraphs (1) through (3); or
       ``(5) support other activities that the Secretary of Energy 
     determines are necessary to met the goal of the program.
       ``(c) Technical Support.--At the request of the Navajo 
     Nation, the Secretary of Energy may provide technical support 
     through Department of Energy laboratories and facilities to 
     the Navajo Nation to assist in achieving the goal of this 
     program.
       ``(d) Annual Reports.--Not later than February 1, 2002 and 
     for each of the five succeeding years, the Secretary of 
     Energy shall submit a report to Congress on the status of the 
     programs and the progress towards meeting its goal under 
     subsection (a).
       ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy to 
     carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of the fiscal 
     years 2002 through 2006.''

  The bill (S. 2439), as amended, was read the third time and passed, 
as follows:

                                S. 2439

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

     SECTION 1. SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA INTERTIE AUTHORIZATION LIMIT.

       Upon the completion and submission to the United States 
     Congress by the Forest Service of the ongoing High Voltage 
     Direct Current viability analysis pursuant to United States 
     Forest Service Collection Agreement #00CO-111005-105 or no 
     later than February 1, 2001, there is hereby authorized to be 
     appropriated to the Secretary of Energy such sums as may be 
     necessary to assist in the construction of the Southeastern 
     Alaska Intertie system as generally identified in Report #97-
     01 of the Southeast Conference. Such sums shall equal 80 
     percent of the cost of the system and may not exceed 
     $384,000,000. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit 
     or waive any otherwise applicable State or Federal law.

     SEC. 2. NAVAJO ELECTRIFICATION DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish 
     a 5-year program to assist the Navajo nation to meet its 
     electricity needs. The purpose of the program shall be to 
     provide electric power to the estimated 18,000 occupied 
     structures on the Navajo Nation that lack electric power. The 
     goal of the program shall be to ensure that every household 
     on the Navajo Nation that requests it has access to a 
     reliable and affordable source of electricity by the year 
     2006.
       (b) Scope.--In order to meet the goal in subsection (a), 
     the Secretary of Energy shall provide grants to the Navajo 
     Nation to--
       (1) extend electric transmission and distribution lines to 
     new or existing structures that are not served by electric 
     power and do not have adequate electric power service;
       (2) purchase and install distributed power generating 
     facilities, including small gas turbines, fuel cells, solar 
     photovoltaic systems, solar thermal systems, geothermal 
     systems, wind power systems, or biomass-fueled systems;
       (3) purchase and install other equipment associated with 
     the generation, transmission, distribution, and storage of 
     electric power;
       (4) provide training in the installation, operation, or 
     maintenance of the lines, facilities, or equipment in 
     paragraphs (1) through (3); or
       (5) support other activities that the Secretary of Energy 
     determines are necessary to meet the goal of the program.
       (c) Technical Support.--At the request of the Navajo 
     Nation, the Secretary of Energy may provide technical support 
     through Department of Energy laboratories and facilities to 
     the Navajo Nation to assist in achieving the goal of this 
     program.
       (d) Annual Reports.--Not later than February 1, 2002 and 
     for each of the five succeeding years, the Secretary of 
     Energy shall submit a report to Congress on the status of the 
     programs and the progress towards meeting its goal under 
     subsection (a).

[[Page S9997]]

       (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy to carry out 
     this section $15,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2002 
     through 2006.

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