[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 131 (Monday, September 15, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H7462-H7464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
INSULAR AREAS AND FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 83) to require the Secretary of the Interior 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, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 83
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. INSULAR AREAS AND FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES ENERGY
DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Comprehensive energy plan.--The term ``comprehensive
energy plan'' means a comprehensive energy plan prepared and
updated under subsections (c) and (e) of section 604 of the
Act entitled ``An Act to authorize appropriations for certain
insular areas of the United States, and for other purposes'',
approved December 24, 1980 (48 U.S.C. 1492).
(2) Energy action plan.--The term ``energy action plan''
means the plan required by subsection (d).
(3) Freely associated states.--The term ``Freely Associated
States'' means the Federated States of Micronesia, the
Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.
(4) Insular areas.--The term ``insular areas'' means
American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the
Virgin Islands.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(6) Team.--The term ``team'' means the team established by
the Secretary under subsection (b).
(b) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a
team of technical, policy, and financial experts--
(1) to develop energy action plans addressing the
immediate, near-term, and long-term energy and environmental
needs of each of the insular areas and Freely Associated
States; and
(2) to assist each of the insular areas and Freely
Associated States in implementing an energy action plan.
(c) Participation of Regional Utility Organizations.--In
establishing the team, the Secretary shall consider including
regional utility organizations.
(d) Energy Action Plans.--In accordance with subsection
(b), the energy action plans shall include--
(1) recommendations, based on the comprehensive energy plan
where applicable, to--
(A) promote access to affordable, reliable energy;
(B) develop indigenous, nonfossil fuel energy resources;
and
(C) improve performance of energy infrastructure and
overall energy efficiency;
(2) a schedule for implementation of such recommendations
and identification and prioritization of specific projects;
(3) a financial and engineering plan for implementing and
sustaining projects; and
(4) benchmarks for measuring progress toward
implementation.
(e) Reports to Secretary.--Not later than 1 year after the
date on which the Secretary establishes the team and annually
thereafter, the team shall submit to the Secretary a report
detailing progress made in fulfilling its charge and in
implementing the energy action plans.
(f) 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 (e), the Secretary
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a
summary of the report of the team.
(g) Funding.--No additional funds are authorized to be
appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this section,
and this section shall be carried out using amounts otherwise
available for such purpose.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
General Leave
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and to insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I would like to include an exchange of letters between the Committee
on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Natural Resources.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC, June 19, 2014.
Hon. Fred Upton,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I write in regard to H.R. 83. As you are
aware, the bill was primarily referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce, but the Committee on Natural Resources
has a jurisdictional interest in the bill and has requested a
sequential referral.
I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this
legislation before the House in an expeditious manner, and,
accordingly, I agree not to insist on a referral of H.R. 83.
I do so with the understanding that by foregoing such a
referral, the Committee on Natural Resources does not waive
any future jurisdictional claim on this or similar matters.
Further, the Committee on Natural Resources reserves the
right to seek the appointment of conferees, if it should
become necessary.
I ask that you insert a copy of our exchange of letters
into the Congressional Record during consideration of this
measure on the House floor.
[[Page H7463]]
Thank you for your courtesy in this matter and I look
forward to continued cooperation between our respective
committees.
Sincerely,
Doc Hastings,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Energy and Commerce,
Washington, DC, June 20, 2014.
Hon. Doc Hastings,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Hastings, Thank you for your letter regarding
H.R. 83, to require the Secretary of the Interior 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. As you noted, H.R. 83 was
referred to both the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the
Committee on Natural Resources.
I appreciate your willingness to discharge the H.R. 83 from
further consideration by the Committee on Natural Resources
so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for
consideration.
I agree that by discharging the bill, the Committee on
Natural Resources does not waive any future jurisdictional
claim on this or similar matters. Further, I agree that the
Committee on Natural Resources preserves its right to seek
the appointment of conferees, if it should become necessary.
Finally, I would be pleased to insert a copy of our
exchange into the Congressional Record during consideration
of this measure on the House floor.
Thank you again for your assistance with this matter.
Sincerely,
Fred Upton,
Chairman.
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to thank Dr.
Christensen for being the primary author of this important legislation.
H.R. 83 requires the Secretary of the Interior 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
of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands through the development of
energy action plans aimed at promoting access to affordable and
reliable energy.
{time} 1615
These U.S. territories have few conventional energy resources, and
they are dependent upon imports to meet a significant portion of their
energy needs. As a result the resident of those areas pay unusually
high electricity bills. In addition, because these areas are isolated
from areas that provide their energy fuels, as well as the added cost
of transporting these fuels, they face higher energy costs and greater
threat of supply interruption than areas that are energy independent or
have a more convenient source of energy fuels.
Dr. Christensen has done a great job of bringing to the attention of
our committee the unique challenges faced in those areas. H.R. 83 will
assist these important U.S. territories in addressing their energy
needs by establishing a team of energy experts to help develop and
implement an energy action plan for each of these areas.
Congress certainly has an ongoing interest in the energy needs of the
Nation, as well as the insular areas of the U.S. and the freely
associated states. Helping these territories develop affordable and
reliable sources of energy are hallmarks of a thriving economy that can
improve the quality of life for all.
H.R. 83 will not entirely solve these issues, but it will help
facilitate the efforts.
I would urge all Members to support this legislation, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise in very strong support of H.R. 83, a bill which I introduced
on the very first day of this Congress. This legislation, as you have
heard, would require the Secretary of the Interior to assemble a team
of technical, policy, and financial experts to address our energy needs
through the development of action plans to promote access to
affordable, reliable energy all while increasing the use of indigenous
clean-energy resources in the insular areas of American Samoa, the
Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and
the freely associated states.
Before I go any further, I want to take this opportunity to thank
Subcommittee Chairman Whitfield and Ranking Member Rush and Committee
Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Waxman who, on hearing the high cost
of electricity in my district, the U.S. Virgin Islands, immediately
offered to support my efforts to bring relief.
I recall the very first time I shared how much we paid for
electricity during one of our earlier Energy and Power Subcommittee
meetings. Chairman Whitfield actually followed me outside of the room
to confirm that he had heard the right figure and then pledged to do
whatever he could as chairman to help on this issue.
We thank you for your help and your support. With their support
Energy and Commerce actually passed this bill in July of last year, and
we have been trying to bring it to the floor for passage since then.
I also want to thank Natural Resources Chair Doc Hastings and Ranking
Member DeFazio for releasing the bill from their jurisdiction so that
we could bring it to the floor today.
We have come a long way since 2008 when the Subcommittee on Insular
Affairs, which I chaired at that time, and the Subcommittee on Energy
and Mineral Resources, chaired then by Congressman Jim Costa, held an
official hearing in Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Its specific purpose was to highlight the high cost of energy in the
Virgin Islands and other territories and to explore and offer
alternative and renewable sources. It was at that hearing that we first
called for a project like the Energy Development for Island Nations
which then only existed in Hawaii.
Within a year the Department of the Interior and the Governor brought
this project to the Virgin Islands. This initiative is what assisted
our water and power authority to plan and implement the transition to
propane and solar which will begin to lower costs later this year or
earlier next year. It has also prepared the way for wind energy.
Today EDIN is no more, and we still have miles to go before we can
see the significant reductions in cost that our families and our
businesses must bear, and that is why we are here asking this body to
pass H.R. 83 today.
This measure will help my district and our Nation's other insular
areas become less reliant on expensive foreign-imported fuel and
address our longstanding energy challenges which have become
increasingly complicated by price shocks and instability in the oil
markets over the past few years.
The bill requires that the energy action plans identify and offer
remedies to our immediate, near-term, long-term, and environmental
needs along with recommendations on how to improve the performance of
energy infrastructure, how to improve overall energy efficiency, and
how to set a schedule for implementation of those recommendations.
Just to give you a little more context to our ongoing dilemma, on
every occasion when I am in my district, I hear business owners tell me
that they are not sure how much longer they can hold on before closing.
In fact, many have closed, and the high electricity costs make it very
difficult to attract new ones at a time when our economy needs the
stimulus.
At one social event I recall a mother of five pleading with me to
keep seeking help as her almost $500 a month bill is making it
difficult for her to provide for the needs of her family. Our seniors
are foregoing medicine and basic essentials. Many are living in
darkness.
In some communities it would appear as though many have moved away
when in actuality they are simply turning to candles and kerosene lamps
because they simply cannot afford to turn on the lights. This presents
risks to health and safety that are just unacceptable.
According to the Energy Information Administration, the national
average cost of energy is 9.94 cents per kilowatt hour in the United
States. Residential ratepayers in my district pay around 51.2 cents
per kilowatt hour while commercial ratepayers incur a charge of
approximately 54.3 cents.
This is nearly 500 times the national average, a cost that is
unsustainable and crippling to our economy and the health and safety of
our families. Residents in other territories and the State
[[Page H7464]]
of Hawaii pay rates that vary from 26 cents in Puerto Rico to over 40
cents in the smaller islands of Hawaii, costs which are still
unacceptable and unsustainably high.
Despite our challenges and obstacles, our territories are steadfastly
working to identify opportunities to adopt a diverse portfolio of
energy options. This bill remains extremely necessary to support us in
those endeavors because it recognizes the need for immediate short-term
action.
H.R. 83 also recognizes the crisis that the current 30th legislature
of the Virgin Islands has declared for energy in our territory and
directs focus to the short-term needs of our community as well as to
ensuring that, when the transactions are made, we will be putting
together the right mix of fuel sources that will provide the most
efficient electricity at the lowest possible cost.
As all of these factors converge, we know there is no better time
than the present to aggressively pursue the deployment of solar, wind,
LNG, LPG, geothermal, ocean wave, and thermal energy as well as storage
systems. I am encouraged that this can be made a reality with the
guidance of a team of experts dedicated solely to mitigating and
resolving these issues.
Given our geographic locations, we don't have the privilege of
tapping into nearby grid systems in times of crisis. This bill will arm
us with the tools necessary to help us to transition along with the
rest of our country to resources that are much more affordable,
reliable, efficient, and clean.
President Obama has led the way. Many States have enacted strong
energy plans that chart a way forward. Considering all of the options
available to them, it is only fair that our territories also join in
the race for energy independence and clean energy leadership.
On behalf of my district and all of the other territories and insular
areas, I would like to also thank the Democratic leadership for helping
me with H.R. 83, a bill that is critically important to the energy
future of the U.S. Virgin Islands and all of our Nation's territories
and freely associated states.
I also want to thank my colleagues for their support as we work
through these challenges and issues. My constituents are encouraged and
heartened by the support that we have received thus far.
I ask all of my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 83, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion I would once again urge
everyone to support H.R. 83. I want to thank Chairman Upton and Ranking
Member Waxman and staff on both sides of the aisle for working to bring
this important legislation to the floor. I urge its passage, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PIERLUISI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 83, and commend
my colleague, Mrs. Christensen, for her leadership in sponsoring this
legislation. I am a cosponsor of this bill, and want to express my
support for its passage by the full House of Representatives. The bill
requires the Secretary of the Interior to establish a team of experts
to develop, and help implement, a plan for each territory to reduce
reliance on imported oil and to transition to cleaner energy sources
that will improve the environment and lower electricity costs.
A typical territory resident pays two to four times more for
electricity than the U.S. national average. As an island that does not
produce oil, coal or natural gas, Puerto Rico faces inherent energy
challenges. Notwithstanding the progress that was made under the last
administration in San Juan, which oversaw a nearly 15 percent increase
in the use of natural gas and a doubling of the use of renewable
sources, Puerto Rico still generates most of its electricity from
imported oil.
Burning oil pollutes the air and explains why Puerto Rico has the
highest rate of asthma and other respiratory illnesses in the nation.
Oil is expensive and subject to sudden price shocks. The high cost of
electricity strains family budgets and harms businesses.
The plan called for by H.R. 83 will help the governments of Puerto
Rico and the other territories diversify their energy portfolios and
reduce electricity rates. It is for these reasons that I urge passage
of this bill. I thank the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House
Committee on Energy and Commerce for working with us to advance this
bill.
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, lowering the cost of electricity is
extremely important to the people I represent in the Northern Mariana
Islands. Residential customers in my district pay 40 cents per
kilowatt-hour--three times the U.S. average. And those electricity
bills are eating away at families' paychecks.
That's why I support H.R. 83.
H.R. 83 will help local governments develop and implement plans to
reduce reliance on the expensive fossil fuels that make electricity so
expensive in America's insular areas, including the Northern Mariana
Islands.
The plans will propose technical, financial, and policy actions that
island governments and local utilities can take to move the islands
towards alternative sources of energy--especially renewables. The plans
will show how to improve efficiency beginning with production, through
distribution, and at the point of use, so that every kilowatt generated
in the islands goes unwasted.
Last year, Congresswomen Donna Christensen and Madeleine Bordallo,
Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi and
I were successful in convincing Health and Human Services Secretary
Kathleen Sebelius to increase funding for the Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program in our islands. About 120 families were added to the
rolls in the Northern Marianas and the assistance that all 420 families
now receive is as much as double the previous amount.
But helping some families with the high cost of energy is only a
partial fix. We need to lower costs for everyone. That's what Ms.
Christensen's bill promises to do.
I want to thank Congresswoman Christensen for her years of work to
move this important bill forward and congratulate her for bringing the
bill to the floor today.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R 83.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R.
83 to require the Secretary of the Interior 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.
This bill was introduced by my good friend, Congresswoman Donna
Christensen, and I thank her for her leadership. I also commend my
fellow Territorial Delegates for their support. I am proud to be an
original cosponsor, and I commend Chairman Fred Upton and Ranking
Member Henry Waxman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce for
bringing this legislation to the floor today.
H.R. 83 is critical in order to provide a comprehensive approach in
addressing the high cost of energy in our island Territories and in the
Freely Associated States. Given our remote locations, we rely solely on
imported fuel has an adverse effect on our local economies.
As discussed at 3rd International Conference of Small Island
Developing States that was held in Apia, Samoa a few weeks ago, we
should also be concerned about the effects of climate change on our
communities. It is crucial that we develop action plans aimed at
reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels.
H.R. 83 is an important first step in addressing our challenges and I
urge my colleagues to support and pass H.R. 83.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 83, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title was amended so as to read: ``A bill to require the
Secretary of the Interior 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 energy action plans aimed at promoting access to
affordable, reliable energy, including increasing use of indigenous
clean-energy resources, and for other purposes.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________