[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 134 (Thursday, September 18, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5861-S5862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADDRESSING THE ENERGY NEEDS OF U.S. INSULAR AREAS
Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the consideration of H.R. 83, which was received from the
House and is at the desk.
The clerk will report the bill by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A 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 energy action plans aimed at promoting
access to affordable, reliable energy, including increasing
use of indigenous clean-energy resources, and for other
purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. PRYOR. I ask unanimous consent that a Murkowski substitute
amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be
read a third time and passed; and the motion to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or
debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 3928) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to
as follows:
amendment no. 3928
(Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. STUDY OF ELECTRIC RATES IN THE INSULAR AREAS.
(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, 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,
[[Page S5862]]
the Secretary shall, within the Empowering Insular
Communities activity, establish a team of technical, policy,
and financial experts--
(1) to develop an energy action plan addressing the energy
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 such plan.
(c) Participation of Regional Utility Organizations.--In
establishing the team, the Secretary shall consider including
regional utility organizations.
(d) Energy Action Plan.--In accordance with subsection (b),
the energy action plan shall include--
(1) recommendations, based on the comprehensive energy plan
where applicable, to--
(A) reduce reliance and expenditures on fuel shipped to the
insular areas and Freely Associated States from ports outside
the United States;
(B) develop and utilize domestic fuel energy sources; 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 plan.
(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) Approval of Secretary Required.--The energy action plan
shall not be implemented until the Secretary approves the
energy action plan.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSOLIDATED NATURAL RESOURCES ACT.
Section 6 of Public Law 94-241 (90 Stat. 263; 122 Stat.
854) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``December 31, 2014,
except as provided in subsections (b) and (d)'' and inserting
``December 31, 2019''; and
(2) in subsection (d)--
(A) in the third sentence of paragraph (2), by striking
``not to extend beyond December 31, 2014, unless extended
pursuant to paragraph 5 of this subsection'' and inserting ``
`ending on December 31, 2019' '';
(B) by striking paragraph (5); and
(C) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (5).
The amendment was ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a
third time.
The bill (H.R. 83), as amended, was read the third time and passed.
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