[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2360 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2360
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a renewable energy
grant program for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United
States, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 25, 2019
Mr. Ted Lieu of California (for himself, Ms. Plaskett, and Miss
Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the
Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Science, Space, and Technology,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of
the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a renewable energy
grant program for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United
States, 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Renewable Energy for Puerto Rico and
the U.S. Virgin Islands Act''.
SEC. 2. RENEWABLE ENERGY GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a
renewable energy program (in this section referred to as the
``program'') under which the Secretary may award grants to covered
entities to facilitate projects, in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
of the United States, described in subsection (c).
(b) Applications.--To be eligible for a grant under the program, a
covered entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such form, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require.
(c) Grant Uses.--
(1) In general.--A covered entity receiving a grant under
the program may use grant funds for a project, in Puerto Rico
or the Virgin Islands of the United States--
(A) to develop or construct a renewable energy
system;
(B) to carry out an activity to increase energy
efficiency;
(C) to develop or construct an energy storage
system or device for--
(i) a system developed or constructed under
subparagraph (A); or
(ii) an activity carried out under
subparagraph (B);
(D) to develop or construct--
(i) a smart grid; or
(ii) a microgrid; or
(E) to train residents of Puerto Rico or the Virgin
Islands of the United States to develop, construct,
maintain, or operate a renewable energy system.
(2) Limitation.--A covered entity receiving a grant under
the program may not use grant funds to develop or construct a
facility that generates electricity using energy derived from--
(A) fossil fuels; or
(B) nuclear power.
(d) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary of Energy shall ensure
that Department of Energy national laboratories offer to provide
technical assistance to each covered entity carrying out a project
assisted with a grant under the program.
(e) Report.--Not later than two years after the establishment of
the program, and on an annual basis thereafter, the Secretary shall
submit to Congress a report containing--
(1) an estimate of the amount of funds disbursed under the
program;
(2) an estimate of the energy conservation achieved as a
result of the program;
(3) a description of challenges encountered in implementing
projects described in subsection (c)(1); and
(4) recommendations as to additional legislative measures
to increase the use of renewable energy in Puerto Rico and the
Virgin Islands of the United States, as appropriate.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
SEC. 3. GAO STUDY AND REPORT.
(a) In General.--
(1) Study and report.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall--
(A) conduct a study regarding renewable energy and
energy efficiency in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
of the United States; and
(B) submit to Congress a report containing--
(i) the findings of the study; and
(ii) related recommendations.
(2) Components.--The study conducted under paragraph (1)
shall consider, in relation to Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands of the United States, the potential--
(A) to modify existing electric power systems to
use renewable energy sources;
(B) to expand the use of microgrids; and
(C) to improve energy resiliency.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $1,500,000 to carry out this section.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means a
not-for-profit organization determined eligible by the
Secretary of Agriculture for purposes of this Act.
(2) Department of energy national laboratories.--The term
``Department of Energy national laboratories'' has the same
meaning as the term ``National Laboratory'' under section 2 of
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
(3) Microgrid.--The term ``microgrid'' means an electric
system--
(A) that serves the local community with a power
generation and distribution system; and
(B) that has the ability--
(i) to disconnect from a traditional
electric grid; and
(ii) to operate autonomously when
disconnected.
(4) Renewable energy; renewable energy system.--The terms
``renewable energy'' and ``renewable energy system'' have the
meanings given those terms in section 9001 of the Farm Security
and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101).
(5) Smart grid.--The term ``smart grid'' means an
intelligent electric grid that uses digital communications
technology, information systems, and automation to, while
maintaining high system reliability--
(A) detect and react to local changes in usage;
(B) improve system operating efficiency; and
(C) reduce spending costs.
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