[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1038 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1038
To establish the Office of Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs
within the Environmental Protection Agency, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 25, 2021
Ms. Hassan (for herself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Casey, Mr.
King, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Carper, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Coons, Mr.
Warner, and Mrs. Shaheen) introduced the following bill; which was read
twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Office of Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs
within the Environmental Protection Agency, 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 ``Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) Greenhouse gas.--The term ``greenhouse gas'' means
carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbon,
perfluorocarbon, and sulfur hexafluoride.
(3) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the Office of
Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs established under
section 3(a).
(4) Regional greenhouse gas reduction program.--The term
``regional greenhouse gas reduction program'' means a program
that uses market-based tools to reduce greenhouse gases across
States at the regional level, such as--
(A) the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
organized among, as of March 24, 2021, the States of
Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island,
Vermont, and Virginia to cap and reduce carbon dioxide
emissions from the power sector; and
(B) the Western Climate Initiative, a regional
carbon trading system organized between the State of
California and Quebec, Canada.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' means--
(A) a State;
(B) the District of Columbia;
(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;
(D) the United States Virgin Islands;
(E) Guam;
(F) American Samoa;
(G) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands; and
(H) the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
(6) Unit of local government.--The term ``unit of local
government'' means--
(A) a city, town, borough, county, parish,
district, association, or other public body created by
or pursuant to State law;
(B) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
(25 U.S.C. 5304)); and
(C) a Tribal organization (as defined in section 4
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)).
SEC. 3. OFFICE OF REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION PROGRAMS.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, there shall be established within the
Environmental Protection Agency an office, to be known as the ``Office
of Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs''.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Office shall be--
(1) to support, and assist in the expansion of, existing
regional greenhouse gas reduction programs; and
(2) to facilitate the establishment of new regional
greenhouse gas reduction programs.
(c) Director.--The Office shall be headed by a Director, who shall
be appointed by the Administrator--
(1) without regard to political affiliation; and
(2) solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of
the Director described in subsection (d).
(d) Duties of Director.--The Director of the Office shall--
(1) on request by a State or other relevant entity, provide
access to Federal data relevant to regional greenhouse gas
reduction programs;
(2)(A) assist States and other relevant entities with
analysis and modeling of technical, economic, and public policy
issues relating to regional greenhouse gas reduction programs;
and
(B) provide any other relevant technical support, on
request;
(3) develop and share best practices based on existing
regional greenhouse gas reduction programs;
(4) track and report on greenhouse gas emissions in States
participating in regional greenhouse gas reduction programs
using data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency;
(5) designate a representative in the Office--
(A) to act as a liaison to regional greenhouse gas
reduction programs; and
(B) to communicate with States and other entities
seeking to establish regional greenhouse gas reduction
programs;
(6) facilitate communication among Federal and State
agencies, agencies of units of local government, and
stakeholders to share lessons learned about greenhouse gas
monitoring and control programs, through methods such as
workshops, conferences, websites, and newsletters;
(7) administer the grant program established under section
4;
(8) coordinate with the interagency task force established
under section 5; and
(9) carry out any other activity relevant to the function
of the Office.
(e) Report.--The Administrator, acting through the Director of the
Office, shall submit a biannual report to Congress that describes and
summarizes the efforts made and technical assistance provided by the
Office to help States improve the health and environment of communities
in those States.
(f) Access to Information.--On request of the Director, the head of
each Federal agency shall provide the Director any information and data
necessary for any analyses or reports required as part of the function
of the Office.
(g) No Additional Reporting Requirements.--Nothing in this section
authorizes the Administrator or the Director of the Office to impose an
additional reporting requirement on a State participating in a regional
greenhouse gas reduction program.
SEC. 4. REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION PROGRAM STARTUP GRANTS.
(a) Definition of Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term
``eligible entity'' means--
(1) a State;
(2) a unit of local government; and
(3) a regional consortium that is a partnership between or
among 1 or more entities described in paragraphs (1) and (2).
(b) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office shall establish a
program within the Office to provide grants to eligible entities, on a
competitive basis, to take active preliminary steps (including
information-gathering) towards developing or participating in a
regional greenhouse gas reduction program.
(c) Application.--An eligible entity shall submit to the Director
of the Office an application to receive a grant under subsection (b) at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the
Director of the Office may require.
(d) Minimum Grant Amount.--A grant awarded under subsection (b)
shall be in an amount that is not less than $250,000.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Director of the Office such amounts as are
necessary to carry out this section, to remain available until
expended.
SEC. 5. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE.
(a) Establishment.--The Administrator shall establish an
interagency task force (referred to in this section as the ``task
force'')--
(1) to determine how best to support existing regional
greenhouse gas reduction programs;
(2) to consult with States to determine how best to support
States and other entities that seek to develop regional
greenhouse gas reduction programs or expand existing regional
greenhouse gas reduction programs; and
(3) to analyze existing gaps in Federal data that are
relevant to the formation or analysis of regional greenhouse
gas reduction programs.
(b) Members.--The task force shall--
(1) be headed by a representative from the Office; and
(2) include representatives from--
(A) the Department of Energy;
(B) the Department of Agriculture;
(C) the Department of Transportation; and
(D) the Department of the Interior.
(c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the task
force is established under subsection (a), the task force shall submit
to Congress a report that describes a plan--
(1) to support existing regional greenhouse gas reduction
programs;
(2) to support States and other entities seeking to develop
regional greenhouse gas reduction programs; and
(3) that addresses Federal data gaps with respect to
regional greenhouse gas reduction programs.
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