[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1495 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1495
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to
provide support on the use of industrial heat pumps, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 9, 2023
Mr. Welch (for himself and Mr. Marshall) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to
provide support on the use of industrial heat pumps, 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 ``Heat pump Energy Assistance and
Training Act'' or the ``HEAT Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Industrial heat pump.--The term ``industrial heat
pump'' means a vapor compression device that transforms low
grade production waste heat by increasing the temperature of
air or process fluid, such as water, to meet the heating needs
of agricultural, industrial, or commercial processes.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
SEC. 3. INDUSTRIAL HEAT PUMP PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a working group
to coordinate activities carried out by the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, the Rural Utilities Service, the Rural Business-
Cooperative Service, and the National Institute of Food and
Agriculture--
(1) to build awareness of the use of industrial heat pumps;
(2) to create materials for and provide technical support
to farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses relating to--
(A) the use of industrial heat pumps; and
(B) the availability of Federal programs to assist
in the adoption to using industrial heat pumps;
(3) to support an improved technical understanding of the
opportunities for and applications of industrial heat pumps in
the agricultural experiment station network at land-grant
colleges and universities, for the purpose of providing
training and assistance to State-level programs serving
farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses;
(4) to increase knowledge of industrial heat pump
applications and benefits for rural utilities to support
applications of industrial heat pumps for farmers, ranchers,
and rural small businesses; and
(5) to support education on and awareness of industrial
heat pump opportunities, applications, and benefits among
extension specialists and extension agents.
(b) Coordination.--The Secretary is encouraged to coordinate with
the Department of Energy with respect to the implementation of
industrial heat pump programs.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are necessary for
each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
SEC. 4. RURAL ENERGY FOR AMERICA PROGRAM.
Section 9007(c)(1)(A) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act
of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107(c)(1)(A)) is amended--
(1) in clause (i)(II), by inserting ``, including to
purchase and install industrial heat pumps (as defined in
section 2(a) of the Heat pump Energy Assistance and Training
Act)'' before ``; and''; and
(2) in clause (ii), in the matter preceding subclause (I),
by striking ``processing'' and inserting ``processing,
including industrial heat pumps (as so defined),''.
SEC. 5. REPORTING.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report describing progress made
in building awareness, creating materials, and providing support for
farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses under this Act and the
amendments made by this Act.
(b) Inclusions.--The report under subsection (a) shall include--
(1) an identification of important applications of
industrial heat pumps in rural markets;
(2) an assessment of the level of awareness of industrial
heat pumps by key market actors, including Department of
Agriculture program staff, heat pump suppliers, and rural
utilities;
(3) the number of applications to the Rural Energy for
America Program established under section 9007 of the Farm
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107) and
the Rural Energy Savings Program established under section 6407
of that Act (7 U.S.C. 8107a) for measures incorporating the
installation of industrial heat pumps;
(4) the number of loans and grants provided under the Rural
Energy for America Program established under section 9007 of
the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C.
8107) and the Rural Energy Savings Program established under
section 6407 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 8107a) for measures
incorporating the installation of industrial heat pumps; and
(5) a description of the barriers to adoption of industrial
heat pumps in rural markets.
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