[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2185 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2185
To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to establish
an energy circuit rider program to disseminate technical and other
assistance to rural communities to support energy efficiency and clean
energy projects that save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 26 (legislative day, June 24), 2025
Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Welch, Mr. Wyden, and Mr. Heinrich)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to establish
an energy circuit rider program to disseminate technical and other
assistance to rural communities to support energy efficiency and clean
energy projects that save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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 ``Energy Circuit Riders Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. ENERGY CIRCUIT RIDER PROGRAM.
Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act is
amended by inserting after section 378 (7 U.S.C. 2008m) the following:
``SEC. 379. ENERGY CIRCUIT RIDER PROGRAM.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
``(A) a State;
``(B) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304));
``(C) a nonprofit organization;
``(D) a cooperative extension service;
``(E) an institution of higher education; and
``(F) a regional planning commission or other
public entity serving 2 or more rural areas.
``(2) Energy circuit rider.--The term `Energy Circuit
Rider' means an individual who is trained to provide and
support, on a professional basis, assistance (including
technical assistance) and informed decisionmaking in the
planning, financing, and implementation of energy efficiency or
clean energy projects, including with respect to 1 or more of
the following:
``(A) Energy planning.
``(B) Energy audits.
``(C) Applicable Federal funding opportunities and
tax incentives.
``(D) Applicable State, local, and utility-based
incentives, including, as appropriate, coordinating
with the State energy office in that State.
``(E) Project financing.
``(F) Grant writing.
``(G) Community-based capacity building.
``(3) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary,
acting through the Under Secretary for Rural Development.
``(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a program, to
be known as the `Energy Circuit Rider Program', under which the
Secretary shall provide to eligible entities grants for the hiring,
training, and retention by eligible entities of 1 or more Energy
Circuit Riders.
``(c) Grants.--
``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
the Energy Circuit Rider Program, an eligible entity shall
submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
``(2) Term.--The term of a grant provided under the Energy
Circuit Rider Program shall be more than 3, but not more than
6, years, as the Secretary determines to be appropriate to
achieve the purposes of this section.
``(3) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of
carrying out activities under the grant shall be not more than
75 percent.
``(4) Priority.--In providing grants under the Energy
Circuit Rider Program, the Secretary shall give priority to an
eligible entity the application under paragraph (1) of which is
recommended by the director of the relevant State rural
development office.
``(d) Energy Circuit Rider Assistance.--An Energy Circuit Rider
employed by an eligible entity using a grant provided under this
section--
``(1) shall offer assistance and support described in
subsection (a)(2) to not fewer than 2 rural areas served by, or
in the vicinity of, the eligible entity; and
``(2) may provide technical assistance to the eligible
entity in applying for--
``(A) loans under section 6407(c) of the Farm
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C.
8107a(c)); and
``(B) financial assistance under the Rural Energy
for America Program established under section 9007 of
that Act (7 U.S.C. 8107).
``(e) Information Sharing.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall facilitate the
sharing among Energy Circuit Riders of information relating to
best practices.
``(2) Information from other agencies.--The Secretary, in
consultation with the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of
Transportation, the Secretary of the Treasury, the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Chief
of Engineers, and the heads of such other Federal departments
and agencies as the Secretary determines to be appropriate,
shall make available to Energy Circuit Riders information
relating to other Federal incentives available to eligible
entities for energy efficiency and clean energy projects.
``(f) Reports to Congress.--Not less frequently than annually, the
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the
accomplishments of the Energy Circuit Rider Program, including with
respect to--
``(1) energy savings;
``(2) monetary savings to communities; and
``(3) reductions in carbon emissions.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $25,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.''.
<all>