I
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6256
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 12, 2008
Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Rahall, Mr. Hinchey, Mrs. Capps, Ms. Castor, Mr. Chandler, Mr. McGovern, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Olver, Ms. Shea-Porter, Mr. Welch of Vermont, Mr. Yarmuth, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Bishop of New York, Mr. Hodes, Mrs. Gillibrand, and Mr. Frank of Massachusetts) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Science and Technology, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor, 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 the Interior to establish an annual production incentive fee with respect to Federal onshore and offshore lands that are subject to a lease for production of oil or natural gas under which production is not occurring, to authorize use of amounts received as such fee for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
Responsible Ownership of Public Lands
Act
.
Production Incentive Fee
Establishment
The Secretary of the Interior shall, within 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, issue regulations to establish an annual production incentive fee with respect to Federal onshore and offshore lands that are subject to a lease for production of oil or natural gas under which production is not occurring. Such fee shall apply with respect to lands that are subject to such a lease that is in effect on the date final regulations are promulgated under this subsection or that is issued thereafter.
Amount
The amount of the fee shall be, for each acre of land from which oil or natural gas is produced for less than 90 days in a calendar year—
for each of the first 3 years of the lease, $5 per acre in 2008 dollars;
for the fourth year of the lease, $25 per acre in 2008 dollars; and
for the fifth year of the lease and each year thereafter for which the lease is otherwise in effect, $50 per acre in 2008 dollars.
Assessment and Collection
The Secretary shall assess and collect the fee established under this section.
Regulations
The Secretary of the Interior may issue regulations to prevent evasion of the fee under this section.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund
Establishment
There
is hereby established in the Treasury of the United States a separate account
which shall be known as the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund
(in this section referred to as the Fund
). There shall
be deposited into the Fund amounts received by the United States in the form of
fees under this Act.
Use
Amounts in the Fund shall be available, subject to appropriations, as follows each fiscal year:
Wind energy research and development
$65,000,000 for necessary expenses for a program to support the development of next-generation wind turbines, including turbines capable of operating in areas with low wind speeds, as authorized in section 931(a)(2)(B) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16231(a)(2)(B)).
Solar energy research and development
$100,000,000 for necessary expenses for a program to accelerate the research, development, demonstration, and deployment of solar energy technologies, and public education and outreach materials pursuant to such program, as authorized by section 931(a)(2)(A) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16231(a)(2)(A)).
Low income weatherization
The Secretary of the treasury shall transfer
$200,000,000 to the account Weatherization Assistance Program
,
for a program to weatherize low income housing, as authorized by section 411 of
the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–140).
Building and lighting energy efficiency research and development
$70,000,000 for necessary expenses for a program to accelerate the research, development, demonstration, and deployment of new technologies to improve the energy efficiency of and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, as authorized in section 321(g) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 6295 note), section 422 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17082), and section 912 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16192).
Energy storage for transportation and electric power
$30,000,000 for necessary expenses for a program to accelerate basic research on energy storage systems to support electric drive vehicles, stationary applications, and electricity transmission and distribution, as authorized by section 641(p)(1) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17231(p)(1)).
$70,000,000 including—
$30,000,000 for a program to accelerate applied research on energy storage systems to support electric drive vehicles, stationary applications, and electricity transmission and distribution as authorized by section 641(p)(2) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17231(p)(2));
$20,000,000 for energy storage systems demonstrations as authorized by section 641(p)(4) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17231(p)(4)); and
$20,000,000 for vehicle energy storage systems demonstrations as authorized by section 641(p)(5) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17231(p)(5)).
Advanced vehicles research, development, and demonstration
$40,000,000 for necessary expenses for research, development, and demonstration on advanced, cost-effective technologies to improve the energy efficiency and environmental performance of vehicles, as authorized in section 911(a)(2)(A) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16191(a)(2)(A)).
Audits, investigation, and environmental mitigation
$50,000,000 for audits, investigation, and environmental mitigation for oil and gas by the Department of Interior.
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
The remainder for use for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.