II
Calendar No. 208
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 762
[Report No. 116–108]
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 6, 2019
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
September 19, 2019
Reported by Ms. Murkowski, with an amendment
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic
AN ACT
To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to provide for the dissemination of information regarding available Federal programs relating to energy efficiency projects for schools, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act of 2019
.
Coordination of energy retrofitting assistance for schools
Section 392 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6371a) is amended by adding at the end the following:
Coordination of energy retrofitting assistance for schools
Definition of school
Notwithstanding section 391(6), for the purposes of this subsection, the term school means—
an elementary school or secondary school (as defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801));
an institution of higher education (as defined in section 102(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(a)));
a school of the defense dependents’ education system under the Defense Dependents’ Education Act of 1978 (20 U.S.C. 921 et seq.) or established under section 2164 of title 10, United States Code;
a school operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
a tribally controlled school (as defined in section 5212 of the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988 (25 U.S.C. 2511)); and
a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b))).
Establishment of clearinghouse
The Secretary, acting through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, shall establish a clearinghouse to disseminate information regarding available Federal programs and financing mechanisms that may be used to help initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, distributed generation, and energy retrofitting projects for schools.
Requirements
In carrying out paragraph (2), the Secretary shall—
consult with appropriate Federal agencies to develop a list of Federal programs and financing mechanisms that are, or may be, used for the purposes described in paragraph (2); and
coordinate with appropriate Federal agencies to develop a collaborative education and outreach effort to streamline communications and promote available Federal programs and financing mechanisms described in subparagraph (A), which may include the development and maintenance of a single online resource that includes contact information for relevant technical assistance in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy that States, local education agencies, and schools may use to effectively access and use such Federal programs and financing mechanisms.
.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act
.
Coordination of energy retrofitting assistance for schools
Definitions
In this section:
School
The term school means—
an elementary school or secondary school (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801));
an institution of higher education (as defined in section 102(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(a)));
a school of the defense dependents' education system under the Defense Dependents' Education Act of 1978 (20 U.S.C. 921 et seq.) or established under section 2164 of title 10, United States Code;
a school operated by the Bureau of Indian Education;
a tribally controlled school (as defined in section 5212 of the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988 (25 U.S.C. 2511)); and
a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b))).
Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy.
Designation of lead agency
The Secretary, acting through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, shall act as the lead Federal agency for coordinating and disseminating information on existing Federal programs and assistance that may be used to help initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects for schools.
Requirements
In carrying out coordination and outreach under subsection (b), the Secretary shall—
in consultation and coordination with the appropriate Federal agencies, carry out a review of existing programs and financing mechanisms (including revolving loan funds and loan guarantees) available in or from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, the Department of Education, the Department of the Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other appropriate Federal agencies with jurisdiction over energy financing and facilitation that are currently used or may be used to help initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects for schools, and identify programs that are duplicative;
establish a Federal cross-departmental collaborative coordination, education, and outreach effort to streamline communication and promote available Federal opportunities and assistance described in paragraph (1) for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects that enables States, local educational agencies, and schools—
to use existing Federal opportunities more effectively; and
to form partnerships with Governors, State energy programs, local educational, financial, and energy officials, State and local government officials, nonprofit organizations, and other appropriate entities to support the initiation of the projects;
provide technical assistance for States, local educational agencies, and schools to help develop and finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects—
to increase the energy efficiency of buildings or facilities;
to install systems that individually generate energy from renewable energy resources;
to establish partnerships to leverage economies of scale and additional financing mechanisms available to larger clean energy initiatives; or
to promote—
the maintenance of health, environmental quality, and safety in schools, including the ambient air quality, through energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofit projects; and
the achievement of expected energy savings and renewable energy production through proper operations and maintenance practices;
develop and maintain a single online resource website with contact information for relevant technical assistance and support staff in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for States, local educational agencies, and schools to effectively access and use Federal opportunities and assistance described in paragraph (1) to develop energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects; and
establish a process for recognition of schools that—
have successfully implemented energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects; and
are willing to serve as resources for other local educational agencies and schools to assist initiation of similar efforts.
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the implementation of this section.
September 19, 2019
Reported with an amendment