On Tuesday, December 18, the House passed HR 6, the "energy independence" bill, by a vote of 314-100 and sent it to the President for signature. The Senate passed the bill on Friday (12/14) by a vote of 86-8. President Bush isexpected to sign the bill into law.
Two major U.S. policy changes in the bill include: raising fuel efficiency standards for new cars and trucks to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 and increasing the production mandate (and federal subsidies) for biofuels production to 36 billon gallons by 2022.
The final bill does not contain an energy tax title or a 15% federal renewable portfolio standard (RPS) for private utilities; however, there are several general provisions of interest to public power utilities. They include, but are not limited to:
- Increased federal support for electric transportation technology, including loan guarantees for advanced battery development for electric vehicles and grant programs for plug-in hybrid development;
- Directives to the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop appliance efficiency standards for additional appliances, including dishwashers, washing machines and dryers, refrigerators, freezers and lighting, and accelerate DOE action on new efficiency standards. It also includes improved commercial and federal building energy efficiency standards and assists consumers in improving the efficiency of their homes;
- Authorizes DOE to undertake more research and development (R&D) on commercial scale carbon storage and sequestration projects and to prepare a geologic survey of locations in the U.S. where those projects might be located;
- Reauthorizes DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program and accelerates funding for it;
- Accelerated R&D programs for solar, geothermal, marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy; and
- Increased funds for R&D of "Smart Grid" technologies and creating an advisory committee to make recommendations for implementing those technologies.
Upon House passage of the final bill, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) said that he intends to have a vote on the RPS and energy tax package next year. Details on how he intends to advance them, however, have not been announced.
To view the bill, go to: http://www.rules.house.gov/110/text/110_houseamnd_hr6.pdf