House Energy and Commerce Committee advances 11 energy infrastructure, efficiency bills
The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced 11 Energy Subcommittee bills this week designed to advance the nation’s energy infrastructure and improve energy efficiency.
The bills will now move to the full House of Representatives for consideration.
“When Congress can take steps that allow for more domestic energy output, lower costs for ratepayers, reduced emissions, and more jobs, it should not hesitate to do so,” full committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) said. “These bills all lead us towards the common goal of smarter energy use. They are also job creators and can be done at little or no cost to the taxpayers. I’m thankful for the committee’s dedication to enact solutions that put consumers first.”
The committee unanimously cleared the following bills:
H.R. 338, which would improve education and training for energy and manufacturing-related jobs as well
as increase opportunities for women, veterans and minorities.
H.R. 446 which would extend the license for the Gathright Dam, and H.R. 447, which would extend the license for the Flannagan Dam.
H.R. 627, the Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act of 2017, which would make it easier for schools to utilize federal programs to help them reduce their energy use.
H.R. 723, the Energy Savings Through Public-Private Partnerships Act of 2017, which would enable the use of energy savings contracts to encourage private sector investment to upgrade the energy and water efficiency of federal facilities.
H.R. 951, which would extend the license for the W. Kerr Scott Dam.
H.R. 1109, which would amend section 203 of the Federal Power Act to expressly include a minimum monetary threshold of $10,000,000 for mergers and acquisitions of facilities subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
H.R. 2122, which would reinstate and extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project involving the Jennings Randolph Dam.
H.R. 2274, Hydropower Permit Extension (HYPE) Act, which would allow FERC to extend permits for construction of hydroelectric projects.
H.R. 2292, which would extend a project of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission involving the Cannonsville Dam.
H.R. 2457, the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway Hydropower Extension Act of 2017, which would allow FERC to extend the licenses for the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway projects.
