Download Locations

• Open CRS (User submitted)

Summary

This report reviews the status of energy efficiency and renewable energy legislation introduced during the 110th Congress. Most action in the second session is focused on the FY2009 budget request, the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419), and three bills (H.R. 6049, H.R. 5984/H.R. 3221 [S. 2821], and S. 2886) that would extend or modify selected renewable energy and energy efficiency tax incentives. The Climate Security Act (S. 3036) would establish a cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. Eight of the bill's 17 titles contain provisions for energy efficiency or renewable energy. The proposed Energy and Tax Extenders Act (H.R. 6049) was approved by the House Committee on Ways and Means by a vote of 25-12. It would extend or reestablish tax incentives to support renewable electricity production, biofuels production, transportation efficiency and conservation, buildings efficiency, and equipment efficiency. The Administration has opposed similar energy provisions of the predecessor bill, H.R. 5351, because of its proposal to generate revenue offsets from the repeal of certain oil and natural gas subsidies. In contrast, H.R. 6049 would derive offsets from a tax change for deferred compensation in offshore companies and delayed relaxation of a foreign tax credit limit. The proposed Clean Energy Tax Stimulus Act appears as Title X of the Senate's Foreclosure Prevention Act (H.R. 3221). H.R. 5984 has identical provisions. For renewables, the bill would extend or modify the production tax credit, the business solar tax credit, the residential solar tax credit, and the clean renewable energy bonds (CREBs). For energy efficiency, it would extend or modify the credit for existing homes, the credit for new homes, the commercial building deduction, and the appliance credit for manufacturers. Title IV of the proposed Alternative Minimum Tax and Extenders Tax Relief Act (S. 2886) contains the same eight incentives, but with more limited extension periods and without several credit expansions proposed in H.R. 3221. Neither H.R. 3221 nor S. 2886 contains revenue offsets. DOE's FY2009 budget request seeks $1,256.1 million for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) programs, compared to $1,722.4 million for FY2008. The enacted "2008 Farm Bill" extends, expands, and adds to several energy efficiency and renewable energy provisions of the Farm Security Act of 2002. More than 360 bills on energy efficiency and renewable energy have been introduced. About one-third of these bills are focused on renewable fuels and about one-third would provide a tax incentive for investment, energy production, fuel use, or fuel reduction. For each bill listed in this report, a brief description and a summary of action are given, including references to committee hearings and reports. Also, a selected list of congressional hearings, CRS reports, and Government Accountability Office (GAO) documents on energy efficiency and renewable energy are included. This report will be updated periodically.

Related Legislation:
• H.R.2419
• H.R.6049
• H.R.5984
• H.R.3221
• S.2821
• S.2886
• S.3036
• H.R.5351
• S.17

XML