Energy Legislation in 2010

1. Energy Legislation in 2010 Office of United States Senator Jeff Bingaman

2. Senator Bingaman and Energy • Chairman, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee • Overarching Goals • Increase energy independence, security, and reliability • Increase energy efficiency to reduce demand and costs associated with consumption • Increase use of cleaner technologies and make the United States the global leader in developing and manufacturing clean energy technology • Integrate water planning with energy planning • Reduce the environmental impact of energy consumption • Ensure a sensible program for domestic production of traditional resources during the transition to a clean energy future

3. American Clean Energy Leadership Act (ACELA) S. 1462

4. Key Provisions • Lays out a near-term, integrated plan to double the U.S. investment in energy innovation and technology, with complementary programs to enhance energy jobs training and workforce development, and carbon sequestration technologies • Creates the Clean Energy Deployment Administration to facilitate financing for breakthrough clean energy technologies and accelerate deployment in U.S. markets

5. Key Provisions • Quantifies and increases production of traditional domestic energy resources, and facilitates of natural gas pipeline expansion • Reduces price manipulation and volatility in oil markets by increasing transparency and giving regulators the same strong enforcement authorities that apply in other financial markets • Modernizes the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) so that U.S. supplies of gasoline and diesel fuel will not face sudden shortfalls and price spikes due to the shutdown of refineries by natural disasters • Addresses nuclear waste management

6. Key Provisions • Reforms the Federal energy planning process by requiring periodic comprehensive energy plans and providing baseline studies of resources and international climate and energy policies • Increases production of renewable energy on public lands • Promotes distributed generation • Establishes an “interstate highway system” for electricity by creating a new bottoms-up planning system for a national transmission grid based on regional, State, and local input, addresses cost-sharing, and ensures that high priority projects proceed. • Ensures that the U.S. electrical grid is protected from cyber vulnerabilities, threats, and attacks

7. Key Provisions - Water • Ensures a better understanding of the interdependence of energy and water, and begins integrating decision‐making related to both resources through • Studies of the interrelated nature of water and energy use throughout multiple sectors • Identifying opportunities to reduce energy consumption and associated costs through the use of water conservation and water management and conservation strategies • Developing an Energy‐Water Roadmap for research and development to define the future efforts necessary to address water‐related challenges relating to sustainable energy generation and production • Creating the Energy‐Water Clean Technology Grant Program for development of technologies that reduce the consumption of or conserve energy supplies and promote water conservation activities

8. Key Provisions - Water • National Academy Energy‐Water Study – requires the National Academy of Sciences to assess water use associated with developing fuels in the transportation sector, and the water consumed in different types of electricity‐generation. • Power Plant Water Use Study – directs the Secretary of Energy to identify the best available technologies and develop other strategies to maximize water and energy use efficiencies in producing electricity. • Reclamation Water Conservation & Energy Savings Study – directs the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to evaluate energy use in storing and delivering water from Reclamation projects, and identify ways to reduce such use through conservation, improved operations, and renewable energy integration.

9. Key Provisions - Water • BOR Brackish Groundwater Desalination Facility (Alamogordo, NM) – establishes research priorities for the Facility, including a requirement to develop renewable energy technologies that will integrate with desalination technologies. • Energy Information Administration Energy for Water Use Assessment – requires the Energy Information Administration to analyze the energy consumption associated with the acquisition, treatment and delivery or water for a variety of uses. • Energy‐Water Roadmap – directs the Secretary of Energy to develop an Energy‐Water Research and Development Roadmap to define the future efforts necessary to address water‐related challenges relating to sustainable energy generation and production.

10. Key Provisions - Water • Energy‐Water Clean Technology Grant Program – establishes a grant program for development of technologies that reduce the consumption of, or conserve, energy supplies and promote water conservation activities. • Rural Water Utilities Energy and Water Efficiency Program ‐‐ requires the Secretary of Energy to provide technical assistance to rural water utilities relating to the development of alternative and renewable energy supplies and water conservation. • Comprehensive Water Use and Energy Savings Study – directs the Secretary of Energy to study the interrelated nature of water and energy use and identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption and associated costs through the use of water conservation and water management strategies such as water reuse and the development of non-potable water sources.

11. SECURE Water Act • Reclamation Climate Change Adaptation Program – BOR, the Corps of Engineers, NOAA, and USGS have formed the Climate Change and Water Working Group and will assess the risks of climate change to water resources and develop strategies to address water shortages. Reclamation will coordinate with states and other non-federal parties to develop strategies to mitigate the impact of climate change on water supplies through basin-wide studies to assess the supply and demand and develop adaptation or water management strategies. The Rio Grande Basin is an eligible basin for the studies. • Reclamation Water Management Improvement – The act provides permanent authority to Reclamation to provide grants and other financial assistance to States, Tribes, and local entities to construct improvements or take actions to increase water-use efficiency or improve habitat to address drought, climate change, or other water-related crises and conflicts. Reclamation’s existing Title XVI water reuse and recycling program also contributes toward addressing the need to better use our existing supplies of water.

12. SECURE Water Act • Hydroelectric Power Assessment – The Secretary of Energy and the Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs) are assessing the effects of climate change on hydropower. • Climate Change & Water Intra-Governmental (I-G) Panel – The Secretary of the Interior has established an I-G Panel to review the science on climate change and water, and develop strategies to better forecast impacts on water supplies. • USGS Water Data Enhancement & Planning and National Water Use & Availability Assessment Program – The USGS is expanding the National Streamflow Information Program and developing a national water census of available water.

13. NM Water Planning Assistance Act • Authorizes technical assistance and grants for water planning, mapping and hydrologic studies • Identifies key basins and stream systems for assistance such as the Rio Grande • Requires a 50 % non-federal cost share

14. Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act of 2009 • Will provide consistent and reliable authority for, and for the funding of, the land and water conservation fund to maximize the effectiveness of the fund for future generations, and for other purposes.

15. WRDA • Water Resources Development Act • provides specific authorizations for the USACE – but it is NOT an appropriations bill - which is also a necessary component

16. Pending Indian Water Rights Settlements • Aamodt water settlement agreements were signed by the non-federal parties in 2006 • Abeyta water settlement agreements were signed by the non-federal parties in 2006

17. Contact Information • Patricia Dominguez • Albuquerque, NM • 505-346-6601 • patricia_dominguez@bingaman.senate.gov • http:// energy.senate.gov • http:// bingaman.senate.gov • http:// www.energy.gov/energyefficiency/index.htm • http://thomas.loc.gov