List of United States energy acts

Statutes to guide power sourcing in the North American country

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This is a list of statutes enacted by the United States Congress pertaining to the energy industry.

Year | Title | Summary

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1920  | Federal Water Power Act |

* Created Federal Power Commission to coordinate federal hydroelectric projects.

1935  | Federal Power Act |

* Put electricity sale and transportation regulation under Federal Power Commission.

1935  | Public Utility Holding Company Act |

* Regulated size of electric utilities, limiting each to a specific geographic area.

1936  | Rural Electrification Act |

* Funded electric cooperatives to bring electricity to underserved rural areas.

1938  | Natural Gas Act |

* Gas pipelines regulated under Federal Power Commission.

1946  | Atomic Energy Act |

* Put development of nuclear weapons and power under civilian control (instead of military).

1954  | Atomic Energy Act |

* Opened way for civilian nuclear power program.

1974  | Solar Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Act of 1974 |

* Created the Solar Energy Coordination and Management Project.
* Created the Solar Energy Research Institute (the predecessor to NREL).

1975  | Energy Policy and Conservation Act |

* Created Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
* Established first automobile fuel economy standards.
* Banned crude oil exports (repealed in 2015).

1977  | Department of Energy Organization Act |

* Created Federal Department of Energy (DOE).

1978  | National Energy Act, incorporating:

* National Energy Conservation Policy Act
* Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act
* Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act
* Energy Tax Act
* Natural Gas Policy Act

* Encouraged conservation efforts in homes, schools, and other public buildings.
* Restricted new power plants using oil or natural gas (repealed in 1987).
* Opened electric markets to alternative power producers.
* Taxed "gas guzzlers", gave income tax credits for alternative fuel use.
* Phased deregulation of gas wellhead prices.

1978  | Solar Photovoltaic Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1978 |

* Accelerated solar power generation technologies.

1980  | Energy Security Act, incorporating:[1]

* U.S. Synthetic Fuels Corporation Act
* Biomass Energy and Alcohol Fuels Act
* Renewable Energy Resources Act
* Solar Energy and Energy Conservation Act
* Geothermal Energy Act
* Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act

* Created Synthetic Fuels Corporation to market fossil fuel alternatives.
* Provided loan guarantees for biofuels and alcohol fuels projects.
* Revised the Defense Production Act of 1950 to allow federal improvements to energy supply.
* Created financing regulations for solar, geothermal, and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) energy.

1982  | Nuclear Waste Policy Act |

* First comprehensive nuclear waste legislation.

1989  | Natural Gas Wellhead Decontrol Act of 1989 |

* Amends the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 to declare that the price guidelines for the first sale of natural gas.

1992  | Energy Policy Act |

* Required alternative fuel vehicle use in some private/government fleets.

2005  | Energy Policy Act |

* Provided tax incentives for conservation and use of alternative fuels.

2007  | Energy Independence and Security Act, incorporating:

* America COMPETES Act[2]

* Increased fuel economy requirements.
* Phased out incandescent light bulbs.
* Encouraged biofuel development.
* Created ARPA-E.

2008  | Public Law 110-343,[3] incorporating:

* Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008[4]
* Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act
* Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008

* Promoted biofuels.
* Created tax incentives for electric vehicles.
* Extended and modified renewable energy tax incentives and defined electricity as a clean fuel.

2009  | American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 |

* Provided funding for an electric smart grid.
* Created and modified renewable energy tax cuts.
* Weatherized modest-income homes.
* Incentivized federal building energy efficiency.
* Funded development of carbon capture and storage, electric vehicle battery manufacturing, and biofuel and fossil fuel research.
* Reduced the nation's nuclear footprint by nearly 70 percent.

2009  | Defense Production Act Reauthorization |

* Modified the Defense Production Act to promote renewables and the smart grid.

2015  | Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 |

* Extended renewable energy tax cuts.
* Lifted crude oil export ban.

2020  | Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, incorporating:

* Energy Act of 2020

* Incentivized federal building energy efficiency.
* Funded development of carbon capture and storage and fossil fuel research.
* Weatherized modest- and low-income homes.
* Promoted water efficiency and grid battery storage.

2021  | Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act |

* Expanded funding for DOE research and development into carbon capture and storage, hydrogen economy tech, battery recycling, and grid battery storage.
* Promoted smart grid deployment and resiliency, and workforce development.
* Extended tax breaks to nuclear power industry.
* Created ARPA-I.

2022  | CHIPS and Science Act |

* Expanded funding for DOE research, development and national security initiatives.

2022  | Inflation Reduction Act |

* Provided funding for a smart grid and forgave debts held by utility cooperatives.
* Extended and modified renewable energy tax cuts.
* Weatherized low-income homes.
* Provided tax incentives for electric vehicles and new appliances.
* Prioritized oil exploration ahead of renewables for federal land leases.

## See also

[edit]

* List of United States federal environmental statutes
* Fossil fuel regulations in the United States

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Energy Security Act (1980; 96th Congress S. 932) - GovTrack.us
2. ^ Fact Sheet: America Competes Act of 2007, White House, August 2007
3. ^ WashingtonWatch.com - H.R. 6049, The Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008
4. ^ "Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, U.S. Government Printing Office" (PDF).

## External links

[edit]

* Department of Energy timeline
* GovEnergy Workshop and Trade Show

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Lists of acts of the United States Congress

By congress|

* 74th
* 103rd
* 104th
* 105th
* 106th
* 107th
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* 109th
* 110th
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* 112th
* 113th
* 114th
* 115th
* 116th
* 117th
* 118th
* 119th

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