§ 1701z–8 — Energy Conservation And Renewable-resource Demonstration

(a) The Secretary shall undertake a national demonstration program designed to test the feasibility and effectiveness of various forms of financial assistance for encouraging the installation or implementation of approved energy conservation measures and approved renewable-resource energy measures in existing dwelling units. The Secretary shall carry out such demonstration program with a view toward recommending a national program or programs designed to reduce significantly the consumption of energy in existing dwelling units. (b) The Secretary is authorized to make financial assistance available pursuant to this section in the form of grants, low-interest-rate loans, interest subsidies, loan guarantees, and such other forms of assistance as the Secretary deems appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section. Assistance may be made available to both owners of dwelling units and tenants occupying such units. (c) In carrying out the demonstration program required by this section, the Secretary shall— (1) provide assistance in a wide variety of geographic areas to reflect differences in climate, types of dwelling units, and income levels of recipients in order to provide a national profile for use in designing a program which is to be operational and effective nationwide; (2) evaluate the appropriateness of various financial incentives for different income levels of owners and occupants of existing dwelling units; (3) take into account and evaluate any other financial assistance which may be available for the installation or implementation of energy conservation and renewable-resource energy measures; (4) make use of such State and local instrumentalities or other public or private entities as may be appropriate in carrying out the purposes of this section in coordination with the provisions of part C of title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act [42 U.S.C. 6321 et seq.]; (5) consider, with respect to various forms of assistance and procedures for their application, (A) the extent to which energy conservation measures and renewable-resource energy measures are encouraged which would otherwise not have been undertaken, (B) the minimum amount of Federal subsidy necessary to achieve the objectives of a national program, (C) the costs of administering the assistance, (D) the extent to which the assistance may be encumbered by delays, redtape, and uncertainty as to its availability with respect to any particular applicant, (E) the factors which may prevent the assistance from being available in certain areas or for certain classes of persons, and (F) the extent to which fraudulent practices can be prevented; and (6) consult with the Administrator, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and the heads of such other Federal agencies as may be appropriate. (1) The amount of any grant made pursuant to this section shall not exceed the lesser of— (A) with respect to an approved energy conservation measure, (i) $400, or (ii) 20 per centum of the cost of installing or otherwise implementing such measure; and (B) with respect to an approved renewable-resource energy measure, (i) $2,000, or (ii) 25 per centum of the cost of installing or otherwise implementing such measure. (2) No person shall be eligible for both financial assistance under this section and a credit against income tax for the same energy conservation measure or renewable-resource energy measure. (e) The Secretary may condition the availability of financial assistance with respect to the installation and implementation of any renewable-resource energy measure on such measure’s meeting performance standards for reliability and efficiency and such certification procedures as the Secretary may, in consultation with the Administrator, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and other appropriate Federal agencies, prescribe for the purpose of protecting consumers. (f) In carrying out the demonstration program required by this section, the Secretary is authorized to delegate responsibilities to, or to contract with, other Federal agencies or with such State or local instrumentalities or other public or private bodies as the Secretary may deem desirable. Such demonstration program shall be coordinated, to the extent practicable, with the State energy conservation plans as described in, and implemented pursuant to, part C of title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act [42 U.S.C. 6321 et seq.]. (g) The Secretary shall submit an interim report to the Congress not later than 6 months after August 14, 1976, (and every 6 months thereafter until the final report is made under this subsection) indicating the progress made in carrying out the demonstration program required by this section and shall submit a final report to the Congress, containing findings and legislative recommendations, not later than 2 years after August 14, 1976. As part of each report made under this subsection, the Secretary shall include an evaluation, based on the criteria described in subsection (h), of each demonstration project conducted under this section. (h) Prior to undertaking any demonstration proj­ect under this section, the Secretary shall specify and report to the Congress the criteria by which the Secretary will evaluate the effectiveness of the project and the results to be sought. (i) As used in this section: (1) The term “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration; except that after such Administration ceases to exist, such term means any officer of the United States designated by the President for purposes of this section. (2) The term “approved”, with respect to an energy conservation measure or a renewable-resource energy measure, means any such measure which is included on a list of such measures which is published by the Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration pursuant to section 365(e)(1) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act [42 U.S.C. 6325(e)(1)]. The Administrator may, by rule, require that an energy audit be conducted as a condition of obtaining assistance under this section for a renewable-resource energy measure. (3) The terms “energy audit”, “energy conservation measure”, and “renewable-resource energy measure” have the meanings given the terms in section 361(c) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act [42 U.S.C. 6321(c)]. (j) There is authorized to be appropriated, for purposes of this section, not to exceed $200,000,000. Any amount appropriated pursuant to this subsection shall remain available until expended.