§ 6322. State energy conservation plans
(a)
Feasibility reports
The Secretary shall, by rule, within 60 days after December 22, 1975, prescribe guidelines for the preparation of a State energy conservation feasibility report. The Secretary shall invite the Governor of each State to submit, within 3 months after the effective date of such guidelines, such a report. Such report shall include—
(1)
an assessment of the feasibility of establishing a State energy conservation goal, which goal shall consist of a reduction, as a result of the implementation of the State energy conservation plan described in this section, of 5 percent or more in the total amount of energy consumed in such State in the year 1980 from the projected energy consumption for such State in the year 1980, and
(b)
Guidelines
The Secretary shall, by rule, within 6 months after December 22, 1975, prescribe guidelines with respect to measures required to be included in, and guidelines for the development, modification, and funding of, State energy conservation plans. The Secretary shall invite the Governor of each State to submit, within 5 months after the effective date of such guidelines, a report. Such report shall include—
(c)
Mandatory features of plans
Each proposed State energy conservation plan to be eligible for Federal assistance under this part shall include—
(1)
mandatory lighting efficiency standards for public buildings (except public buildings owned or leased by the United States);
(2)
programs to promote the availability and use of carpools, vanpools, and public transportation (except that no Federal funds provided under this part shall be used for subsidizing fares for public transportation);
(3)
mandatory standards and policies relating to energy efficiency to govern the procurement practices of such State and its political subdivisions;
(4)
mandatory thermal efficiency standards and insulation requirements for new and renovated buildings (except buildings owned or leased by the United States);
(5)
a traffic law or regulation which, to the maximum extent practicable consistent with safety, permits the operator of a motor vehicle to turn such vehicle right at a red stop light after stopping and to turn such vehicle left from a one-way street onto a one-way street at a red light after stopping; and
(6)
procedures for ensuring effective coordination among various local, State, and Federal energy conservation programs within the State, including any program administered within the Office of Technical and Financial Assistance of the Department of Energy and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services.
(d)
Optional features of plans
Each proposed State energy conservation plan may include—
(1)
restrictions governing the hours and conditions of operation of public buildings (except buildings owned or leased by the United States);
(3)
programs to increase transportation energy efficiency, including programs to accelerate the use of alternative transportation fuels for State government vehicles, fleet vehicles, taxies, mass transit, and privately owned vehicles;
(5)
programs for financing energy efficiency and renewable energy capital investments, projects, and programs—
(A)
which may include loan programs and performance contracting programs for leveraging of additional public and private sector funds, and programs which allow rebates, grants, or other incentives for the purchase and installation of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures; or
(B)
in addition to or in lieu of programs described in subparagraph (A), which may be used in connection with public or nonprofit buildings owned and operated by a State, a political subdivision of a State or an agency or instrumentality of a State, or an organization exempt from taxation under section
501
(c)(3) of title
26;
(6)
programs for encouraging and for carrying out energy audits with respect to buildings and industrial facilities (including industrial processes) within the State;
(7)
programs to promote the adoption of integrated energy plans which provide for—
(8)
programs to promote energy efficiency in residential housing, such as—
(9)
programs to identify unfair or deceptive acts or practices which relate to the implementation of energy efficiency measures and renewable resource energy measures and to educate consumers concerning such acts or practices;
(10)
programs to modify patterns of energy consumption so as to reduce peak demands for energy and improve the efficiency of energy supply systems, including electricity supply systems;
(11)
programs to promote energy efficiency as an integral component of economic development planning conducted by State, local, or other governmental entities or by energy utilities;
(12)
in accordance with subsection (f)(2) of this section, programs to implement the Energy Technology Commercialization Services Program;
(13)
programs (enlisting appropriate trade and professional organizations in the development and financing of such programs) to provide training and education (including, if appropriate, training workshops, practice manuals, and testing for each area of energy efficiency technology) to building designers and contractors involved in building design and construction or in the sale, installation, and maintenance of energy systems and equipment to promote building energy efficiency improvements;
(14)
programs for the development of building retrofit standards and regulations, including retrofit ordinances enforced at the time of the sale of a building;
(15)
support for prefeasibility and feasibility studies for projects that utilize renewable energy and energy efficiency resource technologies in order to facilitate access to capital and credit for such projects;
(e)
Standby plans
The Governor of any State may submit to the Secretary a State energy conservation plan which is a standby energy conservation plan to significantly reduce energy demand by regulating the public and private consumption of energy during a severe energy supply interruption, which plan may be separately eligible for Federal assistance under this part without regard to subsections (c) and (d) of this section.
(f)
Energy Technology Commercialization Services Program
(1)
The purposes of this subsection are to—
(2)
The programs to implement the functions of the Energy Technology Commercialization Services Program, as provided for by subsection (d)(12) of this section, shall—
(A)
aid small and start-up businesses in discovering useful and practical information relating to manufacturing and commercial production techniques and costs associated with new energy technologies;
(B)
encourage the application of such information in order to solve energy technology product development and manufacturing problems;
(C)
establish an Energy Technology Commercialization Services Program affiliated with an existing entity in each State;
(D)
coordinate engineers and manufacturers to aid small and start-up businesses in solving specific technical problems and improving the cost effectiveness of methods for manufacturing new energy technologies;
(3)
Each State energy technology commercialization services program shall develop and maintain a data base of engineering and scientific experts in energy technologies and product commercialization interested in participating in the service. Such data base shall, at a minimum, include faculty of institutions of higher education, retired manufacturing experts, and national laboratory personnel.
(4)
The services provided by the energy technology commercialization services programs established under this subsection shall be available to any small or start-up business. Such service programs shall charge fees which are affordable to a party eligible for assistance, which shall be determined by examining factors, including the following:
(5)
For the purposes of this subsection, the term—
(A)
“institution of higher education” has the same meaning as such term is defined in section
1001 of title
20;
(g)
Review of plans
The Secretary shall, at least once every 3 years, invite the Governor of each State to review and, if necessary, revise the energy conservation plan of such State submitted under subsection (b) or (e) of this section. Such reviews should consider the energy conservation plans of other States within the region, and identify opportunities and actions carried out in pursuit of common energy conservation goals.