42 U.S. Code § 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

(2) a proposal by such State for the development of a State energy conservation plan to achieve such goal.

(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—

(1) a proposed State energy conservation plan designed to result in scheduled progress toward, and achievement of, the State energy conservation goal of such State; and

(2) a detailed description of the requirements, including the estimated cost of implementation and the estimated energy savings, associated with each functional category of energy conservation included in the State energy conservation plan.

(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;

(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; and

(7) the mandatory conduct of activities to support transmission and distribution planning, including—

(A) support for local governments and Indian Tribes;

(B) feasibility studies for transmission line routes and alternatives;

(C) preparation of necessary project design and permits; and

(D) outreach to affected stakeholders.

(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);

(2) restrictions on the use of decorative or nonessential lighting;

(3) programs to increase transportation energy efficiency, including programs to help reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector by 2050 and accelerate the use of alternative transportation fuels for, and the electrification of, State government vehicles, fleet vehicles, taxis and ridesharing services, mass transit, school buses, ferries, and privately owned passenger and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles;

(4) programs of public education to promote energy conservation;

(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—

(A) periodic evaluation of a State’s energy needs, available energy resources (including greater energy efficiency), and energy costs; and

(B) utilization of adequate and reliable energy supplies, including greater energy efficiency, that meet applicable safety, environmental, and policy requirements at the lowest cost;

(8) programs to promote energy efficiency in residential housing, such as—

(A) programs for development and promotion of energy efficiency rating systems for newly constructed housing and existing housing so that consumers can compare the energy efficiency of different housing; and

(B) programs for the adoption of incentives for builders, utilities, and mortgage lenders to build, service, or finance energy efficient housing;

(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), 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;

(16) programs to facilitate and encourage the voluntary use of renewable energy technologies for eligible participants in Federal agency programs, including the Rural Electrification Administration and the Farmers Home Administration;

(17) programs that promote the installation and use of demand-response technology and demand-response practices; and

(18) any other appropriate method or programs to conserve and to promote efficiency in the use of energy.

(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—

(A) strengthen State outreach programs to aid small and start-up businesses;

(B) foster a broader application of engineering principles and techniques to energy technology products, manufacturing, and commercial production by small and start-up businesses; and

(C) foster greater assistance to small and start-up businesses in dealing with the Federal Government on energy technology related matters.

(2) The programs to implement the functions of the Energy Technology Commercialization Services Program, as provided for by subsection (d)(12), 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;

(E) assist small and start-up businesses in preparing the technical portions of proposals seeking financial assistance for new energy technology commercialization; and

(F) facilitate contract research between university faculty and students and small start-up businesses, in order to improve energy technology product development and independent quality control testing.

(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: (A) the costs of the services received; (B) the need of the recipient for the services; and (C) the ability of the recipient to pay for the services.

(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;

(B) “small business” means a private firm that does not exceed the numerical size standard promulgated by the Small Business Administration under section 632(a) of title 15 for the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes designated by the Secretary of Energy; and

(C) “start-up business” means a small business which has been in existence for 5 years or less.

(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). 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.

(Pub. L. 94–163, title III, § 362, Dec. 22, 1975, 89 Stat. 933; Pub. L. 95–619, title VI, § 691(b)(2), Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3288; Pub. L. 101–440, §§ 3(a), 4(a), (b), Oct. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 1006–1008; Pub. L. 102–486, title I, § 141(b), (c)(1), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2841; Pub. L. 105–244, title I, § 102(a)(13)(E), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1620; Pub. L. 105–388, § 5(a)(8), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3478; Pub. L. 109–58, title I, § 123(a), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 616; Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title I, §§ 40104(b), 40109(a), (b), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 932, 944.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (c)(7). Pub. L. 117–58, § 40109(a), added par. (7).

Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 117–58, § 40109(b), added par. (3) and struck out former par. (3) which read as follows: “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;”.

Subsec. (d)(17), (18). Pub. L. 117–58, § 40104(b), added par. (17) and redesignated former par. (17) as (18).

2005—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 109–58 added subsec. (g).

1998—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 105–388, § 5(a)(8)(A), inserted “of” after “of the implementation”.

Subsec. (d)(12). Pub. L. 105–388, § 5(a)(8)(B), substituted “subsection (f)(2)” for “subsection (g)”.

Subsec. (f)(5)(A). Pub. L. 105–244 substituted “section 1001” for “section 1141(a)”.

1992—Subsec. (c)(5). Pub. L. 102–486, § 141(c)(1), substituted “and to turn such vehicle left from a one-way street onto a one-way street at a red light after stopping; and” for “; and”.

Subsec. (d)(13) to (17). Pub. L. 102–486, § 141(b), added pars. (13) to (16) and redesignated former par. (13) as (17).

1990—Subsec. (c)(6). Pub. L. 101–440, § 3(a), added par. (6).

Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 101–440, § 4(a)(1), added par. (3) and struck out former par. (3) which read as follows: “transportation controls;”.

Subsec. (d)(5) to (13). Pub. L. 101–440, § 4(a)(3), added pars. (5) to (13) and struck out former par. (5) which read as follows: “any other appropriate method or programs to conserve and to improve efficiency in the use of energy.”

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101–440, § 4(b), added subsec. (f).

1978—Subsecs. (a), (b), (e). Pub. L. 95–619 substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”, meaning Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration, wherever appearing.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1998 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 105–244 effective Oct. 1, 1998, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 105–244, see section 3 of Pub. L. 105–244, set out as a note under section 1001 of Title 20, Education.

Effective Date of 1992 Amendment

Pub. L. 102–486, title I, § 141(c)(2), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2841, provided that:

“The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall take effect January 1, 1995.”

Wage Rate Requirements

For provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for construction, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, including authority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title.

Study Regarding Impact of Permitting Right and Left Turns on Red Lights

Pub. L. 102–486, title I, § 141(d), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2841, required the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in consultation with State agencies with jurisdiction over traffic safety issues, to conduct a study on the safety impact of the requirement specified in subsec. (c)(5) of this section, particularly with respect to the impact on pedestrian safety, and to report the findings of the study to Congress and the Secretary by not later than 2 years after Oct. 24, 1992.