article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Energy Independence Act of 2000''. SEC. 2. DOMESTIC ENERGY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PLAN. (a) Strategic Plan.--The Secretary of Energy shall develop, and transmit to the Congress within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, a strategic plan to ensure that the United States is energy self-sufficient by the year 2010. The plan shall include recommendations for legislative and regulatory actions needed to accomplish that goal. (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy $20,000,000 for carrying out this section. SEC. 3. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FUEL CELL PILOT PROGRAM. (a) Program.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish a program for the acquisition of-- (1) up to 100 commercially available 200 kilowatt fuel cell power plants; (2) up to 20 megawatts of power generated from commercially available fuel cell power plants; or (3) a combination thereof, for use at federally owned or operated facilities. The Secretary shall provide funding for purchase, site engineering, installation, startup, training, operation, and maintenance costs associated with the acquisition of such power plants, along with any other necessary assistance. (b) Domestic Assembly.--All fuel cell systems and fuel cell stacks in power plants acquired, or from which power is acquired, under subsection (a) shall be assembled in the United States. (c) Site Selection.--In the selection of federally owned or operated facilities as a site for the location of power plants acquired under this section, or as a site to receive power acquired under this section, priority shall be given to sites with 1 or more of the following attributes: (1) Location (of the Federal facility or the generating power plant) in an area classified as a nonattainment area under title I of the Clean Air Act. (2) Computer or electronic operations that are sensitive to power supply disruptions. (3) Need for a reliable, uninterrupted power supply. (4) Remote location, or other factors requiring off-grid power generation. (5) Critical manufacturing or other activities that support national security efforts. (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy $140,000,000 for the period encompassing fiscal years 2001 through 2003 for carrying out this section. SEC. 4. PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS. (a) In General.-- (1) Establishment.--The President, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall establish a program for the demonstration of fuel cell proton exchange membrane technology in the areas of responsibility of those Secretaries with respect to commercial, residential, and transportation applications, including buses. Such program shall specifically focus on promoting the application of and improved manufacturing production and processes for proton exchange membrane fuel cell technology. (2) Authorization of appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying out this subsection, there are authorized to be appropriated $140,000,000 for the period encompassing fiscal years 2001 through 2003. (b) Bus Demonstration Program.-- (1) Establishment.--The President, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Transportation, shall establish a comprehensive proton exchange membrane fuel cell bus demonstration program to address hydrogen production, storage, and use in transit bus applications. Such program shall cover all aspects of the introduction of this new technology, and shall include the following components: (A) Development, installation, and operation of a hydrogen delivery system located on-site at transit bus terminals. (B) Development, installation, and operation of on- site storage associated with the hydrogen delivery systems as well as storage tank systems incorporated into the bus itself. (C) Demonstration of use of hydrogen as a practical, safe, renewable energy source in a highly efficient, zero-emission power system for buses. (D) Development of a hydrogen proton exchange membrane fuel cell power system that is confirmed and verified as being compatible with transit bus application requirements. (E) Durability testing of the fuel cell bus at a national testing facility. (F) Identification and implementation of necessary codes and standards for the safe use of hydrogen as a fuel suitable for bus application, including the fuel cell power system and related operational facilities. (G) Identification and implementation of maintenance and overhaul requirements for hydrogen proton exchange membrane fuel cell transit buses. (H) Completion of fleet vehicle evaluation program by bus operators along normal transit routes, providing equipment manufacturers and transit operators with the necessary analyses to enable operation of the hydrogen proton exchange membrane fuel cell bus under a range of operating environments. (2) Domestic assembly.--All fuel cell systems and fuel cell stacks in power plants acquired, or from which power is acquired, under paragraph (1) shall be assembled in the United States. (3) Authorization of appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying out this subsection, there are authorized to be appropriated $150,000,000 for the period encompassing fiscal years 2001 through 2003. SEC. 5. FEDERAL VEHICLES. Each agency of the Federal Government that maintains a fleet of motor vehicles shall develop a plan for a transition of the fleet to vehicles powered by fuel cell technology. Each such plan shall include implementation beginning by fiscal year 2005, to be completed by fiscal year 2010. Each plan shall incorporate and build on the results of completed and ongoing Federal demonstration programs, including the program established under section 4, and shall include additional demonstration programs and pilot programs as necessary to test or investigate available technologies and transition procedures. SEC. 6. LIFE-CYCLE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS. Any life-cycle cost benefit analysis undertaken by a Federal agency with respect to investments in products, services, construction, and other projects shall include an analysis of environmental and power reliability factors. SEC. 7. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES. (a) Grant Program.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish a program for making grants to State or local governments for the use of fuel cell technology in meeting their energy requirements, including the use as a source of power for motor vehicles. Each grant made under this section shall require at least a 10 percent matching contribution from the State or local government recipient. (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy $110,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2005 for carrying out this section.
summary: Directs the President, in coordination with designated Secretaries, to establish: (1) a demonstration program for fuel cell proton exchange membrane technology for commercial, residential, and transportation applications (including buses) within the Secretaries' respective areas; and (2) a comprehensive proton exchange membrane fuel cell bus demonstration program to address hydrogen production, storage, and use in transit bus applications. Mandates that each Federal agency that maintains a motor vehicle fleet develop a plan for fleet transition to vehicles powered by fuel cell technology. Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a fuel cell technology grant program for State or local government to meet their energy requirements, including such technology as a motor vehicle power source. Authorizes appropriations.