42 USC 17371 - Energy diplomacy and security within the Department of State

Collapse to view only § 17371. Energy diplomacy and security within the Department of State

§ 17371. Energy diplomacy and security within the Department of State
§ 17372. Annual national energy security strategy report
§ 17373. Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage contingent cost allocation
§ 17374. Transparency in extractive industries resource payments
Regional clean energy innovation program

§ 17371. Energy diplomacy and security within the Department of State

(a) State Department Coordinator for International Energy Affairs

(1) In general

(2) Coordinator for International Energy AffairsThere is established within the Office of the Secretary of State a Coordinator for International Energy Affairs, who shall be responsible for—

(A) representing the Secretary of State in interagency efforts to develop the international energy policy of the United States;

(B) ensuring that analyses of the national security implications of global energy and environmental developments are reflected in the decision making process within the Department of State;

(D) coordinating energy activities of the Department of State with relevant Federal agencies; and

(E) coordinating energy security and other relevant functions within the Department of State currently undertaken by offices within—

(i) the Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs;

(ii) the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; and

(iii) other offices within the Department of State.

(3) Authorization of appropriations

(b) Energy experts in key embassiesNot later than 180 days after December 19, 2007, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives that includes—

(1) a description of the Department of State personnel who are dedicated to energy matters and are stationed at embassies and consulates in countries that are major energy producers or consumers;

(2) an analysis of the need for Federal energy specialist personnel in United States embassies and other United States diplomatic missions; and

(3) recommendations for increasing energy expertise within United States embassies among foreign service officers and options for assigning to such embassies energy attachés from the National Laboratories or other agencies within the Department of Energy.

(d) ReportNot later than 180 days after December 19, 2007, and every 2 years thereafter for the following 20 years, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives that describes—

(1) the energy-related activities being conducted by the Department of State, including activities within—

(A) the Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs;

(B) the Bureau of Oceans and Environmental and Scientific Affairs; and

(2) the amount of funds spent on each activity within each office described in paragraph (1); and

(3) the number and qualification of personnel in each embassy (or relevant foreign posting) of the United States whose work is dedicated exclusively to energy matters.

(Pub. L. 110–140, title IX, § 931, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1739.)

§ 17372. Annual national energy security strategy report

(a) Reports

(1) In general

(2) New Presidents

(b) ContentsEach report under this section shall describe the national energy security strategy of the United States, including a comprehensive description of—

(1) the worldwide interests, goals, and objectives of the United States that are vital to the national energy security of the United States;

(2) the foreign policy, worldwide commitments, and national defense capabilities of the United States necessary—

(A) to deter political manipulation of world energy resources; and

(B) to implement the national energy security strategy of the United States;

(3) the proposed short-term and long-term uses of the political, economic, military, and other authorities of the United States—

(A) to protect or promote energy security; and

(B) to achieve the goals and objectives described in paragraph (1);

(4) the adequacy of the capabilities of the United States to protect the national energy security of the United States, including an evaluation of the balance among the capabilities of all elements of the national authority of the United States to support the implementation of the national energy security strategy; and

(5) such other information as the President determines to be necessary to inform Congress on matters relating to the national energy security of the United States.

(1) a classified form; and

(2) an unclassified form.

(Pub. L. 110–140, title IX, § 933, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1740.)

§ 17373. Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage contingent cost allocation

(a) Findings and purpose

(1) FindingsCongress finds that—

(A)section 2210 of this title (commonly known as the “Price-Anderson Act”)—

(i) provides a predictable legal framework necessary for nuclear projects; and

(ii) ensures prompt and equitable compensation in the event of a nuclear incident in the United States;

(B) the Price-Anderson Act, in effect, provides operators of nuclear powerplants with insurance for damage arising out of a nuclear incident and funds the insurance primarily through the assessment of a retrospective premium from each operator after the occurrence of a nuclear incident;

(C) the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage, done at Vienna on September 12, 1997, will establish a global system—

(i) to provide a predictable legal framework necessary for nuclear energy projects; and

(ii) to ensure prompt and equitable compensation in the event of a nuclear incident;

(D) the Convention benefits United States nuclear suppliers that face potentially unlimited liability for nuclear incidents that are not covered by the Price-Anderson Act by replacing a potentially open-ended liability with a predictable liability regime that, in effect, provides nuclear suppliers with insurance for damage arising out of such an incident;

(E) the Convention also benefits United States nuclear facility operators that may be publicly liable for a Price-Anderson incident by providing an additional early source of funds to compensate damage arising out of the Price-Anderson incident;

(F) the combined operation of the Convention, the Price-Anderson Act, and this section will augment the quantity of assured funds available for victims in a wider variety of nuclear incidents while reducing the potential liability of United States suppliers without increasing potential costs to United States operators;

(G) the cost of those benefits is the obligation of the United States to contribute to the supplementary compensation fund established by the Convention;

(H) any such contribution should be funded in a manner that does not—

(i) upset settled expectations based on the liability regime established under the Price-Anderson Act; or

(ii) shift to Federal taxpayers liability risks for nuclear incidents at foreign installations;

(I) with respect to a Price-Anderson incident, funds already available under the Price-Anderson Act should be used; and

(J) with respect to a nuclear incident outside the United States not covered by the Price-Anderson Act, a retrospective premium should be prorated among nuclear suppliers relieved from potential liability for which insurance is not available.

(2) PurposeThe purpose of this section is to allocate the contingent costs associated with participation by the United States in the international nuclear liability compensation system established by the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage, done at Vienna on September 12, 1997—

(A) with respect to a Price-Anderson incident, by using funds made available under section 2210 of this title to cover the contingent costs in a manner that neither increases the burdens nor decreases the benefits under section 2210 of this title; and

(B) with respect to a covered incident outside the United States that is not a Price-Anderson incident, by allocating the contingent costs equitably, on the basis of risk, among the class of nuclear suppliers relieved by the Convention from the risk of potential liability resulting from any covered incident outside the United States.

(b) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Commission

(2) Contingent cost

(3) Convention

(4) Covered incident

(5) Covered installation

(6) Covered person

(A) In generalThe term “covered person” means—

(i) a United States person; and

(ii) an individual or entity (including an agency or instrumentality of a foreign country) that—(I) is located in the United States; or(II) carries out an activity in the United States.

(B) ExclusionsThe term “covered person” does not include—

(i) the United States; or

(ii) any agency or instrumentality of the United States.

(7) Nuclear supplierThe term “nuclear supplier” means a covered person (or a successor in interest of a covered person) that—

(A) supplies facilities, equipment, fuel, services, or technology pertaining to the design, construction, operation, or decommissioning of a covered installation; or

(B) transports nuclear materials that could result in a covered incident.

(8) Price-Anderson incident

(9) Secretary

(10) United States

(A) In general

(B) InclusionsThe term “United States” includes—

(i) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;

(ii) any other territory or possession of the United States;

(iii) the Canal Zone; and

(iv) the waters of the United States territorial sea under Presidential Proclamation Number 5928, dated December 27, 1988 (43 U.S.C. 1331 note).

(11) United States personThe term “United States person” means—

(A) any individual who is a resident, national, or citizen of the United States (other than an individual residing outside of the United States and employed by a person who is not a United States person); and

(B) any corporation, partnership, association, joint stock company, business trust, unincorporated organization, or sole proprietorship that is organized under the laws of the United States.

(1) In general

(2) Effect

(d) Effect on amount of public liability

(1) In general

(2) AmountThe amount of public liability allowable under section 2210 of this title relating to a Price-Anderson incident under paragraph (1) shall be increased by an amount equal to the difference between—

(A) the amount of funds made available for the Price-Anderson incident under Article VII of the Convention; and

(B) the amount of funds used under subsection (c) to cover the contingent cost resulting from the Price-Anderson incident.

(e) Retrospective risk pooling program

(1) In general

(2) Deferred payment

(A) In general

(B) Amount of deferred payment

(i) In generalNot later than 3 years after December 19, 2007, and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall, by regulation, determine the risk-informed assessment formula for the allocation among nuclear suppliers of the contingent cost resulting from a covered incident that is not a Price-Anderson incident, taking into account risk factors such as—(I) the nature and intended purpose of the goods and services supplied by each nuclear supplier to each covered installation outside the United States;(II) the quantity of the goods and services supplied by each nuclear supplier to each covered installation outside the United States;(III) the hazards associated with the supplied goods and services if the goods and services fail to achieve the intended purposes;(IV) the hazards associated with the covered installation outside the United States to which the goods and services are supplied;(V) the legal, regulatory, and financial infrastructure associated with the covered installation outside the United States to which the goods and services are supplied; and(VI) the hazards associated with particular forms of transportation.

(ii) Factors for considerationIn determining the formula, the Secretary may—(I) exclude—(aa) goods and services with negligible risk;(bb) classes of goods and services not intended specifically for use in a nuclear installation;(cc) a nuclear supplier with a de minimis share of the contingent cost; and(dd) a nuclear supplier no longer in existence for which there is no identifiable successor; and(II) establish the period on which the risk assessment is based.

(iii) Application

(iv) Report

(f) Reporting

(1) Collection of information

(A) In general

(B) Provision of information

(2) Private insurance

(g) Effect on liabilityNothing in any other law (including regulations) limits liability for a covered incident to an amount equal to less than the amount prescribed in paragraph 1(a) of Article IV of the Convention, unless the law—

(1) specifically refers to this section; and

(2) explicitly repeals, alters, amends, modifies, impairs, displaces, or supersedes the effect of this subsection.

(h) Payments to and by the United States

(1) Action by nuclear suppliers

(A) Notification

(B) Payments

(i) In general

(ii) Annual payments

(2) Use of funds

(A) In general

(B) Action by Secretary of Treasury

(3) Failure to payIf a nuclear supplier fails to make a payment required under this subsection, the Secretary may take appropriate action to recover from the nuclear supplier—

(A) the amount of the payment due from the nuclear supplier;

(B) any applicable interest on the payment; and

(i) Limitation on judicial review; cause of action

(1) Limitation on judicial review

(A) In general

(B) Supreme Court jurisdiction

(2) Cause of action

(A) In general

(B) Requirement

(j) Right of recourse

(k) Protection of sensitive United States informationNothing in the Convention or this section requires the disclosure of—

(1) any data that, at any time, was Restricted Data (as defined in section 2014 of this title);

(2) information relating to intelligence sources or methods protected by section 3024(i) of title 50; or

(3) national security information classified under Executive Order 12958 ([former] 50 U.S.C. 435 note; relating to classified national security information) (or a successor Executive Order or regulation).

(l) Regulations

(1) In general

(2) RequirementRules prescribed under this subsection shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that—

(A) the implementation of section 2210 of this title and this section is consistent and equitable; and

(B) the financial and operational burden on a Commission licensee in complying with section 2210 of this title is not greater as a result of the enactment of this section.

(3) Applicability of provision

(4) Effect of subsection

(m) Effective date

(Pub. L. 110–140, title IX, § 934, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1741.)

§ 17374. Transparency in extractive industries resource payments

(a) Purpose

The purpose of this section is to—

(1) ensure greater United States energy security by combating corruption in the governments of foreign countries that receive revenues from the sale of their natural resources; and

(2) enhance the development of democracy and increase political and economic stability in such resource rich foreign countries.

(b) Statement of policy

It is the policy of the United States—

(1) to increase energy security by promoting anti-corruption initiatives in oil and natural gas rich countries; and

(2) to promote global energy security through promotion of programs such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) that seek to instill transparency and accountability into extractive industries resource payments.

It is the sense of Congress that the United States should further global energy security and promote democratic development in resource-rich foreign countries by—

(1) encouraging further participation in the EITI by eligible countries and companies; and

(2) promoting the efficacy of the EITI program by ensuring a robust and candid review mechanism.

(d) Report

(1) Report required

(2) Matters to be included

(e) Authorization of appropriations

(Pub. L. 110–140, title IX, § 935, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1748.)

Regional clean energy innovation program

(a) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Regional clean energy innovation partnership

(2) Covered consortium

The term “covered consortium” means an individual or group of individuals in partnership with a government entity, including a State, territorial, local, or tribal government or unit of such government, and at least 2 or more of the following additional entities—

(A) an institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education, including community colleges;

(B) a workforce development program;

(D) a nonprofit organization;

(E) a community group or community-based organization;

(F) a labor organization or joint labor-management organization;

(G) a National Laboratory;

(H) a venture development organization;

(I) a community development financial institution or minority depository institution;

(J) a worker cooperative membership association or state or local employee ownership or cooperative development center;

(K) an organization focused on clean energy technology innovation or entrepreneurship;

(L) a business or clean energy accelerator or incubator;

(M) an economic development organization;

(N) a manufacturing facility or organization;

(O) a multi-institutional collaboration; or

(P) any other entity that the Secretary determines to be relevant.

(3) Program

(4) Institution of higher education

(5) National Laboratory

(6) Clean energy technology

(7) Community-based organization

(8) Community college

The term “community college” means—

(A) a public institution of higher education, including additional locations, at which the highest degree, or the predominantly awarded degree, is an associate degree; or

(B) any Tribal college or university (as defined in section 1059c of title 20).

(9) Workforce development program

(b) In general

The purposes of the Program established under subsection (b) are to—

(1) improve the competitiveness of United States’ clean energy technology research, development, demonstration, and commercial application; and

(2) support the development of tools and technologies best suited for use in diverse regions of the United States, including in rural, tribal, and low-income communities.

(d) Regional clean energy innovation partnerships

(1) In general

(2) Permissible activities

Grants awarded under this subsection shall be used for activities determined appropriate by the Secretary to achieve the purposes of the Program in subsection (c), including—

(A) facilitating the commercial application of clean energy products, processes, and services, including through research, development, demonstration, or technology transfer;

(B) planning among participants of a regional clean energy innovation partnership to improve the strategic and cost-effective coordination of the partnership;

(C) improving stakeholder involvement in the development of goals and activities of a regional clean energy innovation partnership;

(D) assessing different incentive mechanisms for clean energy development and commercial application in the region;

(E) hosting events and conferences; and

(F) establishing and updating roadmaps to measure progress on relevant goals, such as those relevant to metrics developed under subsection (g).

(3) Applications

Each application submitted to the Secretary under paragraph (1) may include—

(A) a list of members and roles of members of the covered consortia, as well as any other stakeholders supporting the activities of the regional clean energy innovation partnership;

(B) an assessment of the relevant clean energy innovation assets needed in a region to achieve proposed outcomes, such as education and workforce development programs, research facilities, infrastructure or site development, access to capital, manufacturing capabilities, or other assets;

(C) a description of proposed activities that the regional clean energy innovation partnership plans to undertake and how the proposed activities will achieve the purposes described in subsection (c);

(D) a plan for attracting additional funds and identification of funding sources from non-Federal sources to deliver the proposed outcomes of the regional clean energy innovation partnership;

(E) a plan for partnering and collaborating with community development financial institutions and minority depository institutions, labor organizations and community groups, worker cooperative membership associations, local and state employee ownership and cooperative development centers, and other local institutions in order to promote employee, community, and public ownership in the clean energy sector, and advance models of local economic development that build and retain wealth in the region;

(F) a plan for sustaining activities of the regional clean energy innovation partnership after funds received under this program have been expended; and

(G) a proposed budget, including financial contributions from non-Federal sources.

(4) Considerations

In selecting covered consortia for funding under the Program, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable—

(A) give special consideration to applications from rural, tribal, and low-income communities; and

(B) ensure that there is geographic diversity among the covered consortia selected to receive funding.

(5) Award amount

(6) Cost share

(7) Duration

(8) Renewal

(9) Termination

(10) Administrative costs

(11) Funding

(e) Planning funds

(f) Information sharing

(g) Metrics

(h) Coordination

(i) Conflicts of interest

(j) Evaluation by Comptroller General

Not later than 3 years after August 9, 2022, and again 3 years later, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate an evaluation on the operation of the program during the most recent 3-year period, including—

(1) an assessment of the progress made towards achieving the purposes specified in subsection (c) based on the metrics developed under subsection (g);

(2) the short-term and long-term metrics used to determine the success of the program under subsection (g), and any changes recommended to the metrics used;

(3) the regional clean energy innovation partnerships established or supported by covered consortia that have received grants under subsection (d); and

(4) any recommendations on how the program may be improved.

(k) National Laboratories

(l) Security

(m) No funds for construction

(n) Authorization of appropriations

(Pub. L. 110–140, title IX, § 936, as added Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title VI, § 10622, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1660.)