View all text of Chapter 13 [§ 1701 - § 1750jj]
§ 1701z–8. Energy conservation and renewable-resource demonstration
(a) National demonstration program; purpose
(b) Financial assistance to owners and tenants of dwelling units; authorization of Secretary
(c) Duties of SecretaryIn 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.
(d) Limitations on grants; modification and exceptions to limitation; eligibility
(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.
The Secretary may, by rule, increase such percentages and amounts in the case of an applicant whose annual gross family income for the preceding taxable year is less than the median family income for the housing market area in which the dwelling unit which is to be modified by such measure is located, as determined by the Secretary. The Secretary may also modify the limitations specified in this paragraph if necessary in order to achieve the purposes of this section.
(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) Conditions upon availability of financial assistance
(f) Implementation of program
(g) Interim and final reports on program progress, findings, and legislative recommendations; criteria for evaluation of projects
(h) Report on evaluation criteria to be used and results sought prior to funding of projects
(i) DefinitionsAs 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) Authorization of appropriations
(Pub. L. 91–609, title V, § 509, as added Pub. L. 94–385, title IV, § 441, Aug. 14, 1976, 90 Stat. 1162; amended Pub. L. 95–91, title VII, § 709(d), Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 608; Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title I, § 40108(c)(1), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 944.)