List of United States energy acts

This is a list of statutes enacted by the United States Congress pertaining to the energy industry.

Year Title Summary
1920 Federal Water Power Act
1935 Federal Power Act
  • Put electricity sale and transportation regulation under Federal Power Commission
1935 Public Utility Holding Company Act
1936 Rural Electrification Act
1938 Natural Gas Act
1946 Atomic Energy Act
  • Put development of nuclear weapons and power under civilian control (instead of military)
1954 Atomic Energy Act
  • Opened way for civilian nuclear power program
1974 Solar Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Act of 1974
  • Created the Solar Energy Coordination and Management Project
  • Created the Solar Energy Research Institute (the predecessor to NREL)
1975 Energy Policy and Conservation Act
1977 Department of Energy Organization Act
1978 National Energy Act, incorporating:
  • Encouraged conservation efforts in homes, schools, and other public buildings
  • Restricted new power plants using oil or natural gas (repealed in 1987)
  • Opened electric markets to alternative power producers
  • Taxed "gas guzzlers", gave income tax credits for alternative fuel use
  • Phased deregulation of gas wellhead prices
1978 Solar Photovoltaic Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1978
1980 Energy Security Act, incorporating:[1]
1982 Nuclear Waste Policy Act
1992 Energy Policy Act
  • Required alternative fuel vehicle use in some private/government fleets
2005 Energy Policy Act
2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, incorporating:
2008 Public Law 110-343,[3] incorporating:
2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
  • Provided funding for an electric smart grid
  • Created and modified renewable energy tax cuts
  • Weatherized modest-income homes
  • Incentivized federal building energy efficiency
  • Funded development of carbon capture and storage, electric vehicle battery manufacturing, and biofuel and fossil fuel research
  • Reduced the nation's nuclear footprint by nearly 70 percent
2009 Defense Production Act Reauthorization
  • Modified the Defense Production Act to promote renewables and the smart grid
2015 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016
  • Extended renewable energy tax cuts
  • Lifted crude oil export ban
2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, incorporating:
  • Energy Act of 2020
2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
2022 CHIPS and Science Act
  • Expanded funding for DOE research, development and national security initiatives
2022 Inflation Reduction Act
  • Provided funding for a smart grid and forgave debts held by utility cooperatives
  • Extended and modified renewable energy tax cuts
  • Weatherized low-income homes
  • Provided tax incentives for electric vehicles and new appliances
  • Prioritized oil exploration ahead of renewables for federal land leases

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Energy Security Act (1980; 96th Congress S. 932) - GovTrack.us
  2. ^ Fact Sheet: America Competes Act of 2007, White House, August 2007
  3. ^ WashingtonWatch.com - H.R. 6049, The Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008
  4. ^ "Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, U.S. Government Printing Office" (PDF).
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