The CERTAIN Act aims to expedite federal permitting and environmental reviews for infrastructure projects by imposing strict timelines on federal agencies. It limits an agency's ability to revoke existing project authorizations unless specific conditions are met, such as a court order or immediate harm. The bill mandates deadlines for agencies to process applications, determine completeness, and conduct environmental reviews, with routine authorizations automatically approved if agencies miss their deadlines.
The "Build More Power Act" expands and extends a federal loan guarantee program to support electric generating facilities, particularly those critical for energy reliability. It makes power plants that are required by government orders to continue generating electricity during emergencies eligible for these loan guarantees, even if they might otherwise cease operations, and mandates the Secretary of Energy to solicit applications from them. The bill extends the program's authority until 2032 and sets aside at least $20 billion in loan guarantee capacity specifically for projects at facilities operating under such emergency directives. This impacts owners and operators of power plants, especially those under emergency orders, and the Department of Energy, which must also report to Congress on the program's impact and recommendations for upgrading aging coal facilities.
This bill establishes an Office of Energy Affordability within the Department of Energy, directly affecting the Department's policy-making process and indirectly aiming to influence energy costs for consumers. The Office's primary duty is to review proposed Department regulations or policies related to energy transitions, analyzing their effects on energy affordability, economic costs, and reliable energy access. It must also identify strategies to mitigate negative impacts and promote cost-effective solutions. The Office provides advice and guidance based on its reviews, which must be completed within 30 days, but it cannot prevent the issuance of any regulation. Finally, the Office is mandated to submit annual reports to Congress detailing its findings and recommendations.
This bill, the American LNG First Act of 2026, modifies U.S. maritime laws to allow foreign-owned vessels to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) within U.S. waters, provided they meet specific ownership and crew restrictions. It directly affects ship operators and the LNG industry by creating an exemption from coastwise laws that typically require vessels transporting domestic goods to be U.S.-built and U.S.-flagged. The key provision excludes vessels owned or crewed by Russian or Chinese nationals, as well as those flagged to Russia or China, from this exemption. By allowing eligible foreign vessels to carry LNG while maintaining restrictions on Russian and Chinese entities, the bill aims to increase supply options without opening access to competitors from sanctioned countries.
This bill, known as the Grid Expansion and Reliability Act, shifts authority over siting interstate electric transmission facilities from the Department of Energy to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. It allows companies to self-certify and begin building transmission lines in designated national interest corridors without waiting for a full permit, provided they submit specific information about their identity, project details, and timeline. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission must create regulations for this process within a year, conduct annual audits of certifications, and report to Congress on how well the system works. These changes aim to streamline the approval process for new power grid infrastructure while maintaining oversight through reporting and auditing requirements.
The Strategic Subsea Cables Act of 2026 establishes a new interagency committee to coordinate federal efforts for protecting undersea cables and pipelines, which carry global data and energy supplies. The bill requires the State Department to hire additional staff focused on cable security and mandates regular reports on sabotage incidents, particularly those involving China and Russia. It authorizes the President to impose sanctions on foreign entities that sabotage or support sabotage of critical undersea infrastructure, including blocking their assets and revoking their visas. The legislation also creates formal procedures for sharing classified and unclassified information between government agencies and private cable operators to improve threat detection and response.
This bill, known as the American Petroleum First Act, modifies U.S. maritime laws to allow foreign vessels to transport crude oil and petroleum products across American coastal waters. It specifically excludes ships owned, operated, or crewed by Russian or Chinese nationals or governments from this exemption. The legislation aims to increase flexibility for domestic energy transport by permitting non-U.S.-flagged vessels to operate in coastal routes, provided they do not have ties to Russia or China. This change affects shipping companies and maritime operators by expanding the pool of eligible vessels for petroleum transport while maintaining restrictions on vessels from sanctioned nations.
The SECURE Grid Act requires states to include local distribution systems, which are electric utility infrastructure operating at 100 kilovolts or less, in their state energy security plans. This bill expands the scope of state plans to address physical threats like weather and attacks on local distribution systems, as well as cybersecurity risks and supply chain vulnerabilities for electricity equipment. States must also provide risk mitigation approaches to enhance reliability and resilience, and the act mandates a Government Accountability Office report by September 2030 to evaluate how these plans have improved risk management and recovery capabilities. The provisions expire on September 30, 2031, and require states to submit their plans without needing approval from the Secretary of Energy.
The Wildfire and Grid Reliability Act creates a new grant program administered by the Department of Energy to help electric utilities improve power grid safety and reduce wildfire risks. Eligible entities, including public, municipal, cooperative, and investor-owned utilities, can apply for funding to implement projects like undergrounding power lines, installing fire-resistant equipment, and deploying early detection technology. The bill requires recipients to match federal funds with their own contributions and mandates that at least 40% of grants go toward wildfire risk reduction, while 20% is reserved for smaller utilities serving fewer than 4 million megawatt-hours annually.
The Access to Consumer Energy Information Act requires electric and gas utilities to provide customers with easy access to their energy usage data and billing information in a standardized, machine-readable format. The bill directs the Department of Energy and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to create guidelines ensuring consumers can securely share this data with third-party apps and services to help manage energy consumption and costs. Utilities must allow customers to install software on their energy meters and cannot discriminate against third-party developers seeking access to this data. The legislation also authorizes funding to help states implement these data-sharing programs and requires a report on using meter data for wholesale electricity market settlements.
