This bill directs the National Guard Bureau and the Corporation for National and Community Service to create a pilot program that combines military service with national service activities. The program aims to protect critical infrastructure like energy and transportation systems, improve cybersecurity for schools and local governments, and help communities prepare for disasters. It also seeks to build a nationwide training pipeline that connects part-time National Guard members with career opportunities to address economic insecurity. Before launching the pilot, the agencies must conduct a feasibility study to determine the costs, necessary legal changes, and potential benefits of integrating these two types of service.
The Defending Our Energy and Water Act directs the Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government to update minimum requirements for new federal data centers, mandating the use of the most water-efficient cooling systems. This update must be completed within 180 days of the bill's enactment. Additionally, the legislation extends a previous deadline for reviewing data center standards from 2026 to 2031 and requires the Department of Defense to identify and integrate water efficiency technologies to protect water resources. These changes apply specifically to federal data centers and aim to minimize their operational impact on water supplies.
The Wildfire Reduction Market Expansion Act of 2026 updates the Clean Air Act to broaden the definition of renewable biomass eligible for carbon credits. It specifically allows materials from forest management, such as slash, storm debris, and wood residuals, to be counted as renewable fuel if they come from sustainably managed lands or public forests designated for fuel reduction. The bill also includes vegetation cleared from defensible space around buildings and from wildfire risk reduction projects in the wildland-urban interface. By clarifying these categories and establishing certification requirements, the legislation aims to increase the supply of biomass available for generating renewable energy credits.
The Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act of 2026 amends the Clean Air Act to officially recognize prescribed fires and cultural burning as "exceptional events," meaning air quality issues caused by these deliberate, managed burns will no longer be counted as violations of pollution standards. The bill requires the EPA to update its regulations within a year to clarify how these fires are defined and to streamline the process for states to petition for exemptions when wildfires or prescribed fires impact air quality. Additionally, the legislation establishes a new "Smoke Ready Communities" grant program that provides up to 90 percent federal funding to states, tribes, and local entities to help communities prepare for and mitigate wildfire smoke hazards in public buildings like schools.
This bill directs the U.S. Geological Survey to launch a program using advanced quantum technology to map critical minerals on Federal lands. The initiative requires the agency to conduct mobile surveys in specific western regions, comparing new quantum data with existing records to improve how well they detect mineral deposits. Survey results will be shared publicly and with mining companies to encourage private investment, while state geological surveys will be consulted throughout the process. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Secretary of the Interior submit a detailed report to Congress within two years, outlining the survey findings, cost comparisons, and recommendations for future scaling.
The Ratepayer Protection Act establishes a new federal standard to protect utility customers from high electricity bills caused by large industrial users. It defines "large-load customers" as non-residential entities with a peak power demand of 100 megawatts or more that primarily use electricity for data centers and computing. Under this bill, these customers must pay for the full cost of any power plant, transmission line, or distribution upgrade needed to serve them, including costs incurred if the customer leaves the utility early. Additionally, utilities are required to obtain financial guarantees from these large customers before making such infrastructure investments. State regulators must review and implement these rules within two years, unless a state has already enacted similar protections.
The Ratepayer Justice and Commercial Power Accountability Act creates a federal system to refund money to electricity and natural gas customers who were overcharged due to corruption or misconduct by utility companies, executives, and lobbyists. It establishes a new Treasury fund financed by assessments against these entities to cover costs and profits gained from illegal actions, with the goal of restoring affected ratepayers to the financial position they would have held without the misconduct. The bill mandates that the Treasury and Energy Department identify eligible customers, calculate their specific losses, and issue direct tax refunds or cash payments, while also providing grants to communities for infrastructure repair and small business development. Additionally, the legislation requires the creation of a searchable public database to track all collections and payments, sets up a working group to coordinate with state regulators, and includes provisions for increased prison sentences for public officials and executives convicted of related crimes.
The Grid Connection and Congestion Management Act requires Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators to offer a new type of interconnection service called basic access service for energy-only delivery. This service allows power generators to connect to the grid based on a streamlined evaluation that only checks if the facility can be safely connected, rather than guaranteeing that the power can be delivered to the market without interruptions. Generators accepting this service may face congestion-related curtailment, meaning their output could be reduced during times of high demand, but they are not required to pay for expensive transmission upgrades needed to eliminate those congestion issues. The law mandates that these grid operators update their rules within 180 days and establishes a process for generators to transition to other interconnection services later if they choose.
The HEATS Act modifies the Geothermal Steam Act to allow companies to drill for geothermal energy on private land without needing a separate federal permit, provided the federal government owns less than half of the underground resources and the operator holds a valid state permit. This change exempts such projects from certain federal environmental reviews, including those under the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act, while still requiring royalty payments to the government for electricity production. The legislation explicitly excludes projects on Indian lands and allows federal inspectors to verify production data and royalty payments to ensure accountability.
The CLEAN Act aims to speed up geothermal energy development by requiring the Department of the Interior to lease 75 percent of nominated land parcels each year and to conduct replacement sales if a scheduled lease is canceled. It also mandates strict timelines for processing drilling permit applications, requiring officials to acknowledge receipt within 30 days and issue or defer decisions within another 30 days. These provisions directly affect the federal leasing process and companies seeking to drill for geothermal energy, ensuring that applications are reviewed quickly and that a majority of available resources are offered for lease.
