Congressional Research Service Reports - 95 Matching Results
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- Water Rights Related to Oil Shale Development in the Upper Colorado River Basin
- Concerns over fluctuating oil prices and declining petroleum production worldwide have revived interest in oil shale as a potential resource. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-58) identified oil shale as a strategically important domestic resource and directed the Department of the Interior to promote commercial development. Oil shale development would require significant amounts of water, however, and water supply in the Colorado River Basin, where several oil shale reserves are located, is limited. This report will provide a brief overview of water rights in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, including changes that may be made to currently held water rights and the possibility for abandonment of unused water rights.
- Energy: Selected Facts and Numbers
- This report discusses the energy policy that has been a recurring issue for Congress since the first major crisis in the 1970s. The report offers a general view of energy consumption trends, Table 1 shows consumption by economic sector — residential, commercial, transportation, and industry — from 1950 to the present.
- The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): Program and Funding
- This report describes appropriations of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP) funds for FY2008 and FY2007. It also discusses current issues and legislation related to LIHEAP. The report also discusses LIHEAP rules, including household eligibility and how funds may be used, and presents the most recent data available from HHS regarding household characteristics and benefit levels. Finally, the last section discusses how each category of LIHEAP funds is distributed to states, as well as a breakdown of funds to the states during the last several fiscal years.
- Wind Energy: Offshore Permitting
- This report discusses the disputes over Corps jurisdiction prior to enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 as well as the current law applicable to siting offshore wind facilities.
- Wind Energy: Offshore Permitting
- This report discusses the disputes over Corps jurisdiction prior to enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 as well as the current law applicable to siting offshore wind facilities.
- Nuclear Energy Policy
- This report discusses the nuclear energy policy issues facing Congress that include the implementation of federal incentives for new commercial reactors, radioactive waste management policy, research and development priorities, power plant safety and regulation, nuclear weapons proliferation, and security against terrorist attacks.
- Biofuels Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs
- This report outlines federal programs that provide direct or indirect incentives for biofuels. For each program described, the report provides details including administering agency, authorizing statute(s), annual funding, and expiration date.
- Biofuels Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs
- This report outlines federal programs that provide direct or indirect incentives for biofuels. For each program described, the report provides details including administering agency, authorizing statute(s), annual funding, and expiration date.
- Energy Tax Policy: History and Current Issues
- This report discusses the history, current posture, and outlook for federal energy tax policy. It also discusses current energy tax proposals and major energy tax provisions enacted in the 109th Congress.
- Energy Tax Policy: History and Current Issues
- This report discusses the history, current posture, and outlook for federal energy tax policy. It also discusses current energy tax proposals and major energy tax provisions enacted in the 109th Congress.
- The European Union's Energy Security Challenges
- This report examines some of Europe's critical energy security challenges and EU efforts to coordinate a common European energy strategy. It also includes an overview of broader transatlantic energy security cooperation and will be updated as needed.
- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Legislation in the 110th Congress
- This report reviews the status of energy efficiency and renewable energy legislation introduced during the 110th Congress. Most action in the second session is focused on the FY2009 budget request and legislation that would extend or modify selected renewable energy and energy efficiency tax incentives.
- Biofuels Provisions in the 2007 Energy Bill and the 2008 Farm Bill: A Side-by-Side Comparison
- The report discusses the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 (EISA, P.L. 110-140), also known as the 2007 energy bill. It also describes the key elements of EISA and the 2008 Farm Bill. The report provides a table with comparison of current or prior law with biofuels provisions in EISA and the enacted Farm Bill.
- Wind Power in the United States: Technology, Economic, and Policy Issues
- This report describes utility-scale wind power issues in the United States. The report is divided into the following sections: background on wind energy; wind resources and technology; industry composition and trends; wind power economics; and policy issues.
- Advanced Nuclear Power and Fuel Cycle Technologies: Outlook and Policy Options
- This report starts out with an overview of nuclear technology and then discusses the Department of Energy DOE advanced nuclear programs, global nuclear energy partnership, and different industry studies.
- Intelligence Reform at the Department of Energy: Policy Issues and Organizational Alternatives
- Congress in 2006 agreed to temporarily consolidate separate counterintelligence (CI) offices at the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Security Administration (NNSA) into a single CI office under DOE control. This report analyzes both consolidations — the first authorized by Congress at Department of Energy (DOE) request; the second initiated by DOE — and examines the impact of each on the effectiveness of the Department's CI program.
- Regulation of Energy Derivatives
- This report analyzes the development of energy derivatives regulation.
- Regulation of Energy Derivatives
- This report analyzes the development of energy derivatives regulation and proposed legislation.
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): Estimated Allocations
- This report discusses the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This report contains two tables that show estimated LIHEAP allocations to the states. Table 1 shows state allocations at various levels: (1) the amount appropriated for FY2006, (2) the amount appropriated for FY2007, (3) the amount appropriated in FY2008, and (4) estimated state allocations based on the amount requested by the President for FY2009. Table 2 shows estimated state allocations at other hypothetical appropriations increments.
- Wave, Tidal, and In-Stream Energy Projects: Which Federal Agency Has the Lead?
- This report describes wave, tidal, and in-stream energy generation technologies — also referred to as hydrokinetic or marine energy. It discusses the recent changes in law aimed to clarify the federal role in ocean wave and renewable energy.
- The Enron Loophole
- This report discusses the Commodity Exchange Act that exempts certain energy derivatives contracts from regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
- Primer on Energy Derivatives and Their Regulation
- This report presents basic information about over-the-counter(OTC) markets, the instruments traded, the regulatory framework, speculation, and current legislative proposals.
- Issues Affecting Tidal, Wave, and In-Stream Generation Projects
- This report discusses policy guidance on energy sources that generates electricity from ocean waves, tides, and river currents. The report provides background information and legislation regarding these energy sources and technologies.
- Biofuels Provisions in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140), H.R. 3221, and H.R. 6: A Side-by-Side Comparison
- This report discusses the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and the key biofuels-related provisions of the final legislation.
- Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power
- This report discusses the current debate over proposed strategies to redesign the global nuclear fuel cycle. It begins with a look at the motivating factors underlying the resurgent interest in nuclear power, the nuclear power industry's current state of affairs, and the interdependence with the nuclear fuel cycle.
- Biofuels in the 2007 Energy and Farm Bills: A Side-by-Side Comparison
- This report provides a side-by-side comparison of biofuels-related provisions in Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA, P.L. 110-140) with prior law, and with comparable provisions in the House and Senate farm bills.
- Nuclear Power Plant Security and Vulnerabilities
- This report discusses the physical security at nuclear power plants and concerns of radiological sabotage, a deliberate act against a plant that could directly or indirectly endanger public health and safety through exposure to radiation.
- Federal Pollution Control Laws: How Are They Enforced?
- This report provides an overview of the statutory framework, key players, infrastructure, resources, tools, and operations associated with enforcement and compliance of the major pollution control laws and regulations administered by EPA. It also outlines the roles of federal (including regional offices) and state regulators, as well as the regulated community.
- Energy Tax Policy: History and Current Issues
- This report discusses the history, current posture, and outlook for the federal energy tax policy. It also discusses current energy tax proposals and major energy tax provisions enacted in the 109th Congress.
- Greenhouse Gas Emission Drivers: Population, Economic Development and Growth, and Energy Use
- This report examines the interrelationships of the variables regarding the debate on climate change to explore their implications for policies that address the problem. The three variables underpinning the debates and justified response to the issue are: the magnitude and rates of change of (1) population growth, (2) incomes, and (3) intensity of greenhouse gas emissions relative to economic activities.
- Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E): Background, Status, and Selected Issues for Congress
- This report provides an overview of Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) design. The report discusses the legislative origins and policy debates prior to ARPA-E authorization and Bush administration response to ARPA-E authorization.
- Regulation of Energy Derivatives
- This report analyzes the development of regulation for energy derivatives (financial contracts whose value is linked to changes in the price of some energy product). Regulation may be needed [1] to help prevent abusive trading and price manipulation, and [2] to help prevent the failure of a large derivatives dealer which could trigger disruptions of supplies and prices in oil and gas markets.
- Energy Policy Reform and Revitalization Act of 2007, Title VII of H.R. 3221: Summary and Discussion of Oil and Gas Provisions
- This report discusses the energy development reform and energy production from public lands.
- Natural Gas Markets: Overview and Policy Issues
- This report examines current conditions and trends in the U.S. natural gas markets. Key market elements examined include prices, consumption, production, imports, and infrastructure. Expectations about the future, as reflected in recent official forecasts, are also incorporated here. Furthermore, the report reviews key factors likely to affect market outcomes. These factors include weather, the economy, oil prices, and infrastructure development.
- Advanced Nuclear Power and Fuel Cycle Technologies: Outlook and Policy Options
- This report starts out with an overview of nuclear technology and then discusses the Department of Energy DOE advanced nuclear programs, global nuclear energy partnership, and different industry studies.
- Biofuels Provisions in the 2007 Energy Bill and the 2008 Farm Bill: A Side-by-Side Comparison
- The report discusses the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 (EISA, P.L. 110-140), also known as the 2007 energy bill. It also describes the key elements of EISA and the 2008 Farm Bill. The report provides a table with comparison of current or prior law with biofuels provisions in EISA and the enacted Farm Bill.
- A Low Carbon Fuel Standard: State and Federal Legislation and Regulations
- This report examines the merit and potential issues of adopting a Low Carbon Fuel Standard. The report uses California as a point of reference to compare to proposed federal standards.
- Transportation Fuel Taxes: Impacts of a Repeal or Moratorium
- The report includes an introduction regarding the increase in crude oil and refined product prices and discusses the proposals to offset effects of higher crude oil prices and the impact on markets and prices.
- Intelligence Reform at the Department of Energy: Policy Issues and Organizational Alternatives
- This report analyzes the temporary consolidations of the separate counterintelligence (CI) offices at the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Security Administration (NSA) into a single CI office under DOE control — the first authorized by Congress at Department of Energy request; the second initiated by DOE — and examines the impact of each on the effectiveness of the Department's CI program.
- Drilling in the Great Lakes: Background and Issues
- This report provides background information on historical and current drilling practices in the Great Lakes, and statistics on oil and natural gas production, where data are available. It describes state laws regarding drilling in the Great Lakes and analyzes the environmental, socioeconomic, and legal aspects of drilling in or under the Great Lakes.
- Wind Energy: Offshore Permitting
- This report will discuss the disputes over the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) jurisdiction prior to enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 as well as the current law applicable to siting offshore wind facilities.
- Wind Energy: Offshore Permitting
- This report discusses the disputes over Corps jurisdiction prior to enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 as well as the current law applicable to siting offshore wind facilities.
- Energy: Selected Facts and Numbers
- This report discusses the energy policy that has been a recurring issue for Congress since the first major crisis in the 1970s. The report offers a general view of energy consumption trends, and Table 1 shows consumption by economic sector — residential, commercial, transportation, and industry — from 1950 to the present.
- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Legislation in the 110th Congress
- This report summarizes action on more than 360 energy efficiency and renewable energy bills introduced during the 110th Congress.1 These bills cover a wide range of policy and issue areas that include appropriations, authorizations, budget, research and development (R&D), grants, loans, financing, regulation (including a renewable fuel standard), tax incentives, goals, plans, impacts, and the environment/climate change.2 Most of these bills have focused on grants and tax incentives. The bills also cover a range of sectors and topics that include buildings, defense, education, federal lands and energy management, farms, American Indians, and international activities. Thus far, the sector of international activities has generated the greatest number of bills. For each bill listed in this report, a brief description and a summary of action are given, including references to committee hearings and reports.
- Gasoline Prices: Legislation in the 110th Congress
- This report, after analyzing factors that have contributed to high gasoline prices, describes the major legislative initiatives and discusses the issues involved in energy policy proposals, including reducing impacts on consumers and supply and demand.
- Wind Power in the United States: Technology, Economic, and Policy Issues
- This report describes utility-scale wind power issues in the United States. The report is divided into the following sections: background on wind energy; wind resources and technology; industry composition and trends; wind power economics; and policy issues.
- Biofuels Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs
- This report outlines federal programs that provide direct or indirect incentives for biofuels. For each program described, the report provides details including administering agency, authorizing statute(s), annual funding, and expiration date.
- Administering Green Programs in Congress: Issues and Options
- This report discusses "green" programs and the higher profile they have gained in the 110th Congress. "Green" programs are those designed to create an environmentally friendly work environment and conserve energy. This report discusses initiatives and policy options that would improve the "greening" process on Capitol Hill.
- Energy Tax Policy: History and Current Issues
- This report discusses the history, current posture, and outlook for federal energy tax policy. It also discusses current energy tax proposals and major energy tax provisions enacted in the 109th Congress.
- The U.S. Trade Deficit, The Dollar, and The Price of Oil
- This report analyzes the relationship between the dollar and the price of oil and how the two might interact. This report provides an assessment of the impact a range of prices of imported oil could have on the U.S. trade deficit.