Energy Conservation Opportunities on Campus Act or the ECO Campus Act
This bill directs the Department of Energy to establish a grant program to support energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate resilience improvements at certain public institutions of higher education.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7384 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7384
To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program to
support energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate resilience
improvements at certain institutions of higher education, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 4, 2022
Mr. Lynch (for himself, Mr. Keating, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Ms. Jacobs of
California, Ms. DeGette, Mr. McEachin, Mr. Casten, Mr. Thompson of
California, Mr. Gomez, Mr. Sires, Mr. Neal, and Mr. Bowman) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education
and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program to
support energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate resilience
improvements at certain institutions of higher education, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Energy Conservation Opportunities on
Campus Act'' or the ``ECO Campus Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR UNIVERSITIES.
(a) Establishment of Grant Program.--Not later than one year after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy (in this
section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a program to
award, on a competitive basis to covered universities, grants to
support energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate resilience
improvements at such universities.
(b) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under the
Program, a covered university shall submit to the Secretary an
application in such form, at such time, and containing such information
as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(c) Special Considerations.--In awarding grants under the Program,
the Secretary shall--
(1) give priority to covered universities that are
minority-serving institutions; and
(2) award grants in a manner that ensures geographically
diverse recipients.
(d) Eligible Uses.--A grant awarded to a covered university under
the Program may be used for the following projects on the campus of
such university:
(1) The purchase and installation of solar panels.
(2) The purchase, or contracting for use, of electric
vehicles.
(3) The purchase and installation of electric vehicle
charging infrastructure.
(4) The purchase and installation of energy-efficient
windows.
(5) Construction, repairs, or renovations to buildings to
improve occupant health, including construction, repairs, or
renovations that improve air quality or ventilation.
(6) Construction, repairs, or renovations to buildings to
improve climate resilience.
(7) Investigation and analysis with respect to energy
efficiency and climate resilience improvements.
(8) The purchase and installation of microgrid systems.
(9) The purchase and installation of energy storage
systems.
(10) Repairs or renovations to district energy systems.
(e) Limitations.--
(1) Maximum grant amount.--A grant awarded under the
Program may not exceed $10,000,000.
(2) Training costs.--A covered university awarded a grant
under the Program may use not more than ten percent of grant
funds for training costs related to a project carried out with
grant funds.
(f) Reporting.--Not later than three years after the date on which
a covered university receives a grant under the Program, the university
shall submit to the Secretary a report detailing the use of grant
funds.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Climate resilience.--The term ``climate resilience''
means the ability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to
hazardous events, trends, or disturbances related to climate.
(2) Covered university.--The term ``covered university''
means the following:
(A) A public institution of higher education, as
defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(B) A public Tribal college or university, as
defined in section 316 of the Higher Education Act.
(C) A public institution of higher education
located in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the
United States, Guam, American Samoa, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
(3) Energy storage system.--The term ``energy storage
system'' means any system, equipment, facility, or technology
that uses a mechanical, electrical, chemical, electrochemical,
or thermal process to store energy that was generated at an
earlier time for use at a later time, including any generated
energy that would otherwise be wasted.
(4) Microgrid system.--The term ``microgrid system'' means
an integrated energy system that consists of interconnected
loads and distributed energy resources within clearly defined
electrical boundaries that--
(A) acts as a single controllable entity; and
(B) can operate while connected to, and while
disconnected from, the national or local electric grid.
(5) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
serving institution'' means an institution described in section
371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1067q(a)).
(6) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the grant program
established under subsection (a).
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $76,100,000,000.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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