Energy Conservation and Production Act

(Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-1392)

=Title I: Federal Energy Administration Act Amendments And Related Matters= - Federal Energy Administration Act Amendments - Amends the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 to limit the discretion of the Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration under the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act to require that energy actions deal separately with the question of allocation and price control.

Amends the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 to provide a five-day period during which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may comment on rules, regulations, and policies of the Federal Energy Administration (FEA) which affect the quality of the environment.

Requires that FEA establish within 90 days guidelines which it applies to serious hardship and inequity cases, under the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974.

Prohibits retroactive application of FEA rules and interpretations to the operations of persons engaged solely in petroleum marketing, to independent and small refiners, or to independent producers.

Requires the Administrator, in collecting information, to take into account the size of the business, so as to avoid overly burdensome reporting requirements on small business marketers and distributors of petroleum products.

Requires the Administrator to include in the annual report an analysis of the energy needs of the United States and the methods by which such needs can be met.

Authorizes appropriations to carry out the programs of the FEA through fiscal year 1977. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the functions of the Office of Conservation and Environment and other energy-related agencies through such period.

Authorizes appropriations through fiscal year 1977 to accelerate utilization and widespread commercialization of solar energy and to provide overall coordination of Federal solar energy commercialization activities.

Extends the existence of the FEA through 1977.

Directs the Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration to submit to Congress by January 1, 1977, complete documentation of the Project Independence Evaluation System computer model.

Requires the Administrator to permit the use of such model on the Administration's computer by any member of the public.

Exempts the first sale price of stripper crude oil from regulation under the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act. Directs the President to promulgate such amendments to the price regulation under the Act as shall provide additional price incentives for bona fide tertiary enhanced recovery techniques, and provide for the adjustment of differentials in ceiling prices for crude oil.

Directs the Administrator to make a study of new refinery construction by small and independent refiners, and to remove any unnecessary, unreasonable and discriminatory barriers to entry created by the current regulatory structure.

Establishes, within the Federal Energy Administration, an Office of Energy Information and Analysis and a National Energy Information System to assure the availability of adequate, comparably accurate and credible energy information to Government agencies, the Congress, and to the public.

Requires the Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration to direct the National Bureau of Standards to develop energy efficiency improvement targets for each covered product under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.

Requires that an annual energy conservation report be prepared by the Energy Resources Council. Directs the President, through the Energy Resources Council, to prepare a plan for the reorganization of the Federal Government's responsibilities for energy and natural resources. Extends the existence of the Energy Resources Council until September 30, 1977.

=Title II: Electric Utility Rate Design Initiatives= - Requires the Administrator to develop proposals to improve electric utility rate design. Declares that such proposals be designed to encourage energy conservation, minimize the need for new electrical generating capacity, and minimize costs of electric energy to consumers.

Authorizes the Administrator to: (1) fund electric utility load management and regulatory rate reform demonstration projects; (2) intervene in electric utility regulatory rate proceedings; and (3) obtain judicial review of any administrative proceedings in which the Administrator has intervened.

Authorizes the Administrator to make grants to States to establish and operate offices to assist consumers in their presentations before utility regulatory commissions.

Requires an annual report by the Administrator on specified activities pursuant to this Act.

Authorizes assistance for the establishment of an independent office of consumer services by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Authorizes appropriations through fiscal year 1977 for assistance and grants under this title.

=Title III: Energy Conservation Standards for New Buildings= - Energy Conservation Standards for New Buildings Act - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to publish, within three years of enactment of this title, proposed performance energy conservation standards for new commercial and residential buildings. Requires such standards to be effective within one year after such publication.

Prohibits approval by any Federal officer of assistance for construction of any building in any State or areas which do not have similar standards to such Federal standards in effect.

Requires the head of each Federal agency responsible for construction of Federal buildings to adopt necessary procedures to assure that such construction meets applicable energy conservation standards under this title.

Authorizes grants to States to assist them in developing standards or State certification procedures to carry out the provisions of this title.

=Title IV: Energy Conservation and Renewable Resource Assistance for Existing Buildings= - Energy Conservation in Existing Buildings Act - Directs the Administrator to develop and conduct a weatherization program. Authorizes the Administrator to make grants to States, and to Indian tribal organizations, to provide financial assistance for weatherization of dwelling units of elderly or handicapped low-income persons.

Authorizes the Administrator to reserve specified portions of a State's allocation of such assistance for low-income members of an Indian tribe where he determines that the members of such tribe are not receiving benefits equivalent to the assistance provided to other low-income persons in such State.

Authorizes to be appropriated for the weatherization program not to exceed $55,000,000 for fiscal year 1977, $65,000,000 for fiscal year 1978, and $80,000,000 for fiscal year 1979.

Directs the Administrator to prescribe guidelines with respect to measures required to be included in, and guidelines for the development, modification, and funding of, supplemental State energy conservation plans. Authorizes the granting of Federal financial assistance for the development of any such conservation plan. Enumerates specific procedures to be included in such plans. Authorizes to be appropriated for supplemental State energy conservation plans $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1977, $40,000,000 for fiscal year 1978, and $40,000,000 for fiscal year 1979.

Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a national demonstration program to test the effectiveness of various forms of financial assistance for encouraging the installation or implementation of approved energy conservation measures and approved renewable-resource energy measures in existing dwelling units. Authorizes the making of financial assistance to carry out the purposes of this program. Requires the submission of progress reports to Congress at no more than six month intervals.

Authorizes the Administrator to guarantee and issue commitments to guarantee the payment of the outstanding principal amount of any loan, note, bond, or other obligation if such obligation is issued by any State, or political subdivision and such indebtedness was incurred for the purpose of financing of any energy conservation measure or renewable resource energy measure. Sets forth requirements and restrictions on the issuance of such guarantees. Limits the aggregate outstanding principal amount of obligations guaranteed at any one time under this program to $2,000,000,000. Authorizes to be appropriated $60,000,000 for the payment of such guarantees.

Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress each fiscal year ending before October 1, 1979, on the activities undertaken pursuant to this Act.