List of United States energy acts

This is a list of statutes enacted by the United States Congress pertaining to the energy industry.

Year	Title	Summary
1920	Federal Water Power Act	Created Federal Power Commission to coordinate federal hydroelectric projects.
1935	Federal Power Act	Put electricity sale and transportation regulation under Federal Power Commission.
1935	Public Utility Holding Company Act	Regulated size of electric utilities, limiting each to a specific geographic area.
1936	Rural Electrification Act	Funded electric cooperatives to bring electricity to underserved rural areas.
1938	Natural Gas Act	Gas pipelines regulated under Federal Power Commission.
1946	Atomic Energy Act	Put development of nuclear weapons and power under civilian control (instead of military).
1954	Atomic Energy Act	Opened way for civilian nuclear power program.
1974	Solar Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Act of 1974	Created the Solar Energy Coordination and Management Project. Created the Solar Energy Research Institute (the predecessor to NREL).
1975	Energy Policy and Conservation Act	Created Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Established first automobile fuel economy standards. Banned crude oil exports (repealed in 2015).
1977	Department of Energy Organization Act	Created Federal Department of Energy (DOE).
1978	National Energy Act, incorporating: National Energy Conservation Policy Act Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act Energy Tax Act Natural Gas Policy Act	Encouraged conservation efforts in homes, schools, and other public buildings. Restricted new power plants using oil or natural gas (repealed in 1987). Opened electric markets to alternative power producers. Taxed "gas guzzlers", gave income tax credits for alternative fuel use. Phased deregulation of gas wellhead prices.
1978	Solar Photovoltaic Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1978	Accelerated solar power generation technologies.
1980	Energy Security Act, incorporating: U.S. Synthetic Fuels Corporation Act Biomass Energy and Alcohol Fuels Act Renewable Energy Resources Act Solar Energy and Energy Conservation Act Geothermal Energy Act Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act	Created Synthetic Fuels Corporation to market fossil fuel alternatives. Provided loan guarantees for biofuels and alcohol fuels projects. Revised the Defense Production Act of 1950 to allow federal improvements to energy supply. Created financing regulations for solar, geothermal, and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) energy.
1982	Nuclear Waste Policy Act	First comprehensive nuclear waste legislation.
1989	Natural Gas Wellhead Decontrol Act of 1989	Amends the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 to declare that the price guidelines for the first sale of natural gas.
1992	Energy Policy Act	Required alternative fuel vehicle use in some private/government fleets.
2005	Energy Policy Act	Provided tax incentives for conservation and use of alternative fuels.
2007	Energy Independence and Security Act, incorporating: America COMPETES Act	Increased fuel economy requirements. Phased out incandescent light bulbs. Encouraged biofuel development. Created ARPA-E.
2008	Public Law 110-343, incorporating: Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008	Promoted biofuels. Created tax incentives for electric vehicles. Extended and modified renewable energy tax incentives and defined electricity as a clean fuel.
2009	American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009	Provided funding for an electric smart grid. Created and modified renewable energy tax cuts. Weatherized modest-income homes. Incentivized federal building energy efficiency. Funded development of carbon capture and storage, electric vehicle battery manufacturing, and biofuel and fossil fuel research. Reduced the nation's nuclear footprint by nearly 70 percent.
2009	Defense Production Act Reauthorization	Modified the Defense Production Act to promote renewables and the smart grid.
2015	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016	Extended renewable energy tax cuts. Lifted crude oil export ban.
2020	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, incorporating: Energy Act of 2020	Incentivized federal building energy efficiency. Funded development of carbon capture and storage and fossil fuel research. Weatherized modest- and low-income homes. Promoted water efficiency and grid battery storage.
2021	Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act	Expanded funding for DOE research and development into carbon capture and storage, hydrogen economy tech, battery recycling, and grid battery storage. Promoted smart grid deployment and resiliency, and workforce development. Extended tax breaks to nuclear power industry. Created ARPA-I.
2022	CHIPS and Science Act	Expanded funding for DOE research, development and national security initiatives.
2022	Inflation Reduction Act	Provided funding for a smart grid and forgave debts held by utility cooperatives. Extended and modified renewable energy tax cuts. Weatherized low-income homes. Provided tax incentives for electric vehicles and new appliances. Prioritized oil exploration ahead of renewables for federal land leases.

See also

• List of United States federal environmental statutes
• Fossil fuel regulations in the United States

External links

• Department of Energy timeline
• GovEnergy Workshop and Trade Show