H.R. 4025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4025 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4025

To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish an initiative to provide 
grants to fund the development of resilient energy systems in remote 
communities, island communities, and Tribal communities, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 17, 2025

Mr. Case introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish an initiative to provide 
grants to fund the development of resilient energy systems in remote 
communities, island communities, and Tribal communities, 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 Transitions Initiative 
Authorization Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Remote communities, island communities, and Tribal 
communities are commonly characterized by the unique challenges 
arising from isolation and the resultant difficulties in 
achieving economies of scale in the delivery of critical goods 
and services.
(2) With respect to energy, such challenges include high 
energy costs, limited and non-resilient energy infrastructure, 
and increased vulnerability to natural disasters.
(3) Self-sufficient renewable energy solutions are required 
to ensure energy security for these communities.
(4) These communities require specialized assistance, which 
they have difficulty procuring on their own, in acquiring and 
building necessary infrastructure, such as energy storage, 
solar energy facilities, hydropower plants, distributed energy 
resources, microgrids, and necessary transportation.
(5) Such specialized assistance should be provided in 
partnership with remote communities, island communities, and 
Tribal communities because their unique expertise and deep 
knowledge of local challenges and needs are necessary for the 
success of resulting solutions.

SEC. 3. ENERGY TRANSITIONS INITIATIVE GRANT.

(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish an 
initiative to provide grants to eligible entities to fund eligible 
projects for the development of resilient energy systems in remote 
communities, island communities, and Tribal communities.
(b) Terms.--
(1) Grants.--In carrying out the initiative, the Secretary 
may make a grant of not more than $5,000,000 to an eligible 
entity for an eligible project.
(2) Cost-share.--The Secretary may not make a grant under 
this section in an amount that is more than 90 percent of the 
cost of an eligible project.
(c) Technical Assistance.--Upon the request of a grantee, the 
Secretary shall provide technical assistance to such grantee for a 
period of not less than 1 year and not more than 2 years through the 
Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Program.
(d) GAO Audit.--Not later than 1 year after the establishment of 
the initiative described in this section, and annually thereafter, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall--
(1) conduct an audit of the initiative established under 
this section to ensure proper use of funds and compliance with 
applicable regulations; and
(2) submit a report that includes the results of such audit 
and recommendations for improving the efficiency and 
effectiveness of the initiative to--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives;
(B) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives;
(C) the Committee on Energy and Public Works of the 
Senate; and
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $31,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 
through 2030 to carry out this section.
(f) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
(1) Alaska native corporation.--The term ``Alaska Native 
Corporation'' has the meaning given the term ``Native 
Corporation'' in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims 
Settlement Act (42 U.S.C. 1602).
(2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a State that includes a remote community, an 
island community, or a Tribal community;
(B) a unit of local government serving or that 
includes a remote community or an island community;
(C) a Tribal community; or
(D) a community organization that serves a remote 
community, an island community, or a Tribal community.
(3) Eligible project.--The term ``eligible project'' means 
any of the following projects:
(A) A project to implement energy efficiency 
measures in buildings.
(B) A project for a resilient energy system that is 
a project to develop--
(i) a hydropower, solar power, wind energy, 
geothermal energy, tidal power, or wave energy 
system;
(ii) a microgrid; or
(iii) infrastructure necessary for the 
transmission and distribution of electricity.
(4) Federally recognized tribe.--The term ``federally 
recognized tribe'' has the meaning given the term in section 
102(2) of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 
1994 (25 U.S.C. 5130(2)).
(5) Island community.--The term ``island community'' means 
a group of individuals living on an area of land isolated from 
the mainland by oceans or lakes, that is not connected to a 
larger regional grid network, and experiences resilience 
challenges, including energy disruptions or threats to 
infrastructure from natural disasters.
(6) Native hawaiian organization.--The term ``Native 
Hawaiian Organization'' means an organization listed by the 
Department of the Interior in the Native Hawaiian Organization 
Notification List maintained by the Office of Native Hawaiian 
Relations.
(7) Remote community.--The term ``remote community'' means 
a group of individuals living in an area isolated from a larger 
regional grid network, with limited access to centralized 
energy sources due to environmental or geographical 
impediments.
(8) Resilient energy system.--The term ``resilient energy 
system'' means a facility or equipment that--
(A) can generate and deliver energy; and
(B) can withstand or quickly recover from an energy 
disruption.
(9) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States, 
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, 
Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
(10) Tribal community.--The term ``Tribal community'' means 
a federally recognized Tribe, an Alaska Native Corporation, or 
a Native Hawaiian Organization.
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