This bill requires the Secretary of the Army to issue standardized guidance within one year for reviewing applications related to non-Federal hydropower projects that need permission for alteration or use. The guidance must establish a specific checklist of required materials and clear criteria for what constitutes a complete application, developed in consultation with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and industry groups. It limits the initial review to verifying that all necessary documents are submitted in the correct format, explicitly prohibiting reviewers from conducting detailed technical analyses or requesting design changes at this stage. Additionally, the bill sets up escalation procedures for cases where review deadlines are not met and prevents officials from imposing new environmental standards that were not established before the application was submitted.
The Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act of 2026 amends the Clean Air Act to officially recognize prescribed fires and cultural burning as "exceptional events," meaning air quality issues caused by these deliberate, managed burns will no longer be counted as violations of pollution standards. The bill requires the EPA to update its regulations within a year to clarify how these fires are defined and to streamline the process for states to petition for exemptions when wildfires or prescribed fires impact air quality. Additionally, the legislation establishes a new "Smoke Ready Communities" grant program that provides up to 90 percent federal funding to states, tribes, and local entities to help communities prepare for and mitigate wildfire smoke hazards in public buildings like schools.
This bill establishes a comprehensive sanctions framework targeting the Russian government and its affiliated entities in response to ongoing military actions. It authorizes the President to block assets, revoke visas, and prohibit financial transactions for Russian officials, military leaders, and foreign persons supporting Russia's defense industry or undermining Ukraine. The legislation also bans U.S. investments in Russian energy sectors, prohibits the purchase of Russian sovereign debt, and imposes high tariffs on Russian imports while restricting crude oil purchases by specific foreign nations. Additionally, the bill prevents Russian companies from listing on U.S. stock exchanges and includes mechanisms for terminating sanctions only if Russia signs a peace agreement accepted by Ukraine and ceases hostilities.
The Methane Removal Research and Innovation Act of 2026 directs the Department of Energy to create a research initiative aimed at developing methods to remove methane from the atmosphere. This program will fund multidisciplinary teams to study various scientific approaches, including biological methods, chemical reactors, and new materials, while also assessing costs and social barriers. The initiative is authorized to receive $25 million annually from 2027 to 2031 and requires the Secretary of Energy to report progress and scientific findings to Congress every three years.
The Critical Mineral and Extraction Tax Parity Act expands a federal tax credit for advanced manufacturing to include eleven new critical minerals, such as boron, copper, and uranium, while also adding specific rules for phosphate. It allows companies that extract ore in the United States to claim these credits for the extraction costs themselves, provided they certify that the ore is refined into a qualifying mineral and sold to an unrelated buyer. Additionally, the bill removes a previous penalty that reduced tax credit amounts for metallurgical coal, ensuring these materials receive the same financial support as other critical minerals. These changes are designed to encourage domestic production and processing of essential raw materials and will take effect for minerals produced and sold after December 31, 2025.
This joint resolution eliminates new, more stringent energy conservation standards for commercial refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers. Under the joint resolution, such equipment is no longer required to comply with the new standards. Specifically, the joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Refrigerators, Freezers, and Refrigerator-Freezers and published by the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy on January 21, 2025. Under the rule, the office adopted new energy conservation standards for commercial refrigeration equipment to achieve the maximum improvement in energy efficiency that is technologically feasible and economically justified. The rule required the equipment to comply with the those standards by January 22, 2029.
This bill extends the tax credit period for producing refined coal, which is used as fuel in the steel industry. It directly affects companies that manufacture refined coal and sell it to steel producers. The key change allows these companies to claim a tax credit for coal produced and sold after December 31, 2025, instead of the previous 10-year limit from when the facility started operating. The credit can now be claimed for production before January 1, 2033, and during the taxable year in which the coal is sold.
This bill creates a 10% tax credit for businesses that modernize or replace freight railcars, directly affecting railcar owners and manufacturers. To qualify, railcars must meet an 8% improvement standard in capacity or fuel efficiency, be built or modernized after enactment, and replace two scrapped railcars. The credit is limited to 1,000 qualified railcars per business annually, with reporting requirements for the Treasury to track claimed credits, scrapped railcars, and new railcar production. The credit applies to railcars placed in service after December 2024, ending three years after enactment.
This bill (S 1779, the LOCOMOTIVES Act) amends the Clean Air Act to prevent states from setting their own emissions standards for locomotives and engines used in locomotives. It specifically removes exemptions for smaller nonroad engines and clarifies that all locomotives engaged in commercial railroad transportation (as defined by federal law) fall under federal emissions regulations, not state rules. The key provision eliminates state authority over emissions standards for locomotives used in commerce, making federal EPA regulations the exclusive standard. This directly affects railroad companies operating locomotives and the Environmental Protection Agency, which would enforce the uniform federal standards.
This bill repeals federal waivers that allow California to set its own vehicle and engine emission standards under the Clean Air Act. It directly affects California's Air Resources Board (CARB), prohibiting the state from adopting or enforcing standards for nonroad engines (like construction equipment, farm vehicles, and locomotives) or new motor vehicles. Key provisions include removing federal authorization for California's vehicle standards (Section 177) and invalidating all existing waivers for state emission rules. The bill would eliminate California's ability to enforce its own emission requirements for these categories, shifting authority entirely to federal standards.
