House-Passed Defense Spending Bill Prohibits Spending On Green Energy

On June 20, 2014, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the fiscal year (FY) 2015 appropriations bill to fund the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), H.R. 4870, including language repealing Section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Section 526). Section 526 prohibits federal agencies from procuring synfuel unless its lifecycle GHG emissions are less than those for conventional petroleum sources.

BRAG reported that last month the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the FY 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 4435, including language exempting DOD from complying with Section 526. A copy of that BRAG report is available online.

Since Section 526 was passed in 2007, there has been an annual attempt to repeal or modify the language to reduce DOD's obligations pursuant to it. The biofuels industry generally has advocated against repealing this Section of the law.