PART C-NATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE- RESOURCE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM FOR EXISTING DWELLING UNITS

ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE-RESOURCE DEMONSTRATION

SEC. 441. [Amends title V of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970.]

PART D-ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE-RESOURCE OBLIGATION GUARANTEES

PROGRAM

SEC. 451. (a)(1) The Administrator may, in accordance with this section and such rules as he shall prescribe after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, guarantee and issue commitments to guarantee the payment of the outstanding principal amount of any loan, note, bond, or other obligation evidencing indebtedness, if

(A) such obligation is entered into or issued by any person or by any State, political subdivision of a State, or agency and instrumentality of either a State or political subdivision thereof; and

(B) the purpose of entering into or issuing such obligation is the financing of any energy conservation measure or renewable-resource energy measure which is to be installed or otherwise implemented in any building or industrial plant owned or operated by the person or State, political subdivision of a State, or agency or instrumentality of either a State or political subdivision thereof, (i) which enters into or issues such obligation, or (ii) to which such measure is leased.

(2) No guarantee or commitment to guarantee may be issued under this subsection with respect to any obligation

(A) which is a general obligation of a State; or

(B) which is entered into or issued for the purpose of financing any energy conservation measure or renewable-resource energy measure which is to be installed or otherwise implemented in a residential building containing 2 or fewer dwelling units.

(3) Before prescribing rules pursuant to this subsection, the Administrator shall consult with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration in order to formulate procedures which would assist small business concerns in obtaining guarantees and commitments to guarantee under this section.

(b) No obligation may be guaranteed, and no commitment to guarantee an obligation may be issued, under subsection (a), unless the Administrator finds that the measure which is to be financed by such obligation—

(1) has been identified by an energy audit to be an energy conservation measure or a renewable-resource energy measure;

or

(2) is included on a list of energy conservation measures and renewable-resource energy measures which the Administrator publishes under section 365(e)(1) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.

Before issuing a guarantee under subsection (a), the Administrator may require that an energy audit be conducted with respect to an energy conservation measure or a renewable-resource energy measure which is on a list described in paragraph (2) and which is to be financed by the obligation to be guaranteed under this section. The amount of any obligation which may be guaranteed under subsection (a) may include the cost of an energy audit.

(c)(1) The Administrator shall limit the availability of a guarantee otherwise authorized by subsection (a) to obligations entered into by or issued by borrowers who can demonstrate that financing is not otherwise available on reasonable terms and conditions to allow the measure to be financed.

(2) No obligation may be guaranteed by the Administrator under subsection (a) unless the Administrator finds

(A) there is a reasonable prospect for the repayment of such obligation; and

(B) in the case of an obligation issued by a person, such obligation constitutes a general obligation of such person for such guarantee.

(3) The term of any guarantee issued under subsection (a) may not exceed 25 years.

(4) The aggregate outstanding principal amount which may be guaranteed under subsection (a) at any one time with respect to obligations entered into or issued by any borrower may not exceed $5,000,000.

(d) The original principal amount guaranteed under subsection (a) may not exceed 90 percent of the cost of the energy conservation measure or the renewable-resource energy measure financed by the obligation guaranteed under such subsection; except that such amount may not exceed 25 percent of the fair market value of the building or industrial plant being modified by such energy conservation measure or renewable-resource energy measure. No guarantee issued, and no commitment to guarantee, which is issued under subsection (a) shall be terminated, canceled, or otherwise revoked except in accordance with reasonable terms and conditions prescribed by the Administrator, after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Comptroller General, and contained in the written guarantee or commitment to guarantee. The full faith and credit of the United States is pledged to the payment of all guarantees made under subsection (a). Any such guarantee made by the Administrator shall be conclusive evidence of the eligibility of the obligation involved for such guarantee, and the validity of any guarantee so made shall be incontestable in the hands of a holder of the guaranteed obligation except for fraud or material misrepresentation on the part of such holder.

(e)(1) No guarantee and no commitment to guarantee may be issued under subsection (a) unless the Administrator obtains any information reasonably requested and such assurances as are in his judgment (after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Comptroller General) reasonable to protect the interests of the United States and to assure that such guarantee or commitment to guarantee is consistent with and will further the purpose of this title. The Administrator shall require that records be kept and made available to the Administrator or the Comptroller Gen

eral, or any of their duly authorized representatives, in such detail and form as are determined necessary to facilitate (A) an effective financial audit of the energy conservation measure or renewable-resource energy measure investment involved, and (B) an adequate evaluation of the effectiveness of this section. The Administrator and the Comptroller General, or any of their duly authorized representatives, shall have access to pertinent books, documents, papers, and records of any recipient of Federal assistance under this section.

(2) The Administrator may collect a fee from any borrower with respect to whose obligation a guarantee or commitment to guarantee is issued under subsection (a); except that the Administrator may waive any such fee with respect to any such borrower or class of borrowers. Fees shall be designed to recover the estimated administrative expenses incurred under this part; except that the total of the fees charged any such borrower may not exceed (A) one percent of the amount of the guarantee, or (B) onehalf percent of the amount of the commitment to guarantee, whichever is greater. Any amount collected under this paragraph shall be deposited in the miscellaneous receipts of the Treasury.

(f)(1) If there is a default by the obligor in any payment of principal due under an obligation guaranteed under subsection (a), and if such default continues for 30 days, the holder of such obligation or his agent has the right to demand payment by the Administrator of the unpaid principal of such obligation, consistent with the terms of the guarantee of such obligation. Such payment may be demanded within such period as may be specified in the guarantee or related agreements, which period shall expire not later than 90 days from the date of such default. If demand occurs within such specified period, then not later than 60 days from the date of such demand, the Administrator shall pay to such holder the unpaid principal of such obligation, consistent with the terms of the guarantee of such obligation; except that (A) the Administrator shall not be required to make any such payment if he finds, prior to the expiration of the 60-day period beginning on the date on which the demand is made, that there was no default by the obligor in the payment of principal or that such default has been remedied, and (B) no such holder shall receive payment or be entitled to retain payment in a total amount which together with any other recovery (including any recovery based upon any security interest) exceeds the actual loss of principal by such holder.

(2) If the Administrator makes payment to a holder under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall thereupon

(A) have all of the rights granted to him by law or agreement with the obligor; and

(B) be subrogated to all of the rights which were granted such holder, by law, assignment, or security agreement applicable to the guaranteed obligation.

(3) The Administrator, may, in his discretion, take possession of, complete, recondition, reconstruct, renovate, repair, maintain, operate, remove, charter, rent, sell, or otherwise dispose of any property or other interests obtained by him pursuant to this subsection. The terms of any such sale or other disposition shall be as approved by the Administrator.

(4) If there is a default by the obligor in any payment due under an obligation guaranteed under subsection (a), the Administrator shall take such action against such obligor or any other persons as is, in his discretion, necessary or appropriate to protect the interests of the United States. Such an action may be brought in the name of the United States or in the name of the holder of such obligation. Such holder shall make available to the Administrator all records and evidence necessary to prosecute any such suit. The Administrator may, in his discretion, accept a conveyance of property in full or partial satisfaction of any sums owed to him. If the Administrator receives, through the sale of property, an amount greater than his cost and the amount paid to the holder under paragraph (1), he shall pay such excess to the obligor.

(g)(1) The aggregate outstanding principal amount of obligations which may be guaranteed under this section may not at any one time exceed $2,000,000,000. No guarantee or commitment to guarantee may be issued under subsection (a) after September 30, 1979.

(2) There is authorized to be appropriated for the payment of amounts to be paid under subsection (f), not to exceed $60,000,000. Any amount appropriated pursuant to this paragraph shall remain available until expended.

(3) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the provisions of this part, including administrative costs, but not for the payment of amounts to be paid under subsection (f)

(A) for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1977, not to exceed $1,836,000; and

(B) for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1978, not to exceed $4,950,000.

(h) All laborers and mechanics employed in construction, alteration, or repair which is financed by an obligation guaranteed under subsection (a) shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on similar construction in the locality, as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with the DavisBacon Act. The Administrator shall not guarantee any obligations under subsection (a) without first obtaining adequate assurance that these labor standards will be maintained during such construction, alteration, or repair. The Secretary of Labor shall, with respect to the labor standards in this subsection, have the authority and functions set forth in Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 and section 276c of title 40, United States Code.

(i) As used in this part:

(1) The term "Administrator" means the Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration; except that after such Administration ceases to exist, such term means any officer of the United States designated by the President for purposes of this part.

(2) The term "Comptroller General" means the Comptroller General of the United States.

(3) The terms "energy audit", "energy conservation measure", "renewable-resource energy measure", "building", and "industrial plant" have the meanings prescribed for such terms in section 366 of the Federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act.

PART E-MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION

SEC. 461. The Administrator shall (through conferences, publications, and other appropriate means) encourage and facilitate the exchange of information among the States with respect to energy conservation and increased use of nondepletable energy sources. [42 U.S.C. 6891]

REPORT BY THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL

SEC. 462. (a) For each fiscal year ending before October 1, 1979, the Comptroller General shall report to the Congress on the activities of the Administrator and the Secretary under this title and any amendments to other statutes made by this title. The provisions of section 12 of the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (relating to access by the Comptroller General to books, documents, papers, statistics, data, records, and information in the possession of the Administrator or of recipients of Federal funds) shall apply to data which relate to such activities.

(b) Each report submitted by the Comptroller General under subsection (a) shall include

(1) an accounting, by State, of expenditures of Federal funds under each program authorized by this title or by amendments made by this title;

(2) an estimate of the energy savings which have resulted thereby;

(3) a thorough evaluation of the effectiveness of the programs authorized by this title or by amendments made by this title in achieving the energy conservation or renewable resource potential available in the sectors and regions affected by such programs;

(4) a review of the extent and effectiveness of compliance monitoring of programs established by this title or by amendments made by this title and any evidence as to the occurrence of fraud with respect to such programs; and

(5) the recommendations of the Comptroller General with respect to (A) improvements in the administration of programs authorized by this title or by amendments made by this title, and (B) additional legislation, if any, which is needed to achieve the purposes of this title.

(c) As used in this part:

(1) The term "Administrator" means the Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration; except that after such Administration ceases to exist, such term means any officer of the United States designated by the President for purposes of this part.

(2) The term "Comptroller General" means the Comptroller General of the United States.

(3) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

[42 U.S.C. 6892]