42 U.S.C. § 16493 — National Priority Project Designation

(a) Designation of National Priority Projects: (1) In general: This section creates the "National Priority Project Designation" (the "Designation"), shown by a medal reading "National Priority Project." (2) Design and materials: The President decides the medal's design, materials, and any extra wording. (b) Making and presentation of Designation: (1) In general: Each year, based on the Secretary's recommendations, the President designates organizations that have: (A) advanced renewable energy technology and helped North American energy independence; and (B) been certified by the Secretary under subsection (e). (2) Presentation: The President decides how the designation ceremony is held. (3) Use of Designation: A winning organization may advertise its Designation as a National Priority Project. (4) Categories: Separate Designations go to winners in each category: (A) Wind and biomass energy generation projects. (B) Photovoltaic and fuel cell energy generation projects. (C) Energy efficient building and renewable energy projects. (D) First-in-Class projects. (c) Selection criteria: (1) In general: The Secretary certifies and selects projects using the criteria in this subsection. (2) Wind, biomass, and building projects: These must show they will install at least 30 megawatts of renewable energy generation capacity. (3) Solar photovoltaic and fuel cell projects: These must show they will install at least 3 megawatts of capacity. (4) Energy efficient building and renewable energy projects: Besides meeting the requirement in (2), a building project must also show it will: (A) meet third-party certification standards for high-performance, sustainable buildings; (B) use whole-building design that integrates energy efficiency and environmental performance, including advanced building controls; (C) get at least 50 percent of its energy from renewable sources; (D) meet applicable Energy Star standards; and (E) include at least 5,000,000 square feet of enclosed space. (5) First-in-Class use: Despite (2) through (4), a new building project may still qualify if the Secretary determines it either: (A) represents a First-In-Class use of renewable energy; or (B) otherwise establishes a new model for building-integrated renewable energy or efficiency. (d) Application: (1) Initial applications: Within 120 days after August 8, 2005, and every year after, the Secretary must publish application instructions and guidelines in the Federal Register. (2) Contents: The application must describe the project (existing or planned) and how it plans to meet the criteria in subsection (c). (e) Certification: (1) In general: Within 60 days after the application period, and every year after, the Secretary must certify projects reasonably expected to meet the criteria in subsection (c). (2) Certified projects: The Secretary assigns Department staff to work with each certified project. These staff must: (A) guide the project on meeting the subsection (c) criteria; (B) identify Department programs, including National Laboratories and Technology Centers, that can help; and (C) make sure current technology know-how transfers between federal resources, including National Laboratories, the Department, and the EPA, and the certified projects, to speed up bringing the technology to market. (f) Authorization of appropriations: Congress may provide whatever money is necessary to carry out this section for fiscal years 2006 through 2010.