Department of Energy’s (DOE) First Installment of the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) - Transforming U.S. Energy Infrastructures in a Time of Rapid Change: Issued in April 2015, the first installment of the QER examines how to modernize the United States’ energy infrastructure to promote economic competitiveness, energy security and environmental responsibility, and is focused on energy transmission, storage, and distribution, the networks of pipelines, wires, storage, waterways, railroads, and other facilities that form the backbone of the U.S. energy system. The QER seeks to identify vulnerabilities in the system and proposes major policy recommendations and investments to replace, expand, and modernize infrastructure where appropriate.
DOE Loan Guarantees: The goal of the Department of Energy’s Loan Guarantee Program (Program), as defined in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, is to provide Federal support, in the form of loan guarantees, to spur commercial investments in clean energy projects that use innovative technologies. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 amended the Energy Policy Act and temporarily expanded the Program by providing loan guarantees for renewable energy systems, electric transmission systems, and leading-edge biofuels projects.
Department of Interior’s National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2017-2022: Offshore oil and gas resources in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico are highlighted as part of a five-year leasing program for high-resource areas under the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2017-2022, which is under development by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management within the U.S. Department of Interior. Under this program, 10-region lease sales are scheduled for the Gulf, where resource potential and industry interest are high, and oil and gas infrastructure is well established. Two Gulf lease sales will be held each year and include all available blocks in the combined Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico Planning Areas. In January 2018, the Secretary of the Interior announced draft proposed program for a new national OCS program for years 2019-2024. The proposed final program is expected in 2019. The 2017-2022 National OCS Program will continue to be implemented until the new National OCS Program is approved.
