,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bhef ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,november #ad1 #bjai,ms4 ,hassan 7for herself1 ,ms4 ,collins1 ,mr4 ,king1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,mr4 ,leahy1 ,mr4 ,casey1 ,mr4 ,murphy1 ,mr4 ,carper1 ,mrs4 ,shaheen1 and ,mr4 ,coons7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,office of ,regional ,greenhouse ,gas ,reduction ,programs within the ,environmental ,protection ,agency1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,regional ,greenhouse ,gas ,reduction ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency4 7#b7 ,greenhouse gas ,the term greenhouse gas means carbon dioxide1 methane1 nitrous oxide1 hydrofluorocarbon1 perfluorocarbon1 and sulfur hexafluoride4 7#c7 ,office ,the term ,office means the ,office of ,regional ,greenhouse ,gas ,reduction ,programs established under section #c7;a74 7#d7 ,regional greenhouse gas reduction program ,the term regional greenhouse gas reduction program means a program that uses market-based tools to reduce greenhouse gases across ,states at the regional level1 such as-- 7,a7 the ,regional ,greenhouse ,gas ,initiative organized among1 as of ,november #ad1 #bjai1 the ,states of ,connecticut1 ,delaware1 ,maine1 ,maryland1 ,massachusetts1 ,new ,hampshire1 ,new ,york1 ,rhode ,island1 and ,vermont to cap and reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector2 and 7,b7 the ,western ,climate ,initiative1 a regional carbon trading system organized between the ,state of ,california and ,quebec1 ,canada4 7#e7 ,state ,the term ,state means-- 7,a7 a ,state2 7,b7 the ,district of ,columbia2 7,c7 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico2 7,d7 the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands2 7,e7 ,guam2 7,f7 ,american ,samoa2 7,g7 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands2 and 7,h7 the ,trust ,territory of the ,pacific ,islands4 7#f7 ,unit of local government ,the term unit of local government means-- 7,a7 a city1 town1 borough1 county1 parish1 district1 association1 or other public body created by or pursuant to ,state law2 7,b7 an ,indian tribe 7as defined in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd772 and 7,c7 a tribal organization 7as defined in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd774 #c4 ,office of ,regional ,greenhouse ,gas ,reduction ,programs 7a7 ,establishment ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 there shall be established within the ,environmental ,protection ,agency an office1 to be known as the ,office of ,regional ,greenhouse ,gas ,reduction ,programs4 7b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of the ,office shall be-- 7#a7 to support1 and assist in the expansion of1 existing regional greenhouse gas reduction programs2 and 7#b7 to facilitate the establishment of new regional greenhouse gas reduction programs4 7c7 ,director ,the ,office shall be headed by a ,director1 who shall be appointed by the ,administrator-- 7#a7 without regard to political affiliation2 and 7#b7 solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of the ,director described in subsection 7d74 7d7 ,duties of director ,the ,director of the ,office shall-- 7#a7 on request by a ,state or other relevant entity1 provide access to ,federal data relevant to regional greenhouse gas reduction programs2 7#b7 7,a7 assist ,states and other relevant entities with analysis and modeling of technical1 economic1 and public policy issues relating to regional greenhouse gas reduction programs2 and 7,b7 provide any other relevant technical support1 on request2 7#c7 develop and share best practices based on existing regional greenhouse gas reduction programs2 7#d7 track and report on greenhouse gas emissions in ,states participating in regional greenhouse gas reduction programs using data collected by the ,environmental ,protection ,agency2 7#e7 designate a representative in the ,office-- 7,a7 to act as a liaison to regional greenhouse gas reduction programs2 and 7,b7 to communicate with ,states and other entities seeking to establish regional greenhouse gas reduction programs2 7#f7 facilitate communication among ,federal and ,state agencies1 agencies of units of local government1 and stakeholders to share lessons learned about greenhouse gas monitoring and control programs1 through methods such as workshops1 conferences1 websites1 and newsletters2 7#g7 administer the grant program established under section #d2 7#h7 coordinate with the interagency task force established under section #e2 and 7#i7 carry out any other activity relevant to the function of the ,office4 7e7 ,report ,the ,administrator1 acting through the ,director of the ,office1 shall submit a biannual report to ,congress that describes and summarizes the efforts made and technical assistance provided by the ,office to help ,states improve the health and environment of communities in those ,states4 7f7 ,access to information ,on request of the ,director1 the head of each ,federal agency shall provide the ,director any information and data necessary for any analyses or reports required as part of the function of the ,office4 7g7 ,no additional reporting requirements ,nothing in this section authorizes the ,administrator or the ,director of the ,office to impose an additional reporting requirement on a ,state participating in a regional greenhouse gas reduction program4 #d4 ,regional greenhouse gas reduction program startup grants 7a7 ,definition of eligible entity ,in this section1 the term eligible entity means-- 7#a7 a ,state2 7#b7 a unit of local government2 and 7#c7 a regional consortium that is a partnership between or among one or more entities described in paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b74 7b7 ,establishment ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,office shall establish a program within the ,office to provide grants to eligible entities1 on a competitive basis1 to take active preliminary steps 7including information-gathering7 towards developing or participating in a regional greenhouse gas reduction program4 7c7 ,application ,an eligible entity shall submit to the ,director of the ,office an application to receive a grant under subsection 7b7 at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,director of the ,office may require4 7d7 ,minimum grant amount ,a grant awarded under subsection 7b7 shall be in an amount that is not less than #bej1jjj4 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,director of the ,office such amounts as are necessary to carry out this section1 to remain available until expended4 #e4 ,interagency task force 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,administrator shall establish an interagency task force 7referred to in this section as the task force7-- 7#a7 to determine how best to support existing regional greenhouse gas reduction programs2 7#b7 to consult with ,states to determine how best to support ,states and other entities that seek to develop regional greenhouse gas reduction programs or expand existing regional greenhouse gas reduction programs2 and 7#c7 to analyze existing gaps in ,federal data that are relevant to the formation or analysis of regional greenhouse gas reduction programs4 7b7 ,members ,the task force shall-- 7#a7 be headed by a representative from the ,office2 and 7#b7 include representatives from-- 7,a7 the ,department of ,energy2 7,b7 the ,department of ,agriculture2 7,c7 the ,department of ,transportation2 and 7,d7 the ,department of the ,interior4 7c7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date on which the task force is established under subsection 7a71 the task force shall submit to ,congress a report that describes a plan-- 7#a7 to support existing regional greenhouse gas reduction programs2 7#b7 to support ,states and other entities seeking to develop regional greenhouse gas reduction programs2 and 7#c7 that addresses ,federal data gaps with respect to regional greenhouse gas reduction programs4