This is a list of statutes enacted by the United States Congress pertaining to the energy industry.
Year Title Summary 1920Federal Water Power Act Created Federal Power Commission to coordinate federal hydroelectric projects. 1935Federal Power Act Put electricity sale and transportation regulation under Federal Power Commission. 1935Public Utility Holding Company Act Regulated size of electric utilities, limiting each to a specific geographic area. (repealed in 2005) 1936Rural Electrification Act Funded electric cooperatives to bring electricity to underserved rural areas. 1938Natural Gas Act Gas pipelines regulated under Federal Power Commission. 1946Atomic Energy Act Put development of nuclear weapons and power under civilian control (instead of military). 1954Atomic Energy Act Opened way for civilian nuclear power program.1974Solar Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Act of 1974 Created the Solar Energy Coordination and Management Project. Created the Solar Energy Research Institute (the predecessor to NREL). 1975Energy Policy and Conservation Act Created Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Established first automobile fuel economy standards. Banned crude oil exports (repealed in 2015). 1977Department of Energy Organization Act Created Federal Department of Energy (DOE). 1978National Energy Act, incorporating:
National Energy Conservation Policy Act Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act Energy Tax Act Natural Gas Policy Act Encouraged conservation efforts in homes, schools, and other public buildings. Restricted new power plants using oil or natural gas (repealed in 1987). Opened electric markets to alternative power producers. Taxed "gas guzzlers", gave income tax credits for alternative fuel use. Phased deregulation of gas wellhead prices. 1978Solar Photovoltaic Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1978 Accelerated solar power generation technologies. 1980Energy Security Act, incorporating:Energy Security Act (1980; 96th Congress S. 932) - GovTrack.us
U.S. Synthetic Fuels Corporation Act Biomass Energy and Alcohol Fuels Act Renewable Energy Resources Act Solar Energy and Energy Conservation Act Geothermal Energy Act Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act Created Synthetic Fuels Corporation to market fossil fuel alternatives. Provided loan guarantees for biofuels and alcohol fuels projects. Revised the Defense Production Act of 1950 to allow federal improvements to energy supply. Created financing regulations for solar, geothermal, and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) energy. 1982Nuclear Waste Policy Act First comprehensive nuclear waste legislation.1989Natural Gas Wellhead Decontrol Act of 1989 Amends the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 to declare that the price guidelines for the first sale of natural gas. 1992Energy Policy Act Required alternative fuel vehicle use in some private/government fleets. Mandated energy efficiency standards for buildings, lights, and appliances. Created a cost-sharing program for turbine efficiency research. Exempted a new category of power generator, the "wholesale generator", from federal regulation. 2005Energy Policy Act Provided tax incentives for conservation and use of alternative fuels. Repealed the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, allowing more corporate concentration for utilities. Gave FERC "backstop siting authority" for interstate transmission lines in case a state deferred approval. 2007Energy Independence and Security Act, incorporating:
America COMPETES ActFact Sheet: America Competes Act of 2007, White House, August 2007 Increased fuel economy requirements. Phased out incandescent light bulbs. Encouraged biofuel development. Created ARPA-E. 2008Public Law 110-343,WashingtonWatch.com - H.R. 6049, The Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008 incorporating:
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008 Promoted biofuels. Created tax incentives for electric vehicles. Extended and modified renewable energy tax incentives and defined electricity as a clean fuel. 2009American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Provided funding for an electric smart grid. Created and modified renewable energy tax cuts. Weatherized modest-income homes. Incentivized federal building energy efficiency. Funded development of carbon capture and storage, electric vehicle battery manufacturing, and biofuel and fossil fuel research. Reduced the nation's nuclear footprint by nearly 70 percent. 2009Defense Production Act Reauthorization Modified the Defense Production Act to promote renewables and the smart grid. 2015Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Extended renewable energy tax cuts. Lifted crude oil export ban. 2020Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, incorporating:
Energy Act of 2020 Incentivized federal building energy efficiency. Funded development of carbon capture and storage and fossil fuel research. Weatherized modest- and low-income homes. Promoted water efficiency and grid battery storage. 2021Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Expanded funding for DOE research and development into carbon capture and storage, hydrogen economy tech, battery recycling, and grid battery storage. Promoted smart grid deployment and resiliency, and workforce development. Extended tax breaks to nuclear power industry. Confirmed FERC's backstop siting authority under the EPAct of 2005. Created ARPA-I. 2022CHIPS and Science Act Expanded funding for DOE research, development and national security initiatives.2022Inflation Reduction Act Provided funding for a smart grid and forgave debts held by utility cooperatives. Extended and modified renewable energy tax cuts. Weatherized low-income homes. Provided tax incentives for electric vehicles and new appliances. Prioritized oil exploration ahead of renewables for federal land leases.2025One Big Beautiful Bill Act Provided a tax exemption for domestic oil companies from the IRA's corporate tax provisions. Repealed or phased down many of the IRA's tax incentives.
See also List of United States federal environmental statutes Fossil fuel regulations in the United States
References
External links Department of Energy timeline GovEnergy Workshop and Trade Show