US Senate Passes Bipartisan Energy Bill

The first broad energy bill passed in nearly a decade was passed by the Senate yesterday with an 85-12 vote margin. The Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016, S. 2012, responds to major changes to the energy landscape spurred by the growth in renewable energy and domestic natural gas and oil production. The bill includes provisions to bolster the electric grid to accommodate renewable energy, promote energy storage technology, improve cybersecurity, and streamline and accelerate the permitting process for LNG exports. It also addresses building code development to promote energy efficiency and reauthorizes the half-billion-dollar Land and Water Conservation Fund that protects parks and other public lands.