§16493 National Priority Project Designation

Summary

Creates a yearly award called the National Priority Project Designation. The award is shown by a medal that says "National Priority Project," and the President decides how the medal looks and any extra wording. Each year the President, using the Secretary’s recommendations and only for projects the Secretary has certified, picks organizations in four categories: wind/biomass, photovoltaic/fuel cell, energy-efficient buildings with renewables, and First‑in‑Class projects. Winners may advertise that they are a National Priority Project. To qualify, projects must meet size and performance rules. Wind, biomass, and building projects must add at least 30 megawatts of renewable capacity. Solar photovoltaic and fuel cell projects must add at least 3 megawatts. Energy-efficient building projects must also meet third-party green building standards, use integrated energy-efficiency designs and controls, get at least 50 percent of their energy from renewables, meet applicable Energy Star rules, and include at least 5,000,000 square feet of enclosed space. A new building can qualify if the Secretary finds it is a First‑in‑Class use or creates a new model for integrating renewables. The Secretary must publish application rules no later than 120 days after August 8, 2005, and yearly after that, certify projects within 60 days after each application period, assign staff to help certified projects, and work to share federal lab and program resources. Money may be appropriated as needed for fiscal years 2006 through 2010.