II 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 1495 To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to provide support on the use of industrial heat pumps, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MAY 9, 2023 Mr. WELCH (for himself and Mr. MARSHALL) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nu- trition, and Forestry A BILL To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a pro- gram to provide support on the use of industrial heat pumps, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Heat pump Energy 4 Assistance and Training Act’’ or the ‘‘HEAT Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 6 In this Act: 7 (1) INDUSTRIAL HEAT PUMP.—The term ‘‘in- 8 dustrial heat pump’’ means a vapor compression de- 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:48 May 17, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1495.IS S1495 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •S 1495 IS vice that transforms low grade production waste 1 heat by increasing the temperature of air or process 2 fluid, such as water, to meet the heating needs of 3 agricultural, industrial, or commercial processes. 4 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 5 the Secretary of Agriculture. 6 SEC. 3. INDUSTRIAL HEAT PUMP PROGRAM. 7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 8 a working group to coordinate activities carried out by the 9 Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Rural Utili- 10 ties Service, the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and 11 the National Institute of Food and Agriculture— 12 (1) to build awareness of the use of industrial 13 heat pumps; 14 (2) to create materials for and provide technical 15 support to farmers, ranchers, and rural small busi- 16 nesses relating to— 17 (A) the use of industrial heat pumps; and 18 (B) the availability of Federal programs to 19 assist in the adoption to using industrial heat 20 pumps; 21 (3) to support an improved technical under- 22 standing of the opportunities for and applications of 23 industrial heat pumps in the agricultural experiment 24 station network at land-grant colleges and univer- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:48 May 17, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1495.IS S1495 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •S 1495 IS sities, for the purpose of providing training and as- 1 sistance to State-level programs serving farmers, 2 ranchers, and rural small businesses; 3 (4) to increase knowledge of industrial heat 4 pump applications and benefits for rural utilities to 5 support applications of industrial heat pumps for 6 farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses; and 7 (5) to support education on and awareness of 8 industrial heat pump opportunities, applications, and 9 benefits among extension specialists and extension 10 agents. 11 (b) COORDINATION.—The Secretary is encouraged to 12 coordinate with the Department of Energy with respect 13 to the implementation of industrial heat pump programs. 14 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 15 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 16 such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2024 17 through 2028. 18 SEC. 4. RURAL ENERGY FOR AMERICA PROGRAM. 19 Section 9007(c)(1)(A) of the Farm Security and 20 Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107(c)(1)(A)) 21 is amended— 22 (1) in clause (i)(II), by inserting ‘‘, including to 23 purchase and install industrial heat pumps (as de- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:48 May 17, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1495.IS S1495 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •S 1495 IS fined in section 2(a) of the Heat pump Energy As- 1 sistance and Training Act)’’ before ‘‘; and’’; and 2 (2) in clause (ii), in the matter preceding sub- 3 clause (I), by striking ‘‘processing’’ and inserting 4 ‘‘processing, including industrial heat pumps (as so 5 defined),’’. 6 SEC. 5. REPORTING. 7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 8 date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 9 the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congres- 10 sional committees a report describing progress made in 11 building awareness, creating materials, and providing sup- 12 port for farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses 13 under this Act and the amendments made by this Act. 14 (b) INCLUSIONS.—The report under subsection (a) 15 shall include— 16 (1) an identification of important applications 17 of industrial heat pumps in rural markets; 18 (2) an assessment of the level of awareness of 19 industrial heat pumps by key market actors, includ- 20 ing Department of Agriculture program staff, heat 21 pump suppliers, and rural utilities; 22 (3) the number of applications to the Rural En- 23 ergy for America Program established under section 24 9007 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:48 May 17, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1495.IS S1495 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 5 •S 1495 IS Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107) and the Rural Energy 1 Savings Program established under section 6407 of 2 that Act (7 U.S.C. 8107a) for measures incor- 3 porating the installation of industrial heat pumps; 4 (4) the number of loans and grants provided 5 under the Rural Energy for America Program estab- 6 lished under section 9007 of the Farm Security and 7 Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107) and 8 the Rural Energy Savings Program established 9 under section 6407 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 8107a) for 10 measures incorporating the installation of industrial 11 heat pumps; and 12 (5) a description of the barriers to adoption of 13 industrial heat pumps in rural markets. 14 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:48 May 17, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S1495.IS S1495 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB