DOE seeks input on how Department stakeholders may engage with the Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation (FESI) directly, and how the Department may engage with the FESI and the communities it will serve.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management proposed reforms to its renewable energy program, including proposals for incremental funding of decommissioning accounts; more flexible geophysical and geotechnical survey submission requirements; streamlined approval of meteorological buoys; revised project verification procedures; reform of the Bureau’s renewable energy auction process; and greater clarity regarding safety requirements.

FERC proposed to revise its existing regulations governing applications for permits to site electric transmission facilities under §216 of the Federal Power Act, as amended by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

EPA proposed applicable volumes and percentage standards for 2023 through 2025 for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel; a second supplemental standard addressing the remand of the 2016 standard-setting rulemaking; and several regulatory changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard program, including regulations governing the generation of qualifying renewable electricity and other modifications intended to improve the program's implementation.

BLM proposed new regulations to reduce the waste of natural gas from venting, flaring, and leaks during oil and gas production activities on federal and Indian leases.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation approved an exemption that would relieve federal agencies from the historic preservation review requirements under the National Historic Preservation Act regarding the effects of the installation of certain electric vehicle supply equipment on historic properties.

DOE amended its regulations on the procedures for the acquisition of petroleum products for the strategic petroleum reserve to more closely align the regulatory language with the applicable statutory language, remove outdated procedures for acquisition under the royalty-in-kind program, add procedures for acquisition by exchange to better reflect petroleum product acquisition operations as conducted by the Office of Petroleum Reserves, and increase the Department’s flexibility in structuring acquisitions.

DOE seeks comment on its Microgrid Program Strategy, which focuses on impactful results in key metrics, such as reliability, resilience, decarbonization, and affordability, in the next five to 10 years.

DOE announced the availability of its request for information on the Defense Production Act (DPA), which will inform how the DPA authority provided to DOE through presidential determinations could best be used as a tool to accelerate manufacturing and deployment of clean energy technologies to bolster national defense, tackle climate change and environmental justice, and improve employment opportunities and broader economic prosperity for Americans; the request focuses on transformers and critical electric grid components; solar photovoltaics; insulation materials; and electrolyzers, platinum group metals, and fuel cells for clean hydrogen.

DOE seeks information to enhance their ability to plan and implement strategies for improving the resilience of systems that deliver electric power, which will be used to ascertain the best available resources and approach for carrying out a technical assistance program under the Infrastructure Improvement and Jobs Act of 2021.