H.R. 3979: Leveraging Efficiency Awareness for Pumping Systems Act

This bill, titled the Leveraging Efficiency Awareness for Pumping Systems Act (LEAPS Act), aims to promote the use of energy-efficient pumping systems in agriculture. Here are the key points of the bill:

Purpose

The main goal is to enhance the efficiency of irrigation and other pumping systems utilized in farming and aquaculture by providing resources and education to farmers. This is intended to achieve cost savings, energy savings, and reductions in carbon emissions.

Key Findings

• There are over 600,000 pumping systems for irrigation in the U.S., many of which still use fossil fuels.
• Improving these systems could save approximately 22 billion kilowatt hours of energy and reduce carbon emissions by about 8.3 million metric tons annually.
• Farmers could save more than $1.8 billion a year on energy costs by using more efficient systems.
• Pumping systems are essential for both irrigation and livestock management across the nation.
• The bill recognizes the significant contributions of these systems to the aquaculture industry, emphasizing potential energy and carbon reduction benefits.
• Adopting plastic piping in these systems could substantially decrease water loss due to evaporation and seepage.

Information and Education

Within 180 days of the bill’s enactment, the Secretary of Agriculture must provide accessible information on the Department of Agriculture’s website to educate farmers about:

• Cost savings, energy savings, water conservation, and reductions in carbon emissions from using energy-efficient pumping systems.
• Types of pumps, pipes, motors, drives, and controls that can improve efficiency.
• Relevant Department of Agriculture programs that can assist in acquiring energy-efficient technologies.

Energy Efficiency Pre-Assessment Tool

The Secretary is also required to develop a user-friendly assessment tool within 180 days to help farmers evaluate their existing pumping systems' efficiency. This tool will provide:

• A preliminary assessment of current energy efficiency.
• An estimate of potential savings in energy, cost, and reductions in carbon emissions resulting from system improvements.

Education for Energy Auditors

The bill mandates the establishment of a training process for individuals performing energy audits to enhance the effectiveness of energy efficiency programs related to pumping systems.

Conservation Stewardship Program Amendment

It proposes an amendment to the Food Security Act of 1985 to include energy-efficient pumping systems in the list of activities eligible for conservation stewardship program support.

Definitions

The bill defines key terms such as:

• Secretary: Refers to the Secretary of Agriculture.
• Pumping system: Encompasses all pumps, pipes, motors, drives, and controls used to transport water and other fluids in agricultural settings.

Relevant Companies

None found.