[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1753 Engrossed Amendment Senate (EAS)]

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

                  In the Senate of the United States,

                                                     November 19, 1999.
    Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R. 
1753) entitled ``An Act to promote the research, identification, 
assessment, exploration, and development of gas hydrate resources, and 
for other purposes.'', do pass with the following

                              AMENDMENTS:

            Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Methane Hydrate Research and 
Development Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Contract.--The term ``contract'' means a procurement 
        contract within the meaning of section 6303 of title 31, United 
        States Code.
            (2) Cooperative agreement.--The term ``cooperative 
        agreement'' means a cooperative agreement within the meaning of 
        section 6305 of title 31, United States Code.
            (3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the National Science Foundation.
            (4) Grant.--The term ``grant'' means a grant awarded under 
        a grant agreement, within the meaning of section 6304 of title 
        31, United States Code.
            (5) Industrial enterprise.--The term ``industrial 
        enterprise'' means a private, nongovernmental enterprise 
        incorporated under Federal or State law that has an expertise 
        or capability that relates to methane hydrate research and 
        development.
            (6) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' means an institution of 
        higher education, within the meaning of section 102(a)(1) of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(a)(1)).
            (7) Methane hydrate.--The term ``methane hydrate'' means--
                    (A) a methane clathrate that is in the form of a 
                methane-water ice-like crystalline material and is 
                stable and occurs naturally in deep-ocean and 
                permafrost areas, and
                    (B) other natural gas hydrates found in association 
                with deep-ocean and permafrost deposits of methane 
                hydrate.
            (8) Secretary of energy.--The term ``Secretary of Energy'' 
        means the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Assistant 
        Secretary for Fossil Energy.
            (9) Secretary of commerce.--The term ``Secretary of 
        Commerce'' means the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.
            (10) Secretary of defense.--The term ``Secretary of 
        Defense'' means the Secretary of Defense, acting through the 
        Secretary of the Navy.
            (11) Secretary of the interior.--The term ``Secretary of 
        the Interior'' means the Secretary of the Interior, acting 
        through the Director of the United States Geological Survey and 
        the Director of the Minerals Management Service.

SEC. 3. METHANE HYDRATE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Commencement of program.--Not later than 180 days after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy, in 
        collaboration with the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of 
        Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Director, shall 
        commence a program of methane hydrate research and development 
        in accordance with subsection (b).
            (2) Designations.--The Secretary of Energy, the Secretary 
        of Commerce, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the 
        Interior, and the Director shall designate individuals to carry 
        out this section.
            (3) Coordination.--The individual designated by the 
        Secretary of Energy shall coordinate all activities within the 
        Department of Energy relating to methane hydrate research and 
        development.
            (4) Meetings.--The individuals designated under paragraph 
        (2) shall meet not later than 270 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than every 120 
        days thereafter to--
                    (A) review the progress of the program under 
                paragraph (1); and
                    (B) make recommendations on future activities to 
                occur subsequent to the meeting.
    (b) Grants, Contracts, and Cooperative Agreements.--
            (1) Assistance and coordination.--In carrying out the 
        program of methane hydrate research and development authorized 
        by this subsection the Secretary of Energy may award grants or 
        contracts to, or enter into cooperative agreements with, 
        institutions of higher education and industrial enterprises 
        to--
                    (A) conduct basic and applied research to identify, 
                explore, assess, and develop methane hydrate as a 
                source of energy;
                    (B) assist in developing technologies required for 
                efficient and environmentally sound development of 
                methane hydrate resources;
                    (C) undertake research programs to provide safe 
                means of transport and storage of methane produced from 
                gas methane hydrates;
                    (D) promote education and training in methane 
                hydrate resource research and resource development;
                    (E) conduct basic and applied research to assess 
                and mitigate the environmental impacts of hydrate 
                degassing (including both natural degassing and 
                degassing associated with commercial development);
                    (F) develop technologies to reduce the risks of 
                drilling through methane hydrates; and
                    (G) conduct exploratory drilling in support of the 
                activities authorized by this paragraph.
            (2) Competitive merit-based review.--Funds made available 
        under paragraph (1) shall be made available based on a 
        competitive merit-based process.
            (3) Consultation.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary of Energy shall 
                establish an advisory panel consisting of experts from 
                industry, institutions of higher education, and Federal 
                agencies to--
                            (i) advise the Secretary of Energy on 
                        potential applications of methane hydrate;
                            (ii) assist in developing recommendations 
                        and priorities for the methane hydrate research 
                        and development program carried out under 
                        subsection (a)(1); and
                            (iii) not later than 2 years after the date 
                        of enactment of this Act, and at such later 
                        dates as the panel considers advisable, submit 
                        to Congress a report on the anticipated impact 
                        on global climate change from--
                                    (I) methane hydrate formation;
                                    (II) methane hydrate degassing 
                                (including natural degassing and 
                                degassing associated with commercial 
                                development); and
                                    (III) the consumption of natural 
                                gas produced from methane hydrates.
                    (B) Membership.--Not more than twenty-five percent 
                of the individuals serving on the advisory panel shall 
                be Federal employees.
    (c) Limitations.--
            (1) Administrative expenses.--Not more than 5 percent of 
        the amount made available to carry out this section for a 
        fiscal year may be used by the Secretary of Energy for expenses 
        associated with the administration of the program carried out 
        under subsection (a)(1).
            (2) Construction costs.--None of the funds made available 
        to carry out this section may be used for the construction of a 
        new building or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or 
        alteration of an existing building (including site grading and 
        improvement and architect fees).
    (d) Responsibilities of the Secretary of Energy.--In carrying out 
subsection (b)(1), the Secretary of Energy shall--
            (1) facilitate and develop partnerships among government, 
        industry, and institutions of higher education to research, 
        identify, assess, and explore methane hydrate resources;
            (2) undertake programs to develop basic information 
        necessary for promoting long-term interest in methane hydrate 
        resources as an energy source;
            (3) ensure that the data and information developed through 
        the program are accessible and widely disseminated as needed 
        and appropriate;
            (4) promote cooperation among agencies that are developing 
        technologies that may hold promise for methane hydrate resource 
        development; and
            (5) report annually to Congress on accomplishments under 
        this section.

SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO THE MINING AND MINERALS POLICY ACT OF 1970.

    Section 201 of the Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970 (30 
U.S.C. 1901) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (6)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as 
                subparagraph (H); and
                    (C) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the 
                following:
                    ``(G) for purposes of this section and sections 202 
                through 205 only, methane hydrate; and''.
            (2) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8); and
            (3) by inserting after paragraph 6 the following:
            ``(7) the term ``methane hydrate'' means--
                    ``(A) a methane clathrate that is in the form of a 
                methane-water ice-like crystalline material and is 
                stable and occurs naturally in deep-ocean and 
                permafrost areas; and
                    ``(B) other natural gas hydrates found in 
                association with deep-ocean and permafrost deposits of 
                methane hydrate.''.

SEC. 5. REPORTS AND STUDIES.

    The Secretary of Energy shall simultaneously provide to the 
Committee on Science and the Committee on Resources of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the Senate copies of any report or study that the Department of Energy 
prepares pursuant to this Act.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy 
to carry out this Act--
            (1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2000;
            (2) $7,500,000 for fiscal year 2001;
            (3) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;
            (4) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
            (5) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; and
            (6) therafter such sums as are necessary.
Amounts authorized under this section shall remain available until 
expended.

            Amend the title so as to read: ``An Act to promote the 
        research, identification, assessment, exploration, and 
        development of methane hydrate resources, and for other 
        purposes.''.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
106th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 1753

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                               AMENDMENTS