[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 330 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 330

 To promote the research, identification, assessment, exploration, and 
   development of methane hydrate resources, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 28, 1999

  Mr. Akaka (for himself, Mr. Lott, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Craig, and Mr. 
    Graham) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To promote the research, identification, assessment, exploration, and 
   development of methane hydrate resources, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

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) Grant.--The term ``grant'' means a grant awarded under 
        a grant agreement, within the meaning of section 6304 of title 
        31, United States Code.
            (4) 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.
            (5) Methane hydrate.--The term ``methane hydrate'' means a 
        methane clathrate that--
                    (A) is in the form of a methane-water ice-like 
                crystalline material; and
                    (B) is stable and occurs naturally in deep-ocean 
                and permafrost areas.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.
            (7) Secretary of defense.--The term ``Secretary of 
        Defense'' means the Secretary of Defense, acting through the 
        Secretary of the Navy.
            (8) 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.
            (9) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the National Science Foundation.

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, in 
        consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of 
        the Interior, and the Director, shall commence a program of 
        methane hydrate research and development.
            (2) Designations.--The Secretary, the Secretary of Defense, 
        the Secretary of the Interior, and the Director shall designate 
        individuals to carry out this section.
            (3) Meetings.--The individuals designated under paragraph 
        (2) shall meet not later than 120 days after the date on which 
        all such individuals are designated 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.--The Secretary 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 
                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); and
                    (F) develop technologies to reduce the risks of 
                drilling through methane hydrates.
            (2) Consultation.--The Secretary may establish an advisory 
        panel consisting of experts from industry, institutions of 
        higher education, and Federal agencies to--
                    (A) advise the Secretary on potential applications 
                of methane hydrate; and
                    (B) assist in developing recommendations and 
                priorities for the methane hydrate research and 
                development program carried out under subsection 
                (a)(1).
    (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 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.--In carrying out subsection 
(b)(1), the Secretary 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. AMENDMENT 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) by redesignating paragraphs (6) and (7) as paragraphs 
        (7) and (8), respectively;
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
            ``(6) The term `methane hydrate' means a methane clathrate 
        that--
                    ``(A) is in the form of a methane-water ice-like 
                crystalline material; and
                    ``(B) is stable and occurs naturally in deep-ocean 
                and permafrost areas.''; and
            (3) in paragraph (7) (as redesignated by paragraph (1))--
                    (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) methane hydrate; and''.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
to carry out this Act.
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