I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3523 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 31, 2009 Mr. Teague (for himself and Mr. Bilbray) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science and Technology A BILL To direct the Secretary of Energy to provide for the establishment of accreditation standards relating to biofuel engineering, to provide support for undergraduate and graduate degree programs that create the engineering skills necessary to support biofuel production, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Biofuel Engineering Training Act.
2.
Definition
In this Act— (1)the term biofuel engineering means the discipline concerned with utilization of harvested living plant material to produce fuels; and (2)the term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy.
3.
Study and development of standards
The Secretary shall make a grant to an appropriate standard-setting or other entity to conduct a study of, and develop appropriate standards for, accreditation of undergraduate and graduate biofuel engineering programs at institutions of higher education, and to study and the needs of the biofuel industry for engineering support. Such study shall include— (1)a determination of subspecialty requirements for engineers who will concentrate on creating other products in addition to fuel, including animal feed and other consumer products; (2)consideration of the interaction of biological feedstock with the structural material in the production and distribution systems, the carbon footprint of the production and distribution of biofuels, and related genetic challenges; and (3)supplemental courses of study that could be used by experienced engineers for transition into the new biofuel engineering discipline.
4.
Centers of Excellence for Biofuels Research and Training
(a)
Establishment
The Secretary shall establish, through the Office of Science, Centers of Excellence for Biofuels Research and Training at institutions of higher education or consortia of such institutions across the country. (b)
Selection
(1)
In general
The Secretary shall award grants for the establishment of Centers of Excellence to eligible institutions through a competitive application process. (2)
Criteria
The Secretary shall establish selection criteria for awarding grants under paragraph (1). These criteria shall require participating institutions to— (A)effectively integrate biofuels research, training, and instruction; (B)bring together the study and practice of a broad range of disciplines with relevance to biofuel engineering; (C)work with companies that are in the process of commercializing biofuels technology; and (D)work with local communities to assist with economic development and job creation in the biofuels sector. (c)
Authorization of Appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.
5.
Biofuel Engineering Graduate Fellowship Program
(a)
Definition of Eligible Student
In this section, the term eligible student means a student who attends an institution of higher education that offers a doctoral or masters degree in the biofuel engineering field. (b)
Establishment
The Secretary shall establish a graduate fellowship program for eligible students pursuing a doctoral degree in the biofuel engineering field. (c)
Selection
(1)
In general
The Secretary shall award fellowships to eligible students under this section through a competitive merit review process, involving written and oral interviews. (2)
Criteria
The Secretary shall establish selection criteria for awarding fellowships under this section that require an eligible student— (A)to pursue a field of science or engineering of importance to a mission area of the Department; (B)to demonstrate to the Secretary— (i)the capacity of the eligible student to understand technical topics relating to the fellowship that can be derived from the first principles of the technical topics; (ii)imagination and creativity; (iii)leadership skills in organizations or intellectual endeavors, demonstrated through awards and past experience; (iv)excellent verbal and communication skills to explain, defend, and demonstrate an understanding of technical subjects relating to the fellowship; and (v)an understanding of how the many disciplines relevant to biofuel engineering interact in the biofuel engineering field; and (C)to be a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States. (d)
Awards
(1)
Amount
A fellowship awarded under this section shall— (A)provide an annual living stipend; and (B)cover— (i)graduate tuition at an institution of higher education described in subsection (a); and (ii)incidental expenses associated with curricula and research at the institution of higher education (including books, computers, and software). (2)
Duration
A fellowship awarded under this section shall be for up to 3 years of study within a 5-year period. (3)
Portability
A fellowship awarded under this section shall be portable with the eligible student. (e)
Administration
The Secretary— (1)shall administer the program established under this section through the Office of Science; and (2)may enter into a contract with a nonprofit entity to administer the program, including the selection and award of fellowships. (f)
Authorization of Appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $3,500,000 for each fiscal year.
6.
Availability of Federal facilities
Agencies of the Federal Government, including national laboratories, shall make research facilities available to accredited biofuel engineering programs for faculty and students to enhance education and training opportunities.