[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3598 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3598

    To ensure consideration of water intensity in the Department of 
 Energy's energy research, development, and demonstration programs to 
help guarantee efficient, reliable, and sustainable delivery of energy 
                          and water resources.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 17, 2009

   Mr. Gordon of Tennessee introduced the following bill; which was 
          referred to the Committee on Science and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To ensure consideration of water intensity in the Department of 
 Energy's energy research, development, and demonstration programs to 
help guarantee efficient, reliable, and sustainable delivery of energy 
                          and water resources.

    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 ``Energy and Water Research 
Integration Act''.

SEC. 2. INTEGRATING ENERGY AND WATER RESEARCH.

    (a) In General.--In carrying out each of the energy research, 
development, and demonstration programs of the Department of Energy, 
the Secretary of Energy shall--
            (1) seek to advance energy and energy efficiency 
        technologies and practices that would--
                    (A) minimize freshwater withdrawal and consumption;
                    (B) increase water use efficiency; and
                    (C) utilize nontraditional water sources with 
                efforts to improve the quality of that water;
            (2) consider the effects climate change may have on water 
        supplies and quality for energy generation and fuel production; 
        and
            (3) improve understanding of the energy required to provide 
        water supplies and the water required to provide reliable 
        energy supplies throughout the United States.
    (b) Specific Considerations.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall incorporate, as appropriate--
            (1) new advanced cooling technologies for energy generation 
        and fuel production technologies;
            (2) performance improvement of existing cooling 
        technologies and cost reductions associated with using those 
        technologies;
            (3) innovative water reuse, recovery, and treatment in 
        energy generation and fuel production;
            (4) efficient water use design strategies and technology 
        development for carbon capture and storage systems;
            (5) technologies that are life-cycle cost effective;
            (6) systems analysis and modeling of issues relating to the 
        energy required to provide water supplies and the water 
        required to provide reliable energy supplies throughout the 
        United States;
            (7) technologies to treat and utilize produced waters 
        discharged from oil, coalbed methane, and mining activities;
            (8) advanced materials for the use of nontraditional water 
        sources for energy generation and fuel production;
            (9) biomass production and the impact on hydrologic flow; 
        and
            (10) reduction of water resource impacts of fossil fuel 
        resource development.
    (c) Interagency Collaboration.--In carrying out the energy 
research, development, and demonstration programs of the Department of 
Energy in accordance with this section, the Secretary shall, where 
appropriate, work collaboratively with other Federal agencies operating 
programs related and relevant to such programs.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Energy for carrying out this section 
$60,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2015.

SEC. 3. ENERGY-WATER ARCHITECTURE COUNCIL.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy, in coordination with 
other relevant Federal agencies, shall establish an Energy-Water 
Architecture Council to promote and enable improved energy and water 
resource data collection, reporting, and technological innovation. The 
Council shall consist of--
            (1) representation from each Federal agency that conducts 
        research related to energy and water resource data; and
            (2) non-Federal members, including representatives of 
        research and academic institutions and industry, who have 
        expertise in research, development, demonstration, and 
        technology transfer relating to the energy required to provide 
        water supplies and the water required to provide reliable 
        energy supplies throughout the United States.
    (b) Functions.--The Council shall--
            (1) develop and adopt data collection and data 
        communication standards and protocols for the energy required 
        to provide water supplies and the water required to provide 
        reliable energy supplies throughout the United States;
            (2) make improvements to Federal water use data to increase 
        understanding of trends in power plant water use;
            (3) integrate existing monitoring networks to provide 
        nationally uniform water and energy use and infrastructure 
        data; and
            (4) conduct an annual technical workshop to facilitate 
        information exchange among Federal, State, and private sector 
        experts on technologies that encourage the conservation and 
        efficient use of water and energy.
    (c) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and at least once every 2 years thereafter, the Council, 
through the Secretary of Energy, shall transmit to the Congress a 
report on its findings and activities under this section.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Energy for carrying out this section 
$5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2015.
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