1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited
as the Rare Earths and Critical
Materials Revitalization Act of 2011
.
(b)The table of
contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Title I—Rare Earth Materials
Sec. 101. Rare earth materials program.
Sec. 102. Rare earth materials loan guarantee
program.
Title II—National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research, and
Development
Sec. 201. Amendments to National Materials and Minerals Policy,
Research and Development Act of 1980.
Sec. 202. Repeal.
2.In this Act:
(1)Appropriate
Congressional committeesThe
term appropriate Congressional committees means the Committee on
Science and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate.
(2)The
term Department means the Department of Energy.
(3)The term rare earth materials means any of
the following chemical elements in any of their physical forms or chemical
combinations:
(A)Scandium.
(B)Yttrium.
(C)Lanthanum.
(D)Cerium.
(E)Praseodymium.
(F)Neodymium.
(G)Promethium.
(H)Samarium.
(I)Europium.
(J)Gadolinium.
(K)Terbium.
(L)Dysprosium.
(M)Holmium.
(N)Erbium.
(O)Thulium.
(P)Ytterbium.
(Q)Lutetium.
(4)The
term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy.
<enum>I</enum><header>Rare
Earth Materials</header>
<section id="H8128505BEE4A40398AC2C156B932A0FF" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>101.</enum><header>Rare earth materials
program</header>
<subsection id="H1A85C4276E1C4573810A94A0E8470788"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment of
program</header>
<paragraph id="H278BA9A651AA4AF584E5DECD80D3583D"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>There is established in the Department a program of
research, development, demonstration, and commercial application to assure the
long-term, secure, and sustainable supply of rare earth materials sufficient to
satisfy the national security, economic well-being, and industrial production
needs of the United States.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8EF3556D30654753B19CFBFD56BD7CFD"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Program
activities</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The program shall
support activities to—</text>
<subparagraph id="HE88C4A4A092A44C3A63BD98C827E3569"><enum>(A)</enum><text>better
characterize and quantify virgin stocks of rare earth materials using
theoretical geochemical research;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3CBDFCC67DE245DA8A89EAB174BCFAA0"><enum>(B)</enum><text>explore, discover,
and recover rare earth materials using advanced science and technology;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H777F79EB0CF347AFBC436DC5F47C1FA7"><enum>(C)</enum><text>improve methods
for the extraction, processing, use, recovery, and recycling of rare earth
materials;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0F6CAE8D98B04BF587574C3EBE457454"><enum>(D)</enum><text>improve the
understanding of the performance, processing, and adaptability in engineering
designs of rare earth materials;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1BDA207ADFCE47648533D2F5F686D036"><enum>(E)</enum><text>identify and test
alternative materials that can be substituted for rare earth materials in
particular applications;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HD40FDEC03D05449986FA53632F928806"><enum>(F)</enum><text>engineer and test
applications that—</text>
<clause commented="no" id="HD2706ECBA0AA4D659E6D81D68F7BAEA3"><enum>(i)</enum><text>use recycled rare
earth materials;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="H2601A0410D204056B0BA30A799BFD23C"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>use alternative
materials; or</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="H5AF39D61C4674DE2B293775E9EBA777A"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>seek to minimize
rare earth materials content;</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA79FC787865749418E1BB17353458C28"><enum>(G)</enum><text>collect,
catalogue, archive, and disseminate information on rare earth materials,
including scientific and technical data generated by the research and
development activities supported under this section, and assist scientists and
engineers in making the fullest possible use of the data holdings; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H738FF628693D42609F83D19661CD3BC9"><enum>(H)</enum><text>facilitate
information sharing and collaboration among program participants and
stakeholders.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HEEC5438808FC4E1F85B33743FE5842D8"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Improved
processes and technologies</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">To
the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall support new or
significantly improved processes and technologies as compared to those
currently in use in the rare earth materials industry.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H78933D9CF5F44792B45F9D5586017E21"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Expanding
participation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary
shall encourage—</text>
<subparagraph id="H7A6C3E0B7A704C8F8AC14BC6AC476550"><enum>(A)</enum><text>multidisciplinary
collaborations among program participants; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7DBFD76F6E8442F383748F10E11931E3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>extensive
opportunities for students at institutions of higher education, including
institutions listed under section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H005376FDB8D0463683F83CB8C41DCAC8"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Consistency</header><text>The
program shall be consistent with the policies and programs in the National
Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 (30 U.S.C.
1601 et seq.).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB012F22D189541D38EE5B71E5189E76E"><enum>(6)</enum><header>International
collaboration</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In carrying out
the program, the Secretary may collaborate, to the extent practicable, on
activities of mutual interest with the relevant agencies of foreign countries
with interests relating to rare earth materials.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H009F8D9C33D24440B5CAB5C214D49214"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Plan</header>
<paragraph id="H5276CED1154048C18CB27E81ADFDC4CD"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Within 180 days after
the date of enactment of this Act and biennially thereafter, the Secretary
shall prepare and submit to the appropriate Congressional committees a plan to
carry out the program established under
<internal-xref idref="H1A85C4276E1C4573810A94A0E8470788" legis-path="101.(a)">subsection (a)</internal-xref>.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H683447382C0D4A109FE8FC8F41666B13"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Specific
requirements</header><text>The plan shall include a description of—</text>
<subparagraph id="H5B69B05352D04EB9838036C1C7B7DB43"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the research and
development activities to be carried out by the program during the subsequent 2
years;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H328D71B69E3045D0B6868533BAF985A0"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the expected
contributions of the program to the creation of innovative methods and
technologies for the efficient and sustainable provision of rare earth
materials to the domestic economy;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H477DF664323D471C84B32CEA53449CDA"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the criteria to be
used to evaluate applications for loan guarantees under section 1706 of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H196B29E157BA471882AB3431512094DE"><enum>(D)</enum><text>any projects
receiving loan guarantee support under such section and the status of such
projects;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H278F676B0BD246699D219DC969C31A17"><enum>(E)</enum><text>how the program is
promoting the broadest possible participation by academic, industrial, and
other contributors; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2CF45E118ACD4993846AA9027ECDE089"><enum>(F)</enum><text>actions taken or
proposed that reflect recommendations from the assessment conducted under
<internal-xref idref="HA28FADFA2717461CA737737B9FC136DE" legis-path="101.(c)">subsection (c)</internal-xref> or the Secretary’s
rationale for not taking action pursuant to any recommendation from such
assessment for plans submitted following the completion of the assessment under
such subsection.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H5EB7B46A42D049A491B82388570D21E2"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Consultation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In preparing each plan under
<internal-xref idref="H5276CED1154048C18CB27E81ADFDC4CD" legis-path="101.(c)(1)">paragraph (1)</internal-xref>, the Secretary shall
consult with appropriate representatives of industry, institutions of higher
education, Department of Energy national laboratories, professional and
technical societies, and other entities, as determined by the Secretary.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA28FADFA2717461CA737737B9FC136DE"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Assessment</header>
<paragraph id="HC8F6E97A8CC042179D3748BA9EB8E7F8"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">After the program has
been in operation for 4 years, the Secretary shall offer to enter into a
contract with the National Academy of Sciences under which the National Academy
shall conduct an assessment of the program under subsection (a).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8027CA6E49744662AAD5CB2EBFF7CAE5"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Inclusions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The assessment shall include the
recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences that the program should
be—</text>
<subparagraph id="HE63DD7679EDE41CFAD9FECCB2312CBBB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>continued,
accompanied by a description of any improvements needed in the program;
or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB99420C351E941FAB62CA2279D6263DF"><enum>(B)</enum><text>terminated,
accompanied by a description of the lessons learned from the execution of the
program.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H634F24626C13499C87D1FB656A9FC5B4"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Availability</header><text>The
assessment shall be made available to Congress and the public upon
completion.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H7F919FBCBB9B48549580AB8EC5DF37EB"><enum>102.</enum><header>Rare earth
materials loan guarantee program</header>
<subsection id="HA22E094C76D14970BBE1791F61F90D5C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005
(42 U.S.C. 16511 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE07802A252D74C0B9D0061E84C6921CA" style="OLC">
<section id="H5F85D3CB3E474446BA555CB036281440"><enum>1706.</enum><header>Temporary
program for rare earth materials revitalization</header>
<subsection id="H6C0495AB020845A1AF0A3A661E990439"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">As part of the
program established in section 101 of the <short-title>Rare Earths and Critical Materials Revitalization Act of
2011</short-title>, the Secretary is authorized, only to the extent provided in
advance in a subsequent appropriations act, to make guarantees under this title
for the commercial application of new or significantly improved technologies
(compared to technologies currently in use in the United States at the time the
guarantee is issued) for the following categories of projects:</text>
<paragraph id="H3C7F153EE112491AA50245D787D39348"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The separation and recovery of rare earth
materials from ores or other sources.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H722302DD2269468DACE0D51855479FA1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The preparation of
rare earth materials in oxide, metal, alloy, or other forms needed for national
security, economic well-being, or industrial production purposes.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6CE4374914434A8D8FFB5B24427F8DD8"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The application of rare earth materials in
the production of improved—</text>
<subparagraph id="HBF7774FA1D8848F2B92BD4EDDFEEB8D3"><enum>(A)</enum><text>magnets;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2038FFD927FD4CA2813232FA1E968E82"><enum>(B)</enum><text>batteries;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7316C846F5F041BE82C4A1B72777194B"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">refrigeration systems;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBA25FE77798A46B09AAD6E1CF645F7B5"><enum>(D)</enum><text>optical
systems;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0F4E1125AFAC42C7B79AF8345BA198D4"><enum>(E)</enum><text>electronics;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7557453C118043F0BB12FFD86F5AD514"><enum>(F)</enum><text>catalysis.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H01C802A28A95498E86908EED87A1FF90"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The application of
rare earth materials in other uses, as determined by the Secretary.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H07C03D46170546859C787F5772CB1EE3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Timeliness</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary shall seek to minimize delay
in approving loan guarantee applications, consistent with appropriate
protection of taxpayer interests.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HCDE79E1C09BC49A89004192E10538F6A"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Cooperation</header><text>To
the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall cooperate with appropriate
private sector participants to achieve a complete rare earth materials
production capability in the United States within 5 years after the date of
enactment of the <short-title>Rare Earths and Critical
Materials Revitalization Act of 2011</short-title>.</text>
</subsection><subsection display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6CE3A76B04B94F26BD4374CAAF777556"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Domestic supply
chain</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In support of the
objective in subsection (c) to achieve a rare earth materials production
capability in the United States that includes the complete value chain
described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (a), the Secretary may
not award a guarantee for a project unless the project’s proponent provides to
the Secretary an assurance that the loan or guarantee shall be used to support
the separation, recovery, preparation, or manufacturing of rare earth materials
in the United States for customers within the United States unless insufficient
domestic demand for such materials results in excess capacity.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H919F59B9088446418EC776A337115BD6"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Sunset</header><text>The
authority to enter into guarantees under this section shall expire on September
30,
2016.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="HDECDF680ED164CB9AC56755C64357CCC"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Table of
contents amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The table
of contents of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 1705 the following new item:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H38EE1D9D063848CAB5FB1B9BD0E2FE7C" style="OLC">
<toc regeneration="no-regeneration">
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 1706. Temporary program for rare
earth materials
revitalization.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>National
Materials and Minerals Policy, Research, and Development</header>
<section id="H94EF5C28065144028929DA4E08E4EB13"><enum>201.</enum><header>Amendments to
National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of
1980</header>
<subsection id="H69928DF8BCDD45A3B2BEA8556DD834B1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Program
Plan</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 5 of the
National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980
(30 U.S.C. 1604) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H3E19755689AA49F2A2A14280A22F5F2C"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>date of enactment of
this Act</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>date of enactment
of the <short-title>Rare Earths and Critical Materials
Revitalization Act of 2011</short-title></quote>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H33154B9E2E164BE3BB99A0C2A701FCE6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (b),
by striking <quote>Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and
Technology</quote> and inserting <quote>National Science and Technology
Council,</quote>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HFF0D76EFA0A849E3AA694F07B30048FF"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subsection
(c)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H165DBC5A2EEC438696773CB3220918D2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>the Federal Emergency</quote> and all that follows through
<quote>Agency, and</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0C4DC4E3D868477E89FFF2D07D91503C"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>appropriate shall</quote> and inserting <quote>appropriate,
shall</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC42F1E4870F444B8B69286677051B8EC"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by striking
paragraph (1);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA9CF547AF3914F90AB2B2FCB78F2DC57"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (2), by striking <quote>in the
case</quote> and all that follows through <quote>subsection,</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE7A253F7958A4CF88C700CF1ABA5BBF4"><enum>(E)</enum><text>by redesignating
paragraph (2) as paragraph (1); and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H66C92DF9E0D64FA18664870D3D563BAA"><enum>(F)</enum><text>by amending
paragraph (3) to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCACA183367024E8FBFCAAC98D56F39EF" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="HC56C7AB1702B4D55B11D716645CF1334"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">assess the adequacy, accessibility, and
stability of the supply of materials necessary to maintain national security,
economic well-being, and industrial
production.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HCFBD2DAEEA1641C7B99052A87030D06C"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by striking
subsections (d) and (e); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H84FC36D5CADA4DA2BD249E2BA9F2E73C"><enum>(5)</enum><text>by redesignating
subsection (f) as subsection (d).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H68824BD98B6947ABACEEBD093C4AB2B2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Policy</header><text>Section
3 of such Act (30 U.S.C. 1602) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="HA28A61207407443B85FF8DB2EA022A72"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>The Congress declares that it</quote> and inserting <quote>It</quote>;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF31EBB7031464A18BA51AEB02F28D4E8"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>The Congress further declares that implementation</quote> and inserting
<quote>Implementation</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HD09DE7375A0D4D5FBBD41553366E9977"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Implementation</header><text>Section
4 of such Act (30 U.S.C. 1603) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H7E93C815805542068D26BDC8F4E48C4B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>For the purpose</quote> and all that follows through <quote>declares
that the</quote> and inserting <quote>The</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA0CA47B64BA6434082E47E1E57220142"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>departments and
agencies,</quote> and inserting <quote>departments and agencies to implement
the policies set forth in section 3</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H82125C0F64954A4CBC192B1C5F6EC4F9"><enum>202.</enum><header>Repeal</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Title II of Public Law 98–373 (30 U.S.C.
1801 et seq.; 98 Stat. 1248), also known as the National Critical Materials Act
of 1984, is repealed.</text>
</section>