[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7722 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7722

 To establish the Integrated Blue Economy and Blue Energy Technologies 
 Program, and a Blue Economy Center of Excellence, to support research 
              and development of blue energy technologies.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 19, 2024

  Mr. Kilmer (for himself and Mr. Newhouse) introduced the following 
   bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
                               Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish the Integrated Blue Economy and Blue Energy Technologies 
 Program, and a Blue Economy Center of Excellence, to support research 
              and development of blue energy technologies.

    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 ``Blue Ocean Energy Innovation Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. INTEGRATED BLUE ECONOMY AND BLUE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish and carry 
out a program, to be known as the ``Integrated Blue Economy and Blue 
Energy Technologies Program'', under which the Secretary of Energy 
shall provide funding for research and development of blue energy 
technologies for purposes of--
            (1) decarbonizing activities that contribute to the blue 
        economy, including--
                    (A) improving port and other maritime 
                transportation infrastructure;
                    (B) producing algae for use as a biofuel, and for 
                other applications; and
                    (C) operating ocean- and water-based tourism 
                industries;
            (2) increasing blue energy technology generation capacity 
        while reducing the cost to produce such energy;
            (3) improving performance of blue energy technologies;
            (4) capturing, removing, and sequestering greenhouse gases, 
        including carbon dioxide and methane;
            (5) developing new blue energy technology market 
        opportunities;
            (6) promoting job creation in the blue economy and blue 
        energy technology sectors;
            (7) supporting the development of a skilled, diverse, and 
        inclusive blue economy workforce;
            (8) remediating and improving coastal and aquatic 
        ecosystems;
            (9) addressing technical and development challenges that 
        are unique to operating in marine and freshwater environments, 
        including by--
                    (A) developing tools, sensors, and models to 
                advance scientific understanding of metocean, 
                geotechnical, geophysical, and biological conditions in 
                marine and freshwater environments applicable to blue 
                energy technologies;
                    (B) advancing social science related to community 
                and industry engagement to inform future development;
                    (C) conducting feasibility analyses for energy 
                storage and microgrid deployments;
                    (D) planning for power transmission and 
                distribution;
                    (E) advancing technologies for anchoring and 
                mooring systems;
                    (F) addressing challenges of integrating with the 
                bulk-power system, especially in deep water 
                environments;
                    (G) deploying energy storage and charging 
                infrastructure; and
                    (H) developing advanced materials capable of 
                enduring harsh environmental conditions; and
            (10) supporting any other activities as identified by the 
        Secretary.
    (b) Crosscut Budget.--In carrying out the Integrated Blue Economy 
and Blue Energy Technologies Program, the Secretary of Energy shall 
prepare a crosscut budget based on the research and development 
activities conducted by relevant Department of Energy offices, 
including the following:
            (1) The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
            (2) The Office of Science.
            (3) The Office of Electricity.
            (4) The Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and 
        Emergency Response.
            (5) The Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy.
            (6) The Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
            (7) The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
        such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section for 
        each of fiscal years 2024 through 2034.
            (2) Supplement and not supplant.--The amounts authorized to 
        be appropriated under this subsection shall supplement, and not 
        supplant, any other amounts made available to the Department of 
        Energy.

SEC. 3. BLUE ECONOMY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish a Blue 
Economy Center of Excellence to support the Integrated Blue Economy and 
Blue Energy Technologies Program established in section 2.
    (b) Location.--The Blue Economy Center of Excellence shall be co-
located at an existing National Laboratory that--
            (1) is working to develop blue energy technologies;
            (2) hosts a blue energy technology research and development 
        program;
            (3) is able to investigate and resolve environmental and 
        policy-related questions associated with the generation of blue 
        energy technology; and
            (4) has direct access to natural ocean-based resources and 
        test sites.
    (c) Facilities.--The Secretary of Energy may construct new 
facilities or expand and upgrade existing facilities to establish the 
Blue Economy Center of Excellence under subsection (a).
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section 
and such amount is authorized to remain available until expended.

SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION, REPORTING, AND OVERSIGHT.

    (a) Coordination.--In carrying out this Act, the Secretary of 
Energy shall coordinate with--
            (1) other Federal agencies that share mission objectives 
        with the Integrated Blue Economy and Blue Energy Technologies 
        Program, including the Maritime Administration of the 
        Department of Transportation, the National Science Foundation, 
        the Economic Development Administration of the Department of 
        Commerce, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the National 
        Marine Fisheries Service, the United States Army Corps of 
        Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration, and the National Institute of 
        Standards and Technology; and
            (2) State and Tribal government agencies, institutions of 
        higher education, nonprofit research institutions, and National 
        Laboratories.
    (b) Annual Budget Materials.--The Secretary of Energy shall include 
in the Department of Energy's annual budget materials submitted to the 
Office of Management and Budget pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, 
United States Code, a report on--
            (1) with respect to the fiscal year preceding the fiscal 
        year for which such budget materials are submitted, the amount 
        of funds obligated and expended for research and development of 
        blue energy technologies across all line offices and programs 
        of the Department of Energy; and
            (2) the projected expenditures necessary to fill any gaps 
        in funding for research and development of blue energy 
        technologies across all line offices and programs of the 
        Department of Energy.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Blue economy.--The term ``blue economy'' means the 
        sustainable use of ocean and aquatic resources to grow the 
        economy, improve livelihoods, and create jobs in a manner that 
        preserves the health of ocean and aquatic ecosystems.
            (2) Blue energy technology.--The term ``blue energy 
        technology'' means any technology that--
                    (A)(i) derives or generates energy from a renewable 
                energy resource; or
                    (ii) captures, removes, and sequesters greenhouse 
                gases; and
                    (B) is located in an aquatic environment.
            (3) Bulk-power system.--The term ``bulk-power system'' has 
        the meaning given such term in section 215(a) of the Federal 
        Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824o(a)).
            (4) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 2 of the Energy 
        Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
            (5) Renewable energy resource.--The term ``renewable energy 
        resource'' has the meaning given such term in section 403 of 
        the Energy Security Act (42 U.S.C. 7372).
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