[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8779 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8779

    To amend the Water Resources Development Act of 2018 to require 
projects in the Caloosahatchee River watershed, the St. Lucie River and 
estuary basin, and the Lake Okeechobee watershed that mitigate harmful 
 algal blooms and nutrient pollution by removing algae and converting 
        the algae biomass into biofuel, and for other purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 18, 2024

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Water Resources Development Act of 2018 to require 
projects in the Caloosahatchee River watershed, the St. Lucie River and 
estuary basin, and the Lake Okeechobee watershed that mitigate harmful 
 algal blooms and nutrient pollution by removing algae and converting 
        the algae biomass into biofuel, 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 ``Convert Harmful Algal Blooms to Fuel 
Act'' or the ``Convert HABs to Fuel Act''.

SEC. 2. HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT.

    Section 1109 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2018 (36 
U.S.C. 610 note) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``demonstration'' 
        and inserting ``development'';
            (2) in subsection (a), by striking ``a 5-year harmful algal 
        bloom technology development demonstration program'' and 
        inserting ``a harmful algal bloom technology development 
        program'';
            (3) in subsection (b), by striking ``demonstration''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Specific Projects Required.--
            ``(1) Projects.--In carrying out the harmful algal bloom 
        technology development program under this section, the 
        Secretary shall carry out projects in the Caloosahatchee River 
        watershed, the St. Lucie River and estuary basin, and the Lake 
        Okeechobee watershed (as such watershed is described by the 
        South Florida Water Management District for purposes of the 
        Lake Okeechobee Watershed Construction Project 2020 update) 
        that utilize previously demonstrated technologies that are 
        capable of mitigating harmful algal blooms and nutrient 
        pollution by harvesting algae and converting the retrieved 
        algae biomass into renewable biofuel.
            ``(2) Technologies.--In carrying out projects under this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall utilize technologies that have 
        been previously demonstrated as effective through research 
        carried out under this section.
            ``(3) Consultation.--In carrying out projects under this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall consult with relevant Federal, 
        State, and local agencies, institutions of higher education, 
        and private organizations, including nonprofit organizations.
            ``(4) Selection of specific locations.--Not later than 90 
        days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the 
        Secretary, in collaboration with the entities described in 
        paragraph (3), shall select specific locations within the 
        Caloosahatchee River watershed, the St. Lucie River and estuary 
        basin, and the Lake Okeechobee watershed at which to carry out 
        projects under this subsection.
            ``(5) Coordination.--In carrying out projects under this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall coordinate with the Secretary 
        of Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
        Agency on the use of algae biomass derived from the projects 
        that may be combined with other wet waste material, such as 
        municipal biosolids, to support the scaling up of biofuel 
        projects and the renewable energy activities of the Office of 
        Energy, Efficiency, and Renewable Energy of the Department of 
        Energy.
            ``(6) Collaboration.--In carrying out projects under this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall collaborate with relevant 
        Federal, State, and local agencies and private organizations to 
        the maximum extent practicable.
            ``(7) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public 
        Works of the Senate a report containing the results of the 
        projects carried out under this subsection, including--
                    ``(A) a determination of whether it is feasible to 
                mitigate harmful algal blooms and convert retrieved 
                algae biomass and other wet waste material into 
                renewable clean energy sources, such as biofuel and 
                renewable natural gas;
                    ``(B) a description of any water quality 
                improvements that occurred at the locations of the 
                projects over the period during which the projects were 
                carried out; and
                    ``(C) any other information determined appropriate 
                by the Secretary.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $25,000,000, to remain available until 
expended, to carry out this subsection.''.
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