[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 96 (Friday, July 17, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8537-S8538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          METHANE HYDRATE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1998

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 1418) to promote the 
research, identification, assessment, exploration, and development of 
methane hydrate resources, and for other purposes, which had been 
reported from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, with 
amendments; as follows:
  (The parts of the bill intended to be stricken are shown in boldface 
brackets and the parts of the bill intended to be inserted are shown in 
italic.)

                                S. 1418

       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 ``Methane Hydrate Research and 
     Development Act of 1997''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Contract.--The term ``contract'' means a procurement 
     contract within the meaning of 6303 of title 31, United 
     States Code.
       (2) Cooperative agreement.--The term ``cooperative 
     agreement'' means a cooperative agreement within the meaning 
     of section 6305 of title 31, United States Code.
       (3) Grant.--The term ``grant'' means a grant agreement 
     within the meaning of section 6304 of title 31, United States 
     Code.
       (4) Methane hydrate.--The term ``methane hydrate'' means a 
     methane clathrate that--
       (A) is in the form of a methane-water ice-like crystalline 
     material; and
       (B) is stable and occurs naturally in deep-ocean and 
     permafrost areas.
       (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Energy.
       (6) Secretary of defense.--The term ``Secretary of 
     Defense'' means the Secretary of Defense, acting through the 
     Secretary of the Navy.
       (7) Secretary of the interior.--The term ``Secretary of the 
     Interior'' means the Secretary of the Interior, acting 
     through the Director of the United States Geological Survey.
       (8) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
     the National Science Foundation.

     SEC. 3. METHANE HYDRATE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--
       [(1) Commencement of program.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 
     of the Interior, shall commence a program of methane hydrate 
     research and development.
       [(2) Designations.--The Secretary, Secretary of Defense, 
     and Secretary of the Interior shall designate individuals to 
     implement this Act.]
       (1) Commencement of program.--Not later than 180 days after 
     the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of 
     the Interior, and the Director, shall commence a program of 
     methane hydrate research and development.
       (2) Designations.--The Secretary, the Secretary of Defense, 
     the Secretary of the Interior, and the Director shall 
     designate individuals to implement this Act.
       (3) Meetings.--The individuals designated under paragraph 
     (2) shall meet not less frequently than every 120 days to 
     review the progress of the program under paragraph (1) and 
     make recommendations on future activities.
       (b) Grants, Contracts, and Cooperative Agreements.--
       (1) Assistance and coordination.--The Secretary may award 
     grants or contracts to, or enter into cooperative agreements 
     with, universities and industrial enterprises to--
       (A) conduct basic and applied research to identify, 
     explore, assess, and develop methane hydrate as a source of 
     energy;
       (B) assist in developing technologies required for 
     efficient and environmentally sound development of methane 
     hydrate resources;
       (C) undertake research programs to provide safe means of 
     transport and storage of methane produced from methane 
     hydrates;
       (D) promote education and training in methane hydrate 
     resources research and resource development;
       (E) conduct basic and applied research to assess and 
     mitigate the environmental impacts of hydrate degassing, both 
     natural and that associated with commercial development; and
       (F) develop technologies to reduce the risks of drilling 
     through methane hydrates.
       (2) Consultation.--The Secretary may establish an advisory 
     panel consisting of experts from industry, academia, and 
     Federal agencies to advise the Secretary on potential 
     applications of methane hydrate and assist in developing 
     recommendations and priorities for the methane hydrate 
     research and development program carried out under this 
     section.
       (c) Limitations.--
       (1) Administrative expenses.--Not more than 5 percent of 
     the amount made available to carry out this section for a 
     fiscal year may be used by the Secretary for expenses 
     associated with the administration of the program under 
     subsection (a)(1).
       (2) Construction costs.--None of the funds made available 
     to carry out this section may be used for the construction of 
     a new building or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or 
     alteration of an existing building (including site grading 
     and improvement and architect fees).
       (d) Responsibilities of the Secretary.--In carrying out 
     subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall--
       (1) facilitate and develop partnerships among government, 
     industry, and academia to research, identify, assess, and 
     explore methane hydrate resources;
       (2) undertake programs to develop basic information 
     necessary for promoting long-term interest in methane hydrate 
     resources as an energy source;
       (3) ensure that the data and information developed through 
     the program are accessible and widely disseminated as needed 
     and appropriate;
       (4) promote cooperation among agencies that are developing 
     technologies that may hold promise for methane hydrate 
     resource development; and
       (5) report annually to Congress on accomplishments under 
     this Act.

     SEC. 4. AMENDMENT TO THE MINING AND MINERALS POLICY ACT OF 
                   1970.

       Section 201 of the Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970 
     (30 U.S.C. 1901) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (6) and (7) as paragraphs 
     (7) and (8), respectively;
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
       (6) the term `methane hydrate' means a methane clathrate 
     that--
       ``(A) is in the form of a methane-water ice-like 
     crystalline material; and
       ``(B) is stable and occurs naturally in deep-ocean and 
     permafrost areas.''; and
       (3) in paragraph (7) (as redesignated by paragraph (1))--
       (A) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``and'';
       (B) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (H); 
     and
       (C) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following:
       ``(G) methane hydrate; and''.

     SEC. [4.] 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act.

  The committee amendments were agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1418), as amended, was deemed read the third time and 
passed.

[[Page S8538]]



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