[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 53 (Monday, April 19, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S3867]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          METHANE HYDRATE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1999

  The bill (S. 330) to promote the research, identification, 
assessment, exploration, and development of methane hydrate resources, 
and for other purposes, was considered, ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                 S. 330

       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 1999''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Contract.--The term ``contract'' means a procurement 
     contract within the meaning of section 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 awarded under 
     a grant agreement, within the meaning of section 6304 of 
     title 31, United States Code.
       (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
     ``institution of higher education'' means an institution of 
     higher education, within the meaning of section 102(a)(1) of 
     the Higher Education Act of 1965.
       (5) 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.
       (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Energy.
       (7) Secretary of defense.--The term ``Secretary of 
     Defense'' means the Secretary of Defense, acting through the 
     Secretary of the Navy.
       (8) 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.
       (9) 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, 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 carry out this section.
       (3) Meetings.--The individuals designated under paragraph 
     (2) shall meet not later than 120 days after the date on 
     which all such individuals are designated and not less 
     frequently than every 120 days thereafter to--
       (A) review the progress of the program under paragraph (1); 
     and
       (B) make recommendations on future activities to occur 
     subsequent to the meeting.
       (b) Grants, Contracts, and Cooperative Agreements.--
       (1) Assistance and coordination.--The Secretary may award 
     grants or contracts to, or enter into cooperative agreements 
     with, institutions of higher education 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 
     resource research and resource development;
       (E) conduct basic and applied research to assess and 
     mitigate the environmental impacts of hydrate degassing 
     (including both natural degassing and degassing 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, institutions of 
     higher education, and Federal agencies to--
       (A) advise the Secretary on potential applications of 
     methane hydrate; and
       (B) assist in developing recommendations and priorities for 
     the methane hydrate research and development program carried 
     out under subsection (a)(1).
       (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 carried out 
     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 institutions of higher education 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 section.

     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'' at the end;
       (B) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (H); 
     and
       (C) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following:
       ``(G) methane hydrate; and''.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

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

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