[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 22, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2353-S2357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Ms. HEITKAMP (for herself, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Udall, and Mr.
Flake):
S. 1049. A bill to allow the financing by United States persons of
sales of agricultural commodities to Cuba; to the Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I am proud to introduce today with my
friend from Arkansas, Senator Boozman, a bill which will increase our
agricultural producer's competitiveness and exports into Cuba, a nation
just 90 miles off our southern coast. This timely bill would make
relatively simple changes to our country's burdensome regulations and
help make our agricultural exporters more competitive at a time in
which expanding sales and supporting prices is incredibly important.
When people think of Cuba, they don't usually think of North Dakota,
but they should. When I traveled to Cuba with Senators Tester and
Sanders last year, I saw first-hand just how compatible North Dakota's
agricultural production is with the diet of the Cuban people. There are
incredible export opportunities for North Dakota's pulse producers,
along with exports of soybean products, corn, wheat, barley, beef, and
more. Unfortunately, under current regulations, our government is
preventing North Dakota's producers from competing in a market in which
we should hold majority market share.
Yesterday, the Agriculture Committee held a hearing on opportunities
and challenges for agricultural trade with Cuba. Aside from lifting the
Cuba embargo altogether, the number one barrier we heard about was the
fact that our exporters are prohibited from offering credit for sales
into Cuba. Meanwhile, our competitors from Canada, Brazil, Vietnam, and
Europe, are offering credit and pushing our farmers
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out of a market in which we should be dominant.
The Agricultural Export Expansion Act would remove that barrier and
put our producers on a more level playing field with our competitors.
It modifies a provision of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export
Enhancement Act to allow for exporters and banks to offer private
credit for agricultural exports to Cuba. Let me be clear: this bill
does not allow for involvement from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's export credit guarantee program or the Export-Import
Bank, and no taxpayer dollars will be at risk if Cuba were to default
on a deal. This bill simply allows the market and private industry to
dictate the terms of sale, weighing all of the risks and benefits, like
they do with every other country in the world.
With the current low commodity prices, we should be doing everything
we can to support our agricultural producers, and to me this just makes
sense. Even if Cuba were to buy all of their wheat from Kansas and
soybeans from Arkansas, a bushel sold is a bushel sold, and all of our
producers will benefit.
This bill is also good for the people of Cuba. Making trade more
efficient and affordable will allow us to provide food to Cuba's
population. Given our proximity and our agricultural industry's
incredible diversity, we can support both the people of Cuba and our
producers by removing this one unnecessary regulation. I hope our
colleagues will join us in this important effort to help our producers
be more competitive into this natural market.
______
By Mr. DURBIN:
S. 1051. A bill to include county and municipal correctional
facilities among medical facilities that qualify for designation as
health professional shortage areas for purposes of the National Health
Service Corps; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 1051
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 ``National Health Service
Corps Expansion Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. MEDICAL FACILITIES.
Section 332(a)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 254e(a)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``(including care
provided by a city or county health department to inmates of
a county or municipal jail)'' after ``county health
department''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``State correctional
institution'' and inserting ``State, country, or municipal
correctional institution''.
______
By Mr. WYDEN:
S. 1057. A bill to promote geothermal energy, and for other purposes;
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today on the 45th anniversary of Earth Day,
I am proud to introduce a pair of bills, S. 1057 and S. 1058, to
promote clean energy and fight climate change.
The first bill is the Geothermal Energy Opportunities Act, or GEO Act
for short. Clean, low-carbon geothermal energy can play a starring role
in the fight against climate change, and this legislation encourages
the development of the geothermal resource in a number of important
ways.
The GEO Act helps prospective geothermal developers explore for and
develop geothermal resources through a public-private grant program. As
part of the partnership, developers report their findings, contributing
to a nationwide map of geothermal potential that will reduce the risk
and drive down the cost of geothermal energy for the future.
In many cases, Federal lands already under production for oil and gas
also have a geothermal resource, and the GEO Act allows for the oil and
gas leaseholders to coproduce such geothermal energy without going
through an additional competitive lease process. It also fully
incorporates the bipartisan Geothermal Production Expansion Act that I
introduced with a number of my colleagues earlier this year. That
provision would streamline the Federal geothermal leasing program to
prevent speculative bidders from unproductively driving up the price of
leases for developers of geothermal ``hot spots'' that extend into
lands directly adjacent to their existing geothermal lease.
The Bureau of Land Management, which manages geothermal projects on
Federal land under lease agreements, estimates about 250 million acres
of Federal land contains geothermal power potential. Geothermal energy
projects that are producing geothermal power under the BLM's management
make up about half of the total geothermal generating capacity in the
United States. The GEO Act takes important steps to speed the
development of this tremendous clean energy potential on public lands.
I am also introducing the Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy
Act of 2015, along with my colleagues Senators Merkley, Schatz, and
King, to spur development of renewable electricity from the water power
in oceans, rivers, and lakes. This bill reauthorizes the Department of
Energy's marine renewable energy programs, including the national
marine renewable energy research, development and demonstration centers
around the country, one of which is run by Oregon State University in
my home state. The Department of Energy estimates that there is enough
potential energy in these nontraditional forms of hydropower to one day
power millions of homes.
These two pieces of legislation will each promote the production of
clean, domestic energy resources and in doing so help the United States
lead the world in the fight against climate change. I strongly urge my
colleagues to support both of them.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 1057
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 ``Geothermal Energy
Opportunities Act'' or the ``GEO Act''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL GOALS FOR PRODUCTION AND SITE
IDENTIFICATION.
It is the sense of Congress that, not later than 10 years
after the date of enactment of this Act--
(1) the Secretary of the Interior should seek to have
approved more than 15,000 megawatts of new geothermal energy
capacity on public land across a geographically diverse set
of States using the full range of available technologies; and
(2) the Director of the Geological Survey and the Secretary
of Energy should identify sites capable of producing a total
of 50,000 megawatts of geothermal power, using the full range
of available technologies.
SEC. 3. PRIORITY AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT ON FEDERAL LAND.
The Director of the Bureau of Land Management, in
consultation with other appropriate Federal officials,
shall--
(1) identify high priority areas for new geothermal
development; and
(2) take any actions the Director determines necessary to
facilitate that development, consistent with applicable laws.
SEC. 4. FACILITATION OF COPRODUCTION OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY ON
OIL AND GAS LEASES.
Section 4(b) of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C.
1003(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Land subject to oil and gas lease.--Land under an oil
and gas lease issued pursuant to the Mineral Leasing Act (30
U.S.C. 181 et seq.) or the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired
Lands (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.) that is subject to an approved
application for permit to drill and from which oil and gas
production is occurring may be available for noncompetitive
leasing under this section to the holder of the oil and gas
lease--
``(A) on a determination that--
``(i) geothermal energy will be produced from a well
producing or capable of producing oil and gas; and
``(ii) national energy security will be improved by the
issuance of such a lease; and
``(B) to provide for the coproduction of geothermal energy
with oil and gas.''.
SEC. 5. COST-SHARED EXPLORATION.
(a) In General.--To promote the goals described in section
2, the Secretary of Energy may conduct a federally funded
program of cost-shared drilling with industry partners--
(1) to explore and document new geothermal resources in the
United States; and
(2) to develop improved tools and methods for geothermal
resource identification and extraction, with the goal of
achieving material reductions in the cost of exploration with
a corresponding increase in the likelihood of drilling
success.
(b) Grants.--
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(1) In general.--To carry out the program described in
subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy may award cost-share
grants on a competitive and merit basis to eligible
applicants to support exploration drilling and related
activities.
(2) Project criteria.--In selecting applicants to receive
grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Energy shall--
(A) give preference to applicants proposing projects
located in a variety of geologic and geographic settings with
previously unexplored, underexplored, or unproven geothermal
resources; and
(B) consider--
(i) the potential that the unproven geothermal resources
would be explored and developed under the proposed project;
(ii) the expertise and experience of an applicant in
developing geothermal resources; and
(iii) the contribution the proposed project would make
toward meeting the goals described in section 2.
(c) Data Sharing.--
(1) In general.--Data from all exploratory wells that are
carried out under the program described in subsection (a)
shall be provided to the Secretary of Energy and the
Secretary of the Interior for--
(A) use in mapping national geothermal resources; and
(B) other purposes, including--
(i) subsurface geologic data;
(ii) metadata;
(iii) borehole temperature data; and
(iv) inclusion in the National Geothermal Data System of
the Department of Energy.
(2) Sharing of confidential data.--Not later than 2 years
after the date of enactment of this Act, confidential data
from all exploratory wells that are carried out under the
program described in subsection (a) shall be provided to the
Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of the Interior for the
purposes described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph
(1), to be available for a period of time to be determined by
the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of the Interior.
SEC. 6. USE OF GEOTHERMAL LEASE REVENUES.
(a) Amounts Deposited.--Notwithstanding any other provision
of law, beginning in the first full fiscal year after the
date of enactment of this Act, any amounts received by the
United States as rentals, royalties, and other payments
required under leases pursuant to the Geothermal Steam Act of
1970 (30 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) (excluding funds required to be
paid to State and county governments) and from new geothermal
leases issued after the date of enactment of this Act shall
be deposited into a separate account in the Treasury.
(b) Use of Deposits.--Amounts deposited under subsection
(a) shall be available to the Secretary of Energy for
expenditure, without further appropriation or fiscal year
limitation, to carry out section 5.
(c) Transfer of Funds.--To promote the goals described in
section 2, the Secretary of Energy may authorize the
expenditure or transfer of any funds that are necessary to
other cooperating Federal agencies.
SEC. 7. NONCOMPETITIVE LEASING OF ADJOINING AREAS FOR
DEVELOPMENT OF GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES.
Section 4(b) of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C.
1003(b)) (as amended by section 4) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``(5) Adjoining land.--
``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) Fair market value per acre.--The term `fair market
value per acre' means a dollar amount per acre that--
``(I) except as provided in this clause, shall be equal to
the market value per acre (taking into account the
determination under subparagraph (B)(iii) regarding a valid
discovery on the adjoining land), as determined by the
Secretary under regulations issued under this paragraph;
``(II) shall be determined by the Secretary with respect to
a lease under this paragraph, by not later than the end of
the 180-day period beginning on the date the Secretary
receives an application for the lease; and
``(III) shall be not less than the greater of--
``(aa) 4 times the median amount paid per acre for all land
leased under this Act during the preceding year; or
``(bb) $50.
``(ii) Industry standards.--The term `industry standards'
means the standards by which a qualified geothermal
professional assesses whether downhole or flowing temperature
measurements with indications of permeability are sufficient
to produce energy from geothermal resources, as determined
through flow or injection testing or measurement of lost
circulation while drilling.
``(iii) Qualified federal land.--The term `qualified
Federal land' means land that is otherwise available for
leasing under this Act.
``(iv) Qualified geothermal professional.--The term
`qualified geothermal professional' means an individual who
is an engineer or geoscientist in good professional standing
with at least 5 years of experience in geothermal
exploration, development, or project assessment.
``(v) Qualified lessee.--The term `qualified lessee' means
a person that is eligible to hold a geothermal lease under
this Act (including applicable regulations).
``(vi) Valid discovery.--The term `valid discovery' means a
discovery of a geothermal resource by a new or existing slim
hole or production well, that exhibits downhole or flowing
temperature measurements with indications of permeability
that are sufficient to meet industry standards.
``(B) Authority.--An area of qualified Federal land that
adjoins other land for which a qualified lessee holds a legal
right to develop geothermal resources may be available for a
noncompetitive lease under this section to the qualified
lessee at the fair market value per acre, if--
``(i) the area of qualified Federal land--
``(I) consists of not less than 1 acre and not more than
640 acres; and
``(II) is not already leased under this Act or nominated to
be leased under subsection (a);
``(ii) the qualified lessee has not previously received a
noncompetitive lease under this paragraph in connection with
the valid discovery for which data has been submitted under
clause (iii)(I); and
``(iii) sufficient geological and other technical data
prepared by a qualified geothermal professional has been
submitted by the qualified lessee to the applicable Federal
land management agency that would lead individuals who are
experienced in the subject matter to believe that--
``(I) there is a valid discovery of geothermal resources on
the land for which the qualified lessee holds the legal right
to develop geothermal resources; and
``(II) that thermal feature extends into the adjoining
areas.
``(C) Determination of fair market value.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall--
``(I) publish a notice of any request to lease land under
this paragraph;
``(II) determine fair market value for purposes of this
paragraph in accordance with procedures for making those
determinations that are established by regulations issued by
the Secretary;
``(III) provide to a qualified lessee and publish, with an
opportunity for public comment for a period of 30 days, any
proposed determination under this subparagraph of the fair
market value of an area that the qualified lessee seeks to
lease under this paragraph; and
``(IV) provide to the qualified lessee and any adversely
affected party the opportunity to appeal the final
determination of fair market value in an administrative
proceeding before the applicable Federal land management
agency, in accordance with applicable law (including
regulations).
``(ii) Limitation on nomination.--After publication of a
notice of request to lease land under this paragraph, the
Secretary may not accept under subsection (a) any nomination
of the land for leasing unless the request has been denied or
withdrawn.
``(iii) Annual rental.--For purposes of section 5(a)(3), a
lease awarded under this paragraph shall be considered a
lease awarded in a competitive lease sale.
``(D) Regulations.--Not later than 270 days after the date
of enactment of the Geothermal Energy Opportunities Act, the
Secretary shall issue regulations to carry out this
paragraph.''.
SEC. 8. LARGE-SCALE GEOTHERMAL ENERGY.
Title VI of the Energy Independence and Security Act of
2007 is amended by inserting after section 616 (42 U.S.C.
17195) the following:
``SEC. 616A. LARGE-SCALE GEOTHERMAL ENERGY.
``(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
``(1) the Geothermal Technologies Program of the Office of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the Department has
included a focus on direct use of geothermal energy in the
low-temperature geothermal energy subprogram (including in
the development of a research and development plan for the
program);
``(2) the Building Technologies Program of the Office of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the Department--
``(A) is focused on the energy demand and energy efficiency
of buildings; and
``(B) includes geothermal heat pumps as a component
technology in the residential and commercial deployment
activities of the program; and
``(3) geothermal heat pumps and direct use of geothermal
energy, especially in large-scale applications, can make a
significant contribution to the use of renewable energy but
are underrepresented in research, development, demonstration,
and commercialization.
``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
``(1) to improve the components, processes, and systems
used for geothermal heat pumps and the direct use of
geothermal energy; and
``(2) to increase the energy efficiency, lower the cost,
increase the use, and improve and demonstrate the
applicability of geothermal heat pumps to, and the direct use
of geothermal energy in, large buildings, commercial
districts, residential communities, and large municipal,
agricultural, or industrial projects.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Direct use of geothermal energy.--The term `direct
use of geothermal energy' means systems that use water that
is at a temperature between approximately 38 degrees Celsius
and 149 degrees Celsius directly or through a heat exchanger
to provide--
``(A) heating to buildings; or
``(B) heat required for industrial processes, agriculture,
aquaculture, and other facilities.
``(2) Geothermal heat pump.--The term `geothermal heat
pump' means a system that provides heating and cooling by
exchanging heat from shallow ground or surface water using--
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``(A) a closed loop system, which transfers heat by way of
buried or immersed pipes that contain a mix of water and
working fluid; or
``(B) an open loop system, which circulates ground or
surface water directly into the building and returns the
water to the same aquifer or surface water source.
``(3) Large-scale application.--The term `large-scale
application' means an application for space or process
heating or cooling for large entities with a name-plate
capacity, expected resource, or rating of 10 or more
megawatts, such as a large building, commercial district,
residential community, or a large municipal, agricultural, or
industrial project.
``(4) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of Energy, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
``(d) Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a program
of research, development, and demonstration for geothermal
heat pumps and the direct use of geothermal energy.
``(2) Areas.--The program may include research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application of--
``(A) geothermal ground loop efficiency improvements
through more efficient heat transfer fluids;
``(B) geothermal ground loop efficiency improvements
through more efficient thermal grouts for wells and trenches;
``(C) geothermal ground loop installation cost reduction
through--
``(i) improved drilling methods;
``(ii) improvements in drilling equipment;
``(iii) improvements in design methodology and energy
analysis procedures; and
``(iv) improved methods for determination of ground thermal
properties and ground temperatures;
``(D) installing geothermal ground loops near the
foundation walls of new construction to take advantage of
existing structures;
``(E) using gray or black wastewater as a method of heat
exchange;
``(F) improving geothermal heat pump system economics
through integration of geothermal systems with other building
systems, including providing hot and cold water and rejecting
or circulating industrial process heat through refrigeration
heat rejection and waste heat recovery;
``(G) advanced geothermal systems using variable pumping
rates to increase efficiency;
``(H) geothermal heat pump efficiency improvements;
``(I) use of hot water found in mines and mine shafts and
other surface waters as the heat exchange medium;
``(J) heating of districts, neighborhoods, communities,
large commercial or public buildings (including office,
retail, educational, government, and institutional buildings
and multifamily residential buildings and campuses), and
industrial and manufacturing facilities;
``(K) geothermal system integration with solar thermal
water heating or cool roofs and solar-regenerated desiccants
to balance loads and use building hot water to store
geothermal energy;
``(L) use of hot water coproduced from oil and gas
recovery;
``(M) use of water sources at a temperature of less than
150 degrees Celsius for direct use;
``(N) system integration of direct use with geothermal
electricity production; and
``(O) coproduction of heat and power, including on-site
use.
``(3) Environmental impacts.--In carrying out the program,
the Secretary shall identify and mitigate potential
environmental impacts in accordance with section 614(c).
``(e) Grants.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall make grants
available to State and local governments, institutions of
higher education, nonprofit entities, utilities, and for-
profit companies (including manufacturers of heat-pump and
direct-use components and systems) to promote the development
of geothermal heat pumps and the direct use of geothermal
energy.
``(2) Priority.--In making grants under this subsection,
the Secretary shall give priority to proposals that apply to
large buildings (including office, retail, educational,
government, institutional, and multifamily residential
buildings and campuses and industrial and manufacturing
facilities), commercial districts, and residential
communities.
``(3) National solicitation.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall
conduct a national solicitation for applications for grants
under this section.
``(f) Reports.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Science and
Technology of the House of Representatives a report on
progress made and results obtained under this section to
develop geothermal heat pumps and direct use of geothermal
energy.
``(2) Areas.--Each of the reports required under this
subsection shall include--
``(A) an analysis of progress made in each of the areas
described in subsection (d)(2); and
``(B)(i) a description of any relevant recommendations made
during a review of the program; and
``(ii) any plans to address the recommendations under
clause (i).''.
SEC. 9. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this
Act and not less frequently than once every 5 years
thereafter, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary
of Energy shall submit to the appropriate committees of
Congress a report describing the progress made towards
achieving the goals described in section 2.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
Act such sums as are necessary.
______
By Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Schatz, and Mr.
King):
S. 1058. A bill to promote research, development, and demonstration
of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies, and for other
purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 1058
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 ``Marine and Hydrokinetic
Renewable Energy Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF MARINE AND HYDROKINETIC RENEWABLE
ENERGY.
Section 632 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of
2007 (42 U.S.C. 17211) is amended in the matter preceding
paragraph (1) by striking ``electrical''.
SEC. 3. MARINE AND HYDROKINETIC RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT.
Section 633 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of
2007 (42 U.S.C. 17212) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 633. MARINE AND HYDROKINETIC RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT.
``The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the
Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, shall carry out a program of research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application to
accelerate the introduction of marine and hydrokinetic
renewable energy production into the United States energy
supply, giving priority to fostering accelerated research,
development, and commercialization of technology, including
programs--
``(1) to assist technology development to improve the
components, processes, and systems used for power generation
from marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy resources;
``(2) to establish critical testing infrastructure
necessary--
``(A) to cost effectively and efficiently test and prove
marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy devices; and
``(B) to accelerate the technological readiness and
commercialization of those devices;
``(3) to support efforts to increase the efficiency of
energy conversion, lower the cost, increase the use, improve
the reliability, and demonstrate the applicability of marine
and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies by
participating in demonstration projects;
``(4) to investigate variability issues and the efficient
and reliable integration of marine and hydrokinetic renewable
energy with the utility grid;
``(5) to identify and study critical short- and long-term
needs to create a sustainable marine and hydrokinetic
renewable energy supply chain based in the United States;
``(6) to increase the reliability and survivability of
marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies;
``(7) to verify the performance, reliability,
maintainability, and cost of new marine and hydrokinetic
renewable energy device designs and system components in an
operating environment;
``(8) to coordinate and avoid duplication of activities
across programs of the Department and other applicable
Federal agencies, including National Laboratories and to
coordinate public-private collaboration in all programs under
this section;
``(9) to identify opportunities for joint research and
development programs and development of economies of scale
between--
``(A) marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy
technologies; and
``(B) other renewable energy and fossil energy programs,
offshore oil and gas production activities, and activities of
the Department of Defense; and
``(10) to support in-water technology development with
international partners using existing cooperative procedures
(including memoranda of understanding)--
``(A) to allow cooperative funding and other support of
value to be exchanged and leveraged; and
``(B) to encourage the participation of international
research centers and companies within the United States and
the participation of United States research centers and
companies in international projects.''.
[[Page S2357]]
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH,
DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION CENTERS.
Section 634 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of
2007 (42 U.S.C. 17213) is amended by striking subsection (b)
and inserting the following:
``(b) Purposes.--A Center (in coordination with the
Department and National Laboratories) shall--
``(1) advance research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application of marine and hydrokinetic renewable
energy technologies;
``(2) support in-water testing and demonstration of marine
and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies, including
facilities capable of testing--
``(A) marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy systems of
various technology readiness levels and scales;
``(B) a variety of technologies in multiple test berths at
a single location; and
``(C) arrays of technology devices; and
``(3) serve as information clearinghouses for the marine
and hydrokinetic renewable energy industry by collecting and
disseminating information on best practices in all areas
relating to developing and managing marine and hydrokinetic
renewable energy resources and energy systems.''.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 636 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of
2007 (42 U.S.C. 17215) is amended by striking ``2008 through
2012'' and inserting ``2016 through 2019''.
____________________