[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 131 (Monday, July 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-16706]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: July 11, 1994]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------


DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
 

Golden Field Office; Notice of Financial Assistance Award to 
National Geothermal Association

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of financial assistance award in response to a non-
competitive financial assistance application.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) pursuant to the DOE 
Financial Assistance Rules, 10 CFR 600.7(b)(2) is announcing its 
intention to make a financial assistance award to the National 
Geothermal Association to provide a service to the geothermal community 
and foster business relationships and to distribute informational 
material.

ADDRESSES: Questions regarding this announcement may be addressed to 
the U.S. Department of Energy, Golden Field Office, 1617 Cole Blvd., 
Golden CO 80401, Attention: Ruth E. Adams, Contract Specialist or at 
(303) 275-4722. The Contracting Officer for this action is John W. 
Meeker. The Project Officer is Jeffrey L. Hahn.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This proposal was a solicited application. 
The National Geothermal Association (NGA) will be merging with the 
Geothermal Resources Association (GRA) in the spring of 1994 and 
together will represent, through membership, practically the entire 
geothermal industry. The newly formed industry association will be 
called the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA). The Department believes 
that the proposed effort will benefit the public, and that providing 
financial assistance through a grant mechanism is an appropriate method 
to providing funding. Competition for this effort would have an adverse 
effect on continuity and completion of the activities.
    The proposed project will contribute to the DOE mission of ``* * * 
providing the scientific and educational foundation and technology * * 
* necessary to achieve efficiency in energy use, diversity in energy 
sources, and access to technical information * * *'' (quotation from 
the Energy Mission Statement). The National Geothermal Association 
(NGA) will do this by providing services to support the geothermal 
industry through various activities and will work to create a business 
environment in which the industry can thrive.
    Through this financial assistance the NGA (a non-profit 
organization) will mount an aggressive campaign of information 
dissemination, technology transfer and outreach. The objectives for 
this grant are as follows:
    (1) Geothermal Energy Conference--The second annual conference on 
geothermal energy will be held in the Washington, D.C. area 
approximately 1 month after this Agreement is in place.
    (2) Geothermal EPACT/Climate-Change Action Group--This group will 
be comprised of representatives of the geothermal industry, the utility 
industry, utility regulators and environmental- and energy-advocacy 
groups. The purpose of the group will be to devise initiatives that the 
geothermal industry and DOE could undertake through cost-sharing 
arrangements and that address accelerated use of geothermal resources 
in the United States, thereby helping to reduce greenhouse gases.
    (3) Utility Outreach Program--The NGA will provide the data and 
documentation that utilities and utility commissioners need in order to 
understand geothermal power generation better and incorporate it into 
their portfolios.
    (4) Develop information on Exporting Goods and Services--
Information will be developed that will aid the U.S. geothermal 
industry in exporting its goods and services.
    (5) Environmental Brochure--A brochure will be developed with the 
theme ``Geothermal is Clean Air''.
    (6) Quarterly Newsletter--A quarterly newsletter on geothermal 
energy will be published and widely distributed.
    (7) Educational Cooperative-Action Alliance--Formation of an 
alliance to exchange information and coordinate activities of the 
various entities in the geothermal community who are producing 
educational materials.
    (8) Washington, D.C. Office--The NGA will maintain an office in the 
Washington, D.C. area. The purpose of this office is to develop and 
maintain the contacts that are necessary for the operation of a 
domestic as well as an international export program, to provide 
educational assistance to various environmental, public interest, and 
government groups, and to be able to respond rapidly to problems and 
opportunities that arise in Washington, D.C. No lobbying activities 
will be supported through the funds provided by this grant.)
    The probability of meeting the objectives listed above are very 
high, given that the NGA has been successful in the past for similar 
endeavors.
    The staff of the National Geothermal Association is qualified and 
positioned to provide this service. The NGA President and President 
elect, respectively, is Tsvi Meidav and Phillip Michael Wright. After 
the merger of the NGA and GRA into the Geothermal Energy Association, 
the Chairman position will be shared jointly by Phillip Michael Wright 
and David R. Cox (Chairman of the GRA). David Anderson will serve as 
the Western Executive Director; he has been the Executive Director of 
the NGA since it was established in 1985. These individuals are highly 
respected throughout the geothermal industry.
    The NGA's base of operation is an office in Davis, California, and 
is fully capable of meeting their needs.
    The budget proposed for the anticipated work was reviewed and is 
considered to be appropriate and adequate.
    The public benefit to be derived from the above mentioned projects 
and activities are an enhanced awareness of the benefits of geothermal 
energy. All of the NGA's proposed activities, projects and efforts are 
to enhance the competitive position of the U.S. geothermal industry in 
the domestic and international energy markets, to develop and conduct 
educational programs on geothermal energy and to distribute 
information. Through this program the NGA will be supporting the U.S. 
geothermal industry's efforts to bring more clean, domestic geothermal 
energy on line.
    The services provided through the proposed grant fully support the 
program's direction and objectives. The National Geothermal Association 
is qualified and positioned to perform the above mentioned tasks. The 
NGA is an accepted and respected industry association and has about 40 
member companies, largely from the geothermal service industries. The 
NGA has established an information network which is continually 
growing. Competition for this effort would have a significant adverse 
impact on the accomplishment and completion of the proposed activities.

    Issued at Golden, Colorado, on: June 23, 1994.
John W. Meeker,
Chief, Procurement, Golden Field Office.
[FR Doc. 94-16706 Filed 7-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-M