Home > 106th Congressional Bills > H.Res. 425 (eh) [Engrossed in House] ...H.Res. 425 (eh) [Engrossed in House] ...
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 424
Providing for the consideration of the bill H.R. 1753 and the Senate
amendments thereto.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 29, 2000
Mr. Sensenbrenner submitted the following resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Rules
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Providing for the consideration of the bill H.R. 1753 and the Senate
amendments thereto.
Resolved, That, upon the adoption of this resolution, the House
shall be considered to have taken from the Speaker's table the bill
H.R. 1753 together with the Senate amendments thereto, and to have (1)
concurred in the amendment of the Senate to the title, and (2)
concurred in the amendment of the Senate to the text with an amendment
as follows: In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the Senate
amendment, insert the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Methane Hydrate Research and
Development Act of 2000''.
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) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the National Science Foundation.
(4) Grant.--The term ``grant'' means a grant awarded under
a grant agreement, within the meaning of section 6304 of title
31, United States Code.
(5) Industrial enterprise.--The term ``industrial
enterprise'' means a private, nongovernmental enterprise that
has an expertise or capability that relates to methane hydrate
research and development.
(6) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' means an institution of
higher education, within the meaning of section 102(a) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(a)).
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Fossil
Energy.
(8) Secretary of commerce.--The term ``Secretary of
Commerce'' means the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
(9) Secretary of defense.--The term ``Secretary of
Defense'' means the Secretary of Defense, acting through the
Secretary of the Navy.
(10) 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 and
the Director of the Minerals Management Service.
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 Commerce, the Secretary of
Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Director, shall
commence a program of methane hydrate research and development
in accordance with this section.
(2) Designations.--The Secretary, the Secretary of
Commerce, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the
Interior, and the Director shall designate individuals to carry
out this section.
(3) Coordination.--The individual designated by the
Secretary shall coordinate all activities within the Department
of Energy relating to methane hydrate research and development.
(4) Meetings.--The individuals designated under paragraph
(2) shall meet not later than 270 days after the date of
enactment of this Act 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, Cooperative Agreements, Interagency Funds
Transfer Agreements, and Field Work Proposals.--
(1) Assistance and coordination.--In carrying out the
program of methane hydrate research and development authorized
by this section, 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);
(F) develop technologies to reduce the risks of
drilling through methane hydrates; and
(G) conduct exploratory drilling in support of the
activities authorized by this paragraph.
(2) Competitive merit-based review.--Funds made available
under paragraph (1) shall be made available based on a
competitive merit-based process.
(c) Consultation.--The Secretary shall establish an advisory panel
consisting of experts from industrial enterprises, institutions of
higher education, and Federal agencies to--
(1) advise the Secretary on potential applications of
methane hydrate;
(2) assist in developing recommendations and priorities for
the methane hydrate research and development program carried
out under subsection (a)(1); and
(3) not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, and at such later dates as the panel considers
advisable, submit to Congress a report on the anticipated
impact on global climate change from--
(A) methane hydrate formation;
(B) methane hydrate degassing (including natural
degassing and degassing associated with commercial
development); and
(C) the consumption of natural gas produced from
methane hydrates.
Not more than twenty-five percent of the individuals serving on the
advisory panel shall be Federal employees.
(d) 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).
(e) Responsibilities of the Secretary.--In carrying out subsection
(b)(1), the Secretary shall--
(1) facilitate and develop partnerships among government,
industrial enterprises, 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. AMENDMENTS 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) in paragraph (6)--
(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) for purposes of this section and sections 202
through 205 only, methane hydrate; and'';
(2) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
``(7) The term `methane hydrate' means--
``(A) a methane clathrate that is in the form of a
methane-water ice-like crystalline material and is
stable and occurs naturally in deep-ocean and
permafrost areas; and
``(B) other natural gas hydrates found in
association with deep-ocean and permafrost deposits of
methane hydrate.''.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy
to carry out this Act--
(1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2001;
(2) $7,500,000 for fiscal year 2002;
(3) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
(4) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; and
(5) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.
Amounts authorized under this section shall remain available until
expended.
SEC. 6. SUNSET.
Section 3 of this Act shall cease to be effective after the end of
fiscal year 2005.
SEC. 7. NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL STUDY.
The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the National
Research Council for such council to conduct a study of the progress
made under the methane hydrate research and development program
implemented pursuant to this Act, and to make recommendations for
future methane hydrate research and development needs. The Secretary
shall transmit to the Congress, not later than September 30, 2004, a
report containing the findings and recommendations of the National
Research Council under this section.
SEC. 8. REPORTS AND STUDIES.
The Secretary of Energy shall provide to the Committee on Science
of the House of Representatives copies of any report or study that the
Department of Energy prepares at the direction of any committee of the
Congress.
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