A bill to ensure the energy independence and economic viability of the United States by promoting the responsible use of coal through accelerated carbon capture and storage and through advanced clean coal technology research, development, demonstration, and deployment programs, and for other purposes.

Summary: Responsible Use of Coal Act of 2009 - Requires the Director of the National Energy Technology Laboratory to carry out a research, development, and demonstration program to advance carbon capture and storage and coal power generation technologies. Requires such program to include a large-scale commercial demonstration program to evaluate the most promising carbon capture and storage technologies and research and development programs for carbon capture technologies, carbon dioxide storage, and advanced clean coal power generation technologies.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Responsible Use of Coal Act of 
2009''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Carbon capture and storage technology.--The term 
        ``carbon capture and storage technology'' means an advanced 
        technology or concept that the Secretary determines to have the 
        potential--
                    (A) to capture or remove--
                            (i) carbon dioxide that is emitted from a 
                        coal-fired power plant; and
                            (ii) other industrial sources;
                    (B) to store carbon dioxide in geological 
                formations; and
                    (C) to use carbon dioxide for--
                            (i) enhanced oil and natural gas recovery; 
                        or
                            (ii) other large-volume, beneficial uses.
            (2) Carbon capture technology.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``carbon capture 
                technology'' means any precombustion technology, post-
                combustion technology, or oxy-combustion technology or 
                process.
                    (B) Inclusion.--The term ``carbon capture 
                technology'' includes carbon dioxide compression 
                technology.
            (3) Enhanced oil and natural gas recovery.--The term 
        ``enhanced oil and natural gas recovery'' means the use of 
        carbon dioxide to improve or enhance the recovery of oil or 
        natural gas from a depleted oil or natural gas field.
            (4) Precombustion technology.--The term ``precombustion 
        technology'' means a coal or coal-biomass gasification or 
        integrated gasification combined-cycle process coupled with 
        carbon dioxide storage or reuse.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to promote the continued responsible use of the 
        abundant, secure, and low-cost coal resources of the United 
        States through the research, development, demonstration, and 
        deployment of--
                    (A) carbon capture and storage technologies; and
                    (B) advanced coal power generation technologies;
            (2) to promote the exportation of the carbon capture and 
        storage technologies and advanced coal power generation 
        technologies developed by the United States to countries that 
        rely on coal as the dominant energy source of the countries 
        (including China and India); and
            (3) to support the deployment of carbon capture and storage 
        technologies by--
                    (A) quantifying the risks of the technologies; and
                    (B) helping to establish the most appropriate 
                framework for managing liabilities associated with all 
                phases of carbon capture and storage technology 
                projects, including--
                            (i) the capture and transportation of 
                        carbon dioxide; and
                            (ii) the siting, design, operation, 
                        closure, and long-term stewardship of carbon 
                        dioxide storage facilities.

SEC. 4. PROGRAMS.

    (a) Research and Development Program.--
            (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, in accordance with paragraph (2) and 
        subsection (b), the Secretary, acting through the Director of 
        the National Energy Technology Laboratory, shall carry out a 
        research, development, and demonstration program through the 
        National Energy Technology Laboratory to further advance carbon 
        capture and storage and coal power generation technologies.
            (2) Required programs.--The program described in paragraph 
        (1) shall include each program described in paragraphs (3) 
        through (6).
            (3) Commercial demonstration program.--As soon as 
        practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
        Secretary, acting through the Director of the National Energy 
        Technology Laboratory, shall carry out a large-scale commercial 
        demonstration program to evaluate the most promising carbon 
        capture and storage technologies.
            (4) Research and development program regarding carbon 
        capture technologies.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall carry out a research 
        and development program under which the Secretary shall 
        evaluate carbon capture technologies to decrease the cost, and 
        increase the performance, of carbon capture technologies.
            (5) Research and development program regarding carbon 
        dioxide storage.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall carry out a research 
        and development program under which the Secretary shall 
        evaluate options for carbon dioxide storage in geological 
        formations--
                    (A) for enhanced oil and natural gas recovery; and
                    (B) to decrease the cost, and increase the 
                performance, of carbon capture and storage technologies 
                in existence as of the date of enactment of this Act.
            (6) Research and development program regarding advanced 
        clean coal power generation technologies.--As soon as 
        practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
        Secretary shall carry out a research and development program 
        under which the Secretary shall evaluate advanced clean coal 
        power generation technologies to make practicable--
                    (A) the capture and storage of carbon dioxide; and
                    (B) highly efficient power generation (including 
                advanced turbines, fuel cells, hydrogen production, and 
                advanced gasification).
    (b) Cost-Sharing Requirements.--
            (1) Commercial demonstration program.--The Federal share of 
        the cost of any competitively procured project carried out 
        using funds provided under the commercial demonstration program 
        described in subsection (a)(3) shall be not more than 50 
        percent.
            (2) Other programs.--The Federal share of the cost of any 
        competitively procured project carried out using funds provided 
        under a program described in paragraph (4), (5), or (6) of 
        subsection (a) shall be not more than 80 percent.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary--
            (1) to carry out the commercial demonstration program under 
        section 4(a)(3)--
                    (A) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
                    (B) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;
                    (C) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and
                    (D) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2013;
            (2) to carry out the research and development program under 
        section 4(a)(4)--
                    (A) $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
                    (B) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;
                    (C) $120,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and
                    (D) $120,000,000 for fiscal year 2013;
            (3) to carry out the research and development program under 
        section 4(a)(5)--
                    (A) $170,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
                    (B) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;
                    (C) $225,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and
                    (D) $225,000,000 for fiscal year 2013; and
            (4) to carry out the research and development program under 
        section 4(a)(6)--
                    (A) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
                    (B) $270,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;
                    (C) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and
                    (D) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.