Natural Resources Institute Act of 1998

Summary: Natural Resources Institute Act of 1998 - Establishes the Natural Resources Institute at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory to provide a neutral forum to develop scientific solutions that improve the economic and environmental viability of the Intermountain West region of the United States. Defines such region to include Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and the far eastern areas of Oregon and Washington.  Lists as duties of the Institute:  (1) to perform multidisciplinary research regarding natural resources; (2) to support formulation and implementation of natural resources public policy; (3) to act as an information resource center; and (4) to provide education and training. 
Creates a Board of Stakeholders for the Institute which shall incorporate the vested interests and stakeholder prospectuses into the design and operation of the Institute.  Requires the Board to appoint, and define the requirements of, the Director of the Institute who shall exercise all authority granted to the Institute. 
Establishes a Science Advisory panel to:  (1) oversee development and implementation of the Institute's technical strategy; and (2) provide oversight of the quality of science and recommendations for the research and development portfolio structure of the Institute. 
Authorizes the Institute to acquire from any Federal agency any unclassified data and nonproprietary knowledge and information obtained by Federal agencies to assist the Institute. 
Directs the Institute to work with Federal and State agencies, universities, the public, and the private sector to ensure that the Institute's information and products are useful and accessible.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Natural Resources Institute Act of 
1998''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act:
            (1) Environmental sciences.--The term ``environmental 
        sciences'' means the full range of fields of study (including 
        biological, physical, chemical, geological, and social 
        sciences, engineering, and humanities) relevant to the 
        understanding of environmental problems.
            (2) Intermountain west.--The term ``Intermountain West'' 
        means Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and the far eastern areas 
        of Oregon and Washington.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) In order to maintain quality of life, economic growth 
        should be balanced with environmental protection and 
        incorporate collaborative scientific inquiry, technology 
        development, and public policy.
            (2) The environmental science data and knowledge fail to 
        adequately support long-term policy leading to questions of 
        science quality, credibility, and utility, resulting in an 
        atmosphere of adversarial science.
            (3) Individuals affected by decisions regarding natural 
        resources are not effectively involved in determining the 
        needs, setting the agenda, and participating in environmental 
        research and development.
            (4) Coordinated environmental research and development of 
        Federal and State agencies is necessary to support effective 
        policy and environmental and economic sustainability.
            (5) Decisions regarding the management of natural resources 
        can significantly impact a region's economy and its residents' 
        quality of life.
            (6) The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental 
        Laboratory is the only multiprogrammatic federally funded 
        research and development laboratory in the Intermountain West 
        region of the United States, a region which will be greatly 
        impacted by future natural resource decisions.
            (7) The creation of a Natural Resources Institute that 
        focuses the scientific strengths of government, universities, 
        and industry in collaboration with a wide variety of 
        individuals affected by decisions regarding natural resources 
        will expedite sustainable environmental and natural resource 
        decisionmaking, which will result in the creation and retention 
        of jobs and savings to taxpayers.

SEC. 4. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to create a Natural Resources Institute 
to--
            (1) coordinate research and develop appropriate and 
        systematic approaches to managing natural resources and the 
        specific tools and mechanisms necessary to implement these 
        approaches;
            (2) support public policy development by facilitating the 
        creation of public-private partnerships necessary to implement 
        systematic approaches to natural resource use and management;
            (3) provide education and training regarding natural 
        resources for a wide variety of users, including the public, 
        local and regional government, and industry, by developing 
        training programs and educational curricula using modern 
        information systems such as the Internet and video 
        teleconferencing;
            (4) facilitate the creation of commercial enterprises by 
        involving local economic development agencies, technology 
        incubators, research institutes, and the private sector to 
        apply derived use science and technology; and
            (5) transfer information and analyses regarding natural 
        resources to persons and organizations to allow informed 
        decisionmaking and eliminate duplication of environmental 
        studies.

SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE.

    There is hereby established a Natural Resources Institute (in this 
Act referred to as the ``Institute''), the purpose of which shall be to 
provide a neutral forum to develop scientific solutions that improve 
the economic and environmental viability of the Intermountain West 
region of the United States. The Institute shall be located at the 
Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.

SEC. 6. DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS.

    The duties and functions of the Institute shall be as follows:
            (1) To initiate and perform multidisciplinary, solution-
        oriented, focused, and needs-driven research regarding natural 
        resources, including--
                    (A) coordination of research activities to minimize 
                duplication of effort and maximize scientific 
                advancement;
                    (B) maintenance of meaningful public involvement in 
                the development and implementation of research 
                activities;
                    (C) performance of research by accessing high-
                quality scientific talent through private partners of 
                the Institute; and
                    (D) performance of research and development on 
                understanding and predicting regional ecosystem 
                dynamics, developing methodologies and tools for 
                environmental stewardship, and developing and 
understanding the science associated with the natural resource issues 
in the Intermountain West region of the United States.
            (2) To support formulation and implementation of natural 
        resources public policy through--
                    (A) consideration of the balance of socioeconomic 
                concerns and quality of life issues with environmental 
                remediation, cost, and schedule concerns; and
                    (B) involvement of the public with the research and 
                development activities of the Institute.
            (3) To act as an information resource center by--
                    (A) serving as a centralized repository for 
                environmental data, data management, and analytical 
                tools for the Intermountain West region of the United 
                States;
                    (B) entering into partnership agreements with 
                private entities to access or acquire and maintain 
                regional environmental data sets, including monitoring 
                data, Geographical Information System coverages, 
                satellite data, and data from local and regional 
                ecological studies;
                    (C) providing quick and affordable access to all 
                existing public databases, such as those maintained by 
                the Federal and State agencies, and, as appropriate, 
                access to private databases developed to support 
                specific models or decisions; and
                    (D) maintaining trained personnel to assist the 
                public and researchers in gaining access to information 
                on natural resources.
            (4) To provide education and training, including--
                    (A) education for the public, future scientists, 
                and educators; and
                    (B) seminars and training aids for the public and 
                collaborating with universities in the Intermountain 
                West region of the United States to provide resources, 
                internships, and research opportunities.

SEC. 7. BOARD OF STAKEHOLDERS.

    (a) Establishment.--There shall be a Board of Stakeholders for the 
Institute, which shall incorporate the vested interests and stakeholder 
prospectuses into the design and operation of the Institute.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Appointment.--The Board of Stakeholders shall be 
        composed of 11 members who shall be appointed by the Secretary 
        of Energy.
            (2) Representation.--The Board of Stakeholders shall be 
        comprised of representatives from government, industry, the 
        private sector, universities, and interest groups.
            (3) Terms.--Members of the Board of Stakeholders shall 
        serve for a term of 5 years.
            (4) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Board of 
        Stakeholders shall be elected by the Board from among its 
        members.

SEC. 8. DIRECTOR; STAFF.

    (a) Director.--(1) The Board of Stakeholders shall appoint, and 
define the requirements of, the Director of the Institute. The Director 
of the Institute shall exercise all authority granted to the Institute 
in this Act, including powers delegated by the Board.
    (2) The Director of the Institute shall be a nonvoting, ex officio 
member of the Board of Stakeholders.
    (3) The Director shall be responsible for the integration of the 
duties and functions of the Institute as described in section 6, and 
for ensuring the full involvement of all relevant environmental 
sciences and the full range of users in these duties.
    (b) Staff.--The Director of the Institute shall hire such staff as 
necessary to carry out the functions of the Institute under this Act.

SEC. 9. SCIENCE ADVISORY PANEL.

    (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established a Science Advisory 
Panel which shall--
            (1) oversee development and implementation of the technical 
        strategy of the Institute; and
            (2) provide oversight of the quality of science, and 
        provide recommendations for the research and development 
        portfolio structure of the Institute.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Appointment.--The Science Advisory Panel shall be 
        composed of 15 members who shall be appointed by the Board of 
        Stakeholders, in consultation with the Director of the Idaho 
        National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.
            (2) Representation.--The Science Advisory Panel shall be 
        composed of members representing multiple disciplines of 
        science and engineering.
            (3) Terms.--Members of the Science Advisory Panel shall 
        serve for a term of 2 years.
            (4) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Science Advisory 
        Panel shall be selected by the Science Advisory Panel from 
        among its members.

SEC. 10. ACQUISITION OF INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    The Institute may acquire from any Federal agency unclassified data 
and nonproprietary knowledge and information obtained by Federal 
departments and agencies to assist the Institute in carrying out its 
duties under this Act.

SEC. 11. ACCESSIBILITY OF INFORMATION.

    The Institute shall work with Federal and State agencies, 
universities, the public, and the private sector to ensure that the 
information and products of the Institute are useful and accessible.