Green Technology Promotion Act of 1993

Summary: Green Technology Promotion Act of 1993 - Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to require Regional Centers for the Transfer of Manufacturing Technology to conduct energy efficiency and source reduction assessments for client companies. 
Authorizes eligible government and private sector organizations that are engaged in technology or manufacturing extension activities to apply for Manufacturing Outreach Center designation.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Green Technology Promotion Act of 
1993''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The national policy of the United States declares that 
        pollution should be prevented or reduced at the source whenever 
        feasible, prior to environmentally sound recycling, treatment, 
        or landfilling.
            (2) There are significant opportunities for industry to 
        reduce or prevent pollution at the source through cost-
        effective changes in production, operation, and raw materials 
        use.
            (3) Such changes offer industry substantial savings in 
        reduced raw material, pollution control, and liability costs, 
        and help to protect the environment and reduce risks to worker 
        health and safety.
            (4) Federal Government estimates indicate that businesses 
        can reduce their waste generation 33 percent to 50 percent by 
        implementing source reduction techniques, and private sector 
        studies suggest that some industry sectors can reduce their 
        waste by up to 80 percent through the use of such techniques.
            (5) In most cases, source reduction and energy efficiency 
        techniques do not require the purchase of new equipment, but 
        merely a better understanding of how to use equipment currently 
        available.
            (6) In fact, one recent study indicated that 25 percent of 
        all source reduction activities require no capital investment 
        for implementation and, of those that require capital, 50 
        percent of the capital expenditures were recouped in savings 
        in, on average, less than 18 months.
            (7) The private sector must take the lead in reducing the 
        production of waste by manufacturing companies and, in fact, 
        many large companies have contracted with consultants or 
        performed internal audits to find methods for reducing 
        pollution in their own processes.
            (8) Source reduction is fundamentally different from, and 
        more desirable than, waste management and pollution control and 
        should be promoted by Federal agencies, particularly the 
        Department of Commerce in its role in assisting businesses.
            (9) The Federal Government can assist small- and medium-
        sized companies that often are unaware of the techniques 
        available for pollution prevention and the possible savings 
        from employing them, and such Government assistance will help 
        meet the dual goals of modernizing manufacturing and improving 
        the environment.
            (10) The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department 
        of Energy can provide the Manufacturing Technology Centers with 
        technical expertise in this area.
            (11) The Environmental Protection Agency has conducted over 
        200 source reduction assessments for manufacturers and the 
        Department of Energy has conducted over 4,100 energy audits 
        which have saved companies $419 million and 77 trillion Btu's 
        of energy.
            (12) Assisting small- and medium-sized companies to reduce 
        the waste products created during the manufacturing process 
        will reduce the companies' costs, and thus improve the 
        competitiveness of such companies, by--
                    (A) reducing their costs of disposal;
                    (B) reducing their costs of complying with 
                environmental regulations;
                    (C) reducing their raw material costs;
                    (D) reducing liability costs associated with 
                transport and disposal; and
                    (E) assisting these companies in identifying areas 
                where their production processes are inefficient.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to incorporate 
environmental concerns into technology programs established in the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology.

SEC. 3. DISSEMINATION OF SOURCE REDUCTION AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY 
              TECHNOLOGIES.

    The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
3701 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``SEC. 23. DISSEMINATION OF SOURCE REDUCTION AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY 
              TECHNOLOGIES.

    ``(a) In General.--Each Regional Center for the Transfer of 
Manufacturing Technology established in section 25 of the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) shall 
conduct or assist in the conducting of energy efficiency and source 
reduction assessments of client companies of the Regional Centers and 
the Manufacturing Outreach Centers established under subsection (c). 
These assessments shall assist such client companies in identifying 
opportunities for energy efficiency conservation and source reduction 
through improvements in manufacturing processes or the purchase of new 
equipment.
    ``(b) Training and Other Assistance.--In order to facilitate these 
energy efficiency and source reduction assessments--
            ``(1) at least one employee of each Regional Center (who 
        shall be designated by such Regional Center) shall receive 
        training from the Department of Energy and the Environmental 
        Protection Agency concerning the conducting of energy 
        efficiency and source reduction assessments; and
            ``(2) not later than 12 months after the date of enactment 
        of this section, the National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology, in consultation with the Environmental Protection 
        Agency and the Department of Energy, shall make available a 
        software assessment package to the Regional Centers and the 
        Manufacturing Outreach Centers for the purpose of assisting 
        client companies in identifying opportunities for improved 
        energy efficiency and source reduction.
    ``(c) Manufacturing Outreach Centers.--(1) Eligible government and 
private sector organizations that are engaged in technology or 
manufacturing extension activities may apply to the Secretary for 
designation as Manufacturing Outreach Centers, in such form and manner 
as the Secretary may prescribe. Eligible organizations include Federal, 
State, and local government agencies, extension programs, universities, 
and laboratories; small business development centers; and professional 
societies, worker organizations, industrial organizations, nonprofit 
organizations, community development organizations, community colleges, 
and technical schools and colleges.
    ``(2) The Secretary shall establish standards for designation of 
existing technology or manufacturing extension programs and for 
qualification of start-up programs as Manufacturing Outreach Centers.
    ``(d) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term `source 
reduction' has the same meaning as in section 6603 of the Pollution 
Prevention Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 13102).''.