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[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3870 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3870

 To promote the research and development of environmental technologies.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 22, 1994

 Mr. Brown of California (for himself, Mr. Valentine, Mr. Mineta, Mrs. 
 Lloyd, Mr. Boehlert, Mrs. Morella, Mr. Swett, Mr. Klein, Mr. McHale, 
    Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Traficant, Mr. Bacchus of Florida, Mr. Barcia of 
   Michigan, Mr. Fingerhut, Ms. Harman, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. 
 Coppersmith, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Minge, Mr. Deal, 
Mr. Scott, Mr. Becerra, Mr. Barca of Wisconsin, Mr. Rush, Mr. Sanders, 
Mr. Olver, and Ms. Slaughter) introduced the following bill; which was 
      referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To promote the research and development of environmental technologies.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 

                      TITLE I--GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Environmental 
Technologies Act of 1994''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

                      TITLE I--GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 101. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 102. Findings.
Sec. 103. Purposes.
Sec. 104. Definitions.
         TITLE II--POLICY COORDINATION AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS

          Subtitle A--Policy Coordination and Program Planning

Sec. 201. Coordination of environmental technology research and 
                            development.
Sec. 202. Life-cycle assessments.
Sec. 203. Environmental technologies in ongoing programs.
       Subtitle B--Environmental Technology Innovation Initiative

Sec. 211. Establishment and administration of initiative.
Sec. 212. Innovative environmental technology program.
Sec. 213. President's total environmental quality award and the 
                            national environmentally sound technology 
                            award.
Sec. 214. Incorporation of information on environmental technologies 
                            into existing networks.
Sec. 215. Use of Federal facilities for environmental technology 
                            demonstration.
Sec. 216. Study of factors affecting innovation in environmental 
                            technologies.
                 Subtitle C--Other Research Activities

Sec. 221. Environmentally advanced engineering research.
Sec. 222. Development plan for innovative environmental control and 
                            remediation technologies.
                  TITLE III--PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS

Sec. 301. Performance measurements for environmental technology 
                            products.
Sec. 302. Verification of environmental technologies.
Sec. 303. Use of environmental technology products by the Federal 
                            government.
               TITLE IV--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

Sec. 401. Authorization of appropriations.

SEC. 102. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Promoting a sound economy and maintaining a healthy 
        environment are among the urgent public policy challenges of 
        the United States.
            (2) The research, development, integration, and deployment 
        of environmental technologies will enhance the economic 
        standing of the United States and global environmental 
        security.
            (3) Although better designs for products and processes 
        offer new opportunities for substantially improved 
        environmental performance in growing domestic and international 
        markets, current government regulations and market barriers do 
        not allow these opportunities to be fully exploited.
            (4) Although the Federal Government, research institutes, 
        universities, and industries are conducting substantial basic 
        environmental research and development, environmental concerns 
        must become a more pervasive and central dimension of 
        technology research and development.
            (5) The coordination of Federal, State, and local 
        activities for the research, development, integration, and 
        deployment of environmental technologies will greatly enhance 
        the effectiveness of environmental policies of the United 
        States.

SEC. 103. PURPOSES.

    It is the purpose of this Act--
            (1) to improve coordination and integration of 
        environmental technology research and development performed by 
        and across Federal agencies;
            (2) to assist and catalyze efforts of private industry, 
        universities, nonprofit research centers, and Federal 
        laboratories in the research, development, integration, and 
        deployment of environmental technologies and, in the process, 
        to promote the competitiveness of United States companies;
            (3) to facilitate the dissemination of information 
        regarding innovations in environmental technologies;
            (4) to promote the development of technical standards for 
        substitution of an environmentally sound product or technology 
        for a traditional one, and for environmental performance and 
        efficacy of new technologies and products; and
            (5) to direct the study of policy changes that will provide 
        for the more efficient research, development, integration, and 
        deployment of environmental technologies.

SEC. 104. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purposes of this Act:
            (1) The term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
        the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) The term ``environmental technology'' means a 
        technology that is primarily intended to improve the quality of 
        the environment through pollution prevention, pollution 
        monitoring, pollution control, pollution remediation, or 
        recycling, or that is capable of cost-effectively offering 
        significant environmental benefits when compared with a 
        technology it replaces.
            (3) The term ``Federal laboratory'' has the meaning given 
        the term ``laboratory'' in section 12(d)(2) of the Stevenson-
        Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
        3710a(d)(2)).
            (4) The term ``life-cycle assessment'' means the assessment 
        of the complete systems involved in converting resources to 
        products, including materials extraction, materials conversion, 
        transportation, energy use, end use, recycling, and disposal, 
        and their associated costs and environmental impacts.
            (5) The term ``small business concern'' means a United 
        States company that is a small business concern within the 
        meaning given such term in the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C 631 
        et seq.).
            (6) The term ``sustainable economic development'' means the 
        integration of environmental and economic development concerns 
        leading to continuous and long-term economic development with 
        reduced pollution and the more efficient use of energy and 
        materials.
            (7) The term ``technology'' means a product, a 
        manufacturing process, a system, a service, or any other method 
        by which individual or societal needs are met through technical 
        activities.
            (8) The term ``United States company'' means a company 
        described in section 28(d)(9)(B) of the National Institute of 
        Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278n(d)(9)(B)).

         TITLE II--POLICY COORDINATION AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS

          Subtitle A--Policy Coordination and Program Planning

SEC. 201. COORDINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND 
              DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) Interagency Coordination.--The Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy shall, in coordination with the heads of 
other Federal agencies that have substantial capabilities in the 
research, development, integration, and deployment of environmental 
technologies, take any action necessary--
            (1) to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the 
        coordinated, interagency promotion of the research, 
        development, integration, and deployment of environmental 
        technologies; and
            (2) to develop priorities for Federal environmental 
        technology research, development, integration, and deployment 
        efforts.
    (b) Implementation.--In carrying out this section, the Director of 
the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall--
            (1) review current Federally funded programs, including 
        Federal budget outlays for these programs, to determine their 
        role in the research, development, integration, and deployment 
        of environmental technologies;
            (2) recommend the specific responsibilities of each 
        appropriate Federal agency to achieve the priorities developed 
        under this section;
            (3) describe the recommended levels of Federal funding 
        required for each Federal agency to carry out the specific 
        responsibilities recommended in paragraph (2);
            (4) develop a means for ensuring, to the maximum extent 
        practicable, that the principles of sustainable economic 
        development are integrated into the research, development, and 
        technology programs of all Federal agencies;
            (5) ensure that the efforts of the Federal Government are 
        coordinated with the efforts of State and local governments and 
        private and nonprofit organizations promoting the research, 
        development, integration, and deployment of environmental 
        technologies; and
            (6) submit to the Congress any recommendations regarding 
        legislative or administrative action, including recommendations 
        on the roles of Federal agencies, which may be required to 
        carry out this section.
    (c) Budget Coordination.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy shall annually assess, before the President submits 
to the Congress the budget for a fiscal year, the budget estimate of 
each relevant Federal agency for consistency with the plans, reviews, 
and priorities developed under this section. The Director shall make 
the results of the annual assessment available to the appropriate 
elements of the Executive Office of the President, particularly the 
Office of Management and Budget, for use in the preparation of such 
budget.
    (d) Annual Review and Plan.--The Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy shall annually submit to the Congress a report 
containing an evaluation and plan that assesses the progress of Federal 
efforts in advancing the research, development, integration, and 
deployment of environmental technologies.
    (e) Non-Federal Participation.--The Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy shall establish mechanisms to ensure the 
participation of non-Federal entities, including State and local 
governments, United States companies, United States industrial 
associations and consortia, United States institutions of higher 
education, United States worker organizations, United States 
professional associations, and United States nonprofit organizations, 
in carrying out this section, including the development of the plans, 
reviews, and recommendations developed under this section.

SEC. 202. LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENTS.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Life-cycle assessments have the potential to greatly 
        assist in achieving more environmentally sound products, 
        processes, and services and enhanced industrial efficiency by 
        clarifying materials flows and energy flows and by enhancing 
        capabilities to assess these flows in the design of such 
        products, processes, and services.
            (2) Methods of life-cycle assessment are underused in both 
        the public and private sectors, particularly as applied to 
        sustainable economic development.
            (3) The data necessary for meaningful life-cycle assessment 
        are often difficult to acquire, and no system exists to make 
        such data readily available to public and private groups.
    (b) Life-Cycle Assessment Coordination.--
            (1) In general.--As part of activities to coordinate 
        environmental technology research, development, integration, 
        and deployment described in section 201, the Director of the 
        Office of Science and Technology Policy shall coordinate 
        Federal activities and resources that are applied to life-cycle 
        assessment in order to maximize the contribution of life-cycle 
        assessments to the efficient design, development, and use of 
        technologies, and to sustainable economic development.
            (2) Implementation.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
        Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall--
                    (A) ensure that the life-cycle assessment resources 
                of each Federal agency are developed and disseminated 
                in a coordinated fashion, partitioning agency 
                responsibilities where appropriate;
                    (B) coordinate with State and local governments 
                developing life-cycle assessment resources; and
                    (C) consult with appropriate private-sector 
                organizations to take into account the life-cycle 
                assessment capabilities of the private sector in 
                carrying out this section.
            (3) Other activities.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
        Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall 
        also encourage appropriate Federal agencies--
                    (A) to collect and disseminate information 
                regarding analytic methods (and, as required, to 
                develop such methods) that will significantly enhance 
                the ability of United States companies and other 
                organizations to evaluate materials extraction, 
                materials conversion, transportation, energy use, end 
                use, recycling, and disposal, and their associated 
                costs and environmental impacts;
                    (B) to utilize, to the fullest extent practicable, 
                existing networks and supporting databases which 
                provide access to publicly available information that 
                will facilitate the use of life-cycle assessments;
                    (C) to sponsor demonstrations for public policy and 
                business decisionmakers of the effective use of life-
                cycle assessment data and methods described in this 
                section; and
                    (D) to ensure that private-sector life-cycle 
                assessment capabilities are, and continue to be, fully 
                integrated into activities under this section.
    (3) Limitation.--Nothing in this section shall be considered to 
require the use of life-cycle assessment data or methods by any Federal 
agency.
    (d) Annual Review.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy shall annually submit to the Congress a report 
containing an evaluation of the life-cycle assessment activities of the 
Federal Government.

SEC. 203. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES IN ONGOING PROGRAMS.

    (a) Stevenson-Wydler Amendments.--The Stevenson-Wydler Technology 
Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3701) is amended--
            (1) in section 2(2), by inserting ``greater environmental 
        sustainability,'' after ``employment opportunities,'';
            (2) in section 3(1), by inserting ``for sustainable 
        economic development'' after ``stimulate technology'';
            (3) in section 4, by adding at the end the following new 
        paragraph:
            ``(14) `Sustainable economic development' means the 
        integration of environmental and economic development concerns 
        leading to continuous and long-term economic development with 
        reduced pollution and the more efficient use of energy and 
        materials;'';
            (4) in section 6(a), by inserting ``and sustainable 
        economic development in their regions'' after ``enhance the 
        competitiveness of American business'';
            (5) in section 6(d), by inserting ``and sustainable 
        economic development of their regions'' after ``enhance the 
        competitiveness of American businesses'';
            (6) in section 7(a), by inserting ``and sustainable 
        economic development'' after ``enhance technological 
        innovation'';
            (7) in section 7(c)(1), by striking ``economic 
        competitiveness'' and inserting ``sustainable economic 
        development'';
            (8) in section 9(a), by inserting ``and sustainable 
        economic development'' after ``enhance technological 
        innovation''; and
            (9) in section 11(c)(1) by inserting ``and would enhance 
        sustainable economic development'' after ``commercial 
        applications''.
    (b) NIST Amendments.--The National Institute of Standards and 
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 271) is amended--
            (1) in section 1(b)(1), by inserting ``sustainable economic 
        development,'' after ``improved product reliability and 
        manufacturing processes,'';
            (2) in section 1, by adding after subsection (b) the 
        following new subsection:
    ``(c) For purposes of this section, the term `sustainable economic 
development' means the integration of environmental and economic 
development concerns leading to continuous and long-term economic 
development with reduced pollution and the more efficient use of energy 
and materials;''; and
            (3) in section 2(b)(1), by inserting ``to enhance 
        sustainable economic development (as that term is defined in 
        section 1(c))'' after ``to improve quality,''.
    (c) NASA Amendments.--The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 
1958 (42 U.S.C. 2451 note) is amended--
            (1) in section 102(d)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (6), (7), (8), and 
                (9) as paragraphs (7), (8), (9), and (10), 
                respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(6) The making available to Federal and non-Federal 
        entities of the United States, technologies that will enhance 
        the sustainable economic development of the Nation.''; and
            (2) in section 103--
                    (A) by striking ``; and'' in paragraph (1) and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph 
                (2) and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(3) the term `sustainable economic development' means the 
        integration of environmental and economic development concerns 
        leading to continuous and long-term economic development with 
        reduced pollution and the more efficient use of energy and 
        materials.''.
    (d) NSF Amendments.--
            (1) Functions.--Section 3(a) of the National Science 
        Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.) is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (6), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (B) in paragraph (7), by striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(8) to foster education and research that would promote 
        sustainable economic development nationally and 
        internationally.''.
            (2) Definition.--Subsection (g) of section 14 of such Act 
        is amended as follows:
                    (A) By striking ``(g) For purposes of this Act, the 
                term'' and inserting the following:
    ``(g) For purposes of this Act:
            ``(1) The term''.
                    (B) By adding after paragraph (1), as designated by 
                subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(2) The term `sustainable economic development' means the 
        integration of environmental and economic development concerns 
        leading to continuous and long-term economic development with 
        reduced pollution and the more efficient use of energy and 
        materials.''.

       Subtitle B--Environmental Technology Innovation Initiative

SEC. 211. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF INITIATIVE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established an interagency 
Environmental Technologies Innovation Initiative to promote the 
research, development, integration, and deployment of technologies that 
will contribute significantly to sustainable economic development. The 
Administrator shall administer the initiative in cooperation with the 
heads of other Federal agencies, including the Secretary of Commerce, 
the Secretary of Energy, and the Director of the National Science 
Foundation, that have substantial capabilities in advanced technology 
research and development.
    (b) Conduct of Initiative Programs and Activities.--The initiative 
referred to in subsection (a) shall include--
            (1) the administration and award of the President's Total 
        Environmental Quality Award established under section 24 of the 
        Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
        3701 et seq.), as added by section 213, and of the National 
        Environmentally Sound Technology Award established under 
        section 25 of such Act, as added by section 213;
            (2) the conduct of the Innovative Environmental Technology 
        Program described in section 212, the information activities 
        described in section 214, and the environmental technology 
        demonstration program described in section 215; and
            (3) the study provided for in section 216.
    (c) Agreements with Other Agencies; Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--To carry out a section referred to in 
        subsection (b)(2), the Administrator may enter into an 
        agreement with the head of another Federal agency, and enter 
        into contracts and cooperative agreements with, and award 
        grants to, entities eligible for financial assistance under 
        that section.
            (2) Competitive process.--The Administrator (or the head of 
        a Federal agency under an agreement under paragraph (1)) shall 
        select proposals for financial assistance under a section 
        referred to in subsection (b)(2) solely through a competitive, 
        merit-based evaluation process.
            (3) Integration of industry and other views.--The 
        Administrator (or the head of a Federal agency under an 
        agreement under paragraph (1)) shall develop mechanisms for 
        integrating the views of representatives of industry and 
        nonprofit and other appropriate organizations into the process 
        by which proposals for financial assistance under a section 
        referred to in subsection (b)(2) are evaluated and selected.
    (d) Other Assistance Authorized.--The Administrator, in cooperation 
with the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies that have 
substantial capabilities in advanced technology research and 
development and as appropriate, may provide an entity receiving 
financial assistance under a section referred to in subsection (b)(2) 
with any technical and other assistance, including any equipment and 
facilities of Federal laboratories (including the scientists and 
engineers at those laboratories), necessary to carry out such section.
    (e) Annual Interagency Plan and Review.--The Administrator, in 
cooperation with the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies 
(including the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Energy), 
shall annually submit to the Congress a report that contains a 
strategic, interagency plan for the programs and activities referred to 
in subsection (b)(2) and an evaluation of such programs and activities, 
including an evaluation of the success of innovations resulting from 
such programs and activities.
    (f) Administration.--
            (1) In general.--In administering the programs and 
        activities referred to in subsection (b)(2), the Administrator 
        shall--
                    (A) monitor the manner in which any technologies 
                developed as a result of the programs and activities 
                are used, and report periodically to the Congress on 
                the extent of any international transfer of these 
                technologies;
                    (B) provide for appropriate dissemination of the 
                results of any research conducted under such program 
                and activities; and
                    (C) take any other action the Administrator 
                considers necessary to carry out the programs and 
                activities and to avoid unnecessary duplication of 
                effort by Federal agencies.
            (2) Applicability of other law.--Paragraphs (5), (6), (7), 
        (8), and (11) of section 28(d) of the National Institute of 
        Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278n(d)) shall apply to 
        the administration of the programs and activities referred to 
        in subsection (b)(2).
            (3) Participation of socially and economically 
        disadvantaged individuals.--In carrying out the sections 
        referred to in subsection (b)(2), the Administrator shall 
        encourage the participation of socially disadvantaged 
        individuals and economically disadvantaged individuals, as such 
        terms are defined in paragraphs (6)(A) and (5) of section 8(a) 
        of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)(6)(A),(5)), 
        respectively, including women.
    (g) Economically Depressed Areas.--The Administrator, in 
cooperation with the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, shall 
seek to ensure that entities eligible for assistance under a section 
referred to in subsection (b)(2) and located in areas determined by the 
Administrator to have a depressed economy, or a significant 
concentration of defense-related industries, or chronically high 
unemployment, are notified of the assistance made available under that 
section and, to the extent practicable, to encourage and facilitate the 
participation of such entities in activities for which assistance is 
provided under that section.
    (h) Limitation on Construction of Facilities.--The Administrator 
may not provide financial assistance to an entity under a section 
referred to in subsection (b)(2) for the construction of facilities.
    (i) Management.--The Administrator shall prescribe any regulations 
necessary to carry out each section referred to in subsection (b)(2), 
including regulations--
            (1) prescribing the form, time, and manner in which 
        proposals for financial assistance under such section shall 
        submitted; and
            (2) providing consideration of in-kind contributions by a 
        non-Federal Government entity participating in a program or 
        activity conducted under such section for the purpose of 
        determining the share of the costs of participating in the 
        program or activity that have been or are being undertaken by 
        that entity.

SEC. 212. INNOVATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Administrator, in cooperation with the 
heads of other appropriate Federal agencies (including the Secretary of 
Commerce and the Secretary of Energy), shall conduct an interagency 
innovative environmental technology program to develop or demonstrate 
advanced precommercial environmental technologies.
    (b) Eligibility for Financial Assistance.--An entity shall be 
eligible for financial assistance to conduct a demonstration or 
development project under the program established under subsection (a) 
only if the entity is either a single United States company or a 
partnership which--
            (1) includes two or more United States companies; and
            (2) may include, as determined appropriate by the 
        Administrator, a Federal laboratory or laboratories, United 
        States nonprofit organizations, United States institutions of 
        higher education, agencies of States governments, and other 
        entities that participate in the partnership by supporting the 
        activities conducted by such companies or corporations under 
        this section.
    (c) Criteria for Selection of Proposals.--The Administrator shall 
give priority consideration to the following criteria in evaluating 
proposals for financial assistance under this section:
            (1) Contribution to the priorities established pursuant to 
        section 201(a)(2).
            (2) Significant improvement in environmental soundness of 
        the production process.
            (3) Contribution to industrial competitiveness, including 
        new markets, reduced production costs, and enhanced export 
        potential.
            (4) Improvement in the environment of the workplace.
            (5) Applicability to other industrial processes.
            (6) Improvement in technological capability to recycle 
        complex combinations of materials.
            (7) Innovative application of post-consumer materials.
    (d) Award Conditions.--Financial assistance provided under this 
section shall be subject to the following conditions:
            (1) Such assistance may be made for not more than three 
        years for single United States companies and not more than five 
        years for partnerships.
            (2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), the Federal 
        Government may provide financial assistance to a partnership 
        under this section in an amount that is not more than a 
        minority share of the cost of the project conducted by the 
        partnership.
            (3) The Federal share of the cost of a project conducted by 
        a partnership under this section may exceed the limitation 
        described in paragraph (2) if--
                    (A) the partnership is composed entirely of small 
                business concerns; or
                    (B) the Administrator determines that it would be 
                appropriate under the circumstances and would serve the 
                purpose of the program to provide more than a minority 
                cost-share of the project conducted by the partnership.

SEC. 213. PRESIDENT'S TOTAL ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AWARD AND THE 
              NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND TECHNOLOGY AWARD.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Award programs such as the Malcolm Baldrige National 
        Quality Award Program have made substantial contributions to 
        private enterprise by providing a framework upon which 
        organizations can improve their operations and by focusing on 
        issues important to their competitiveness.
            (2) A President's Total Environmental Quality Award Program 
        modeled on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program 
        would contribute to environmental quality and sustainable 
        economic development by--
                    (A) helping to stimulate United States companies to 
                research, develop, integrate, and deploy environmental 
                technologies;
                    (B) recognizing the achievements of such companies 
                which successfully research, develop, integrate, and 
                deploy environmental technologies; and
                    (C) establishing guidelines and criteria that can 
                be used by business, industrial, governmental, and 
                other organizations in evaluating their own research, 
                development, integration, and deployment of 
                environmental technologies.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to provide for the 
establishment and conduct of a President's Total Environmental Quality 
Award Program and a National Environmentally Sound Technology Award 
Program under which awards are given to recognize the successful 
research, development, integration, and deployment of environmental 
technologies, and information is disseminated about such success.
    (c) Establishment of Awards.--The Stevenson-Wydler Technology 
Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) is amended by inserting 
after section 23 the following new sections:

``SEC. 24. PRESIDENT'S TOTAL ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AWARD.

    ``(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the President's 
Total Environmental Quality Award (in this section referred to as the 
`Award').
    ``(b) Design.--The Award shall be evidenced by a medal bearing the 
inscription `President's Total Environmental Quality Award'.
    ``(c) Award Selection Process.--The Secretary, in cooperation with 
the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency, shall establish a process for the acceptance and 
evaluation of Award applicants. The Secretary shall, to the extent 
practicable, refer to the procedures used in the administration of the 
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, including the definition of 
award categories, the delegation of responsibilities, and provisions 
for publicity, evaluation feed-back, and information transfer, as a 
model for the President's Total Environmental Quality Award.
    ``(d) Presentation of Award.--
            ``(1) Recommendations by secretary.--The Secretary shall 
        submit to the President the recommendations of the Secretary 
        for the selection of Award applicants.
            ``(2) Selection by the president.--On the basis of 
        recommendations received under paragraph (1), the President 
        shall periodically select for receipt of the Award United 
        States companies and other organizations which in the judgment 
        of the President have substantially benefited the 
        environmental, economic, and social well-being of the United 
        States through the research, development, integration, and 
        deployment of environmental technologies and the effective 
        integration of environmental concerns into its operations and 
        management, and which as a consequence are deserving of special 
        recognition.
            ``(3) Presentation ceremony.--The President or the Vice 
        President shall present the Award to recipients selected under 
        paragraph (2) with such ceremony as the President or the Vice 
        President considers to be appropriate.
    ``(e) Limitation.--The information gathered in evaluating Award 
applications may be used only for the evaluation of such applications 
and for publicity by winners of the Award. Such information may not be 
used for regulatory or compliance purposes.
    ``(f) Evaluation Criteria.--Criteria for evaluating Award 
applications shall include the following:
            ``(1) The effectiveness of the organization's development 
        and deployment of environmental technologies, as well as the 
        organization's provision for environmental technologies in its 
        future plans.
            ``(2) The effectiveness of the integration of environmental 
        concerns into the operations and management of the 
        organization;
            ``(3) The effectiveness of energy and materials use from 
        the perspective of the life-cycle of the production, use, 
        recycle, and disposal of a product.
            ``(4) The effective use of an integrated approach to 
        pollution prevention and control that considers all 
        environmental media (liquid, solid, gaseous).
    ``(g) Funding.--The Secretary may seek and accept gifts from public 
and private sources to carry out this section. The Secretary may 
provide for the imposition of a fee upon the organizations applying for 
the Award.
    ``(h) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the President and 
the Congress a report on the progress made in carrying out this 
section. The report shall include any recommendations of the Secretary 
for any modifications of the Award the Secretary considers necessary.

``SEC. 25. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND TECHNOLOGY AWARD.

    ``(a) Establishment.--There is established a National 
Environmentally Sound Technology Award for the purpose of awarding 
individuals who have pioneered the development and use of highly 
innovative environmental technologies within the meaning of section 
104(2) of the Environmental Technologies Act of 1994.
    ``(b) Administration.--Using the authority and procedures 
established in section 24 and subject to the conditions described in 
this section, the Secretary, in cooperation with the Administrator of 
the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Energy, shall 
receive and evaluate applications for the National Environmentally 
Sound Technology Award and provide for presentation of such Award.
    ``(c) Qualified Technologies.--Technologies that qualify for such 
Award may include the following:
            ``(1) Manufacturing technologies.
            ``(2) Industrial or consumer products.
            ``(3) Consumer services.
            ``(4) Recycling technologies.
            ``(5) Pollution monitoring and control technologies.
    ``(d) Qualified Applicants.--Any citizen or permanent resident of 
the United States may qualify for such Award. Any such individual who 
is employed by or otherwise works for a business, Federal laboratory, 
or other organization may qualify for such Award only if the individual 
was substantially involved in the invention or innovation for which 
such Award is presented.
    ``(e) Limitation.--Not more than five such Awards may be presented 
annually.''.

SEC. 214. INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES 
              INTO EXISTING NETWORKS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator, through the Office of 
Research and Development of the Environmental Protection Agency and in 
cooperation with the Under Secretary for Technology of the Department 
of Commerce and the heads of any other appropriate Federal agencies, 
shall, to the maximum extent practicable, use existing information 
network capabilities of the Federal Government to provide coordinated 
access to data on environmental technologies developed, tested, or 
verified under programs established by this Act, and by other 
appropriate Federal and non-Federal sources. Such data shall include--
            (1) information on--
                    (A) activities carried out under this Act and the 
                amendments made by this Act;
                    (B) performance standards regarding environmental 
                technologies; and
                    (C) significant international developments in 
                environmental technologies, fully coordinating with 
                other international technology information programs of 
                the Federal Government; and
            (2) other information determined by the Administrator to be 
        of substantial value in promoting the research, development, 
        integration, and deployment of environmental technologies.
    (b) Use of Existing Resources.--In carrying out this section, the 
Administrator shall, to the maximum extent practicable--
            (1) use existing public and private sector information 
        providers and carriers; and
            (2) coordinate with the heads of other appropriate Federal 
        agencies to make data described in subsection (a) accessible 
        through appropriate database systems of those Federal agencies.
    (c) Outreach.--The Administrator shall conduct outreach efforts to 
advertise, deliver, and disseminate the information made available 
pursuant to subsection (a). As part of such efforts, the Administrator 
shall consult with United States industrial associations and take 
appropriate action to ensure access to such information by industrial 
assistance organizations and programs supported by a State or local 
government, a non-profit organization in which a State or local 
government is a member, an institution of higher education designated 
by a State or local government, a manufacturing extension and outreach 
service or regional technical assistance service approved by the 
Federal Government, or a Federal laboratory.

SEC. 215. USE OF FEDERAL FACILITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 
              DEMONSTRATION.

    (a) Establishment.--The Administrator shall establish a program, in 
cooperation with the heads of appropriate Federal agencies (including 
the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary 
of Defense), to demonstrate the performance of environmental 
technologies at Federal laboratories and other Federal facilities.
    (b) Qualifying Technology Demonstration Projects.--Technologies 
that qualify for demonstration under such program include--
            (1) environmental technologies that can be applied to a 
        major pollution control or remediation need, as determined by 
        the Administrator, at a Federal laboratory or other Federal 
        facility;
            (2) environmental technologies the development of which 
        would be significantly advanced by unique facilities or 
        capabilities of a Federal laboratory or other Federal facility; 
        and
            (3) other environmental technologies that the 
        Administration considers to have significant potential as an 
        environmental technology that will contribute to sustainable 
        economic growth.
    (c) Administration.--As part of the program established under this 
section, the Administrator--
            (1) may enter into a cooperative agreement with any other 
        Federal agency to make available, as appropriate, any 
        expertise, site, or facility under the jurisdiction of such 
        agency to an eligible entity under subsection (d) for the 
        purpose of demonstrating the performance of an environmental 
        technology;
            (2) shall establish application procedures for an eligible 
        entity under subsection (d) to apply to demonstrate an 
        environmental technology at an available site or facility, 
        including--
                    (A) provisions for sharing the cost of 
                demonstrating the technology with an applicant that 
                limit the Federal share of the cost to not more than 50 
                percent of the total cost of demonstrating the 
                technology; and
                    (B) provisions that provide special consideration 
                of the needs of small business concerns;
            (3) shall establish criteria for verification of the 
        efficacy of demonstrated environmental technologies;
            (4) shall establish specific procedures for the management 
        and oversight of demonstration activities conducted under this 
        section;
            (5) shall, pursuant to section 214 and in consultation and 
        cooperation with other Federal agencies, make available for 
        entities eligible under subsection (d) information regarding--
                    (A) the facilities and expertise available at 
                Federal laboratories that would be valuable to the 
                demonstration of environmental technologies; and
                    (B) sites at Federal laboratories or other Federal 
                facilities potentially available for demonstrating 
                environmental technologies, characterized by specific 
                site characteristics, including site geology and site 
                contaminants where appropriate;
            (6) shall document the performance and cost characteristics 
        of each environmental technology demonstrated pursuant to this 
        section; and
            (7) shall list and disseminate, pursuant to section 214, 
        nonproprietary information regarding the performance and cost 
        characteristics of the environmental technologies demonstrated 
        pursuant to this section.
    (d) Entities Eligible for Participation.--Entities eligible to 
carry out a demonstration project as part of the program established 
under subsection (a) are United States companies (including small 
business concerns), United States nonprofit organizations, United 
States institutions of higher education, and other entities that the 
Administrator considers appropriate.
    (e) Program Evaluation and Reporting.--In the report required by 
section 211(e), the Administrator shall, in cooperation with other 
Federal agencies and in consultation with United States companies and 
United States nonprofit organizations, evaluate the performance of the 
program established under this section, including an evaluation and 
statement of--
            (1) the number of environmental technologies demonstrated 
        and the type of problems addressed; and
            (2) the Federal and non-Federal financial resources 
        committed to the program.

SEC. 216. STUDY OF FACTORS AFFECTING INNOVATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL 
              TECHNOLOGIES.

    (a) Study.--The Administrator shall enter into an agreement with 
the National Research Council to conduct a study of the influences on 
technological innovation in environmental technologies of economic, 
governmental, and other incentives and barriers.
    (b) Report.--The Administrator shall include in the agreement 
referred to in subsection (a) a requirement that the National Research 
Council complete a report describing the results of the study referred 
to in such subsection not later than two years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. The Administrator shall submit the report to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of 
the Senate within 30 days after receiving the report from the National 
Research Council.

                 Subtitle C--Other Research Activities

SEC. 221. ENVIRONMENTALLY ADVANCED ENGINEERING RESEARCH.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the National Science Foundation 
shall take appropriate actions to support research activities that will 
advance the integration of engineering practices and environmental 
protection in the development of advanced technologies.
    (b) Interagency Cooperation.--The Director of the National Science 
Foundation shall cooperate with the heads of other appropriate Federal 
agencies, including the Administrator, in carrying out this section.
    (c) Integration of Information.--The Director of the National 
Science Foundation shall, to the maximum extent practicable, provide 
for the dissemination through education activities of the Foundation 
and other appropriate Federal agencies of information developed as a 
result of the research activities referred to in subsection (a).

SEC. 222. DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR INNOVATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AND 
              REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES.

    Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Administrator, in cooperation with the heads of other 
appropriate Federal agencies (including the Secretary of Energy), shall 
submit to the Congress a strategic plan for interagency coordination of 
Federal programs for the timely research, development, integration, and 
deployment of innovative environmental control and remediation 
technologies.

                  TITLE III--PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS

SEC. 301. PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 
              PRODUCTS.

    (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Commerce, through the Director 
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in cooperation 
with the Administrator and the heads of other appropriate Federal 
agencies, and in consultation with non-Federal standards organizations, 
shall establish a program to support the clarification of measurements 
of performance--
            (1) for environmental technology products to clarify 
        quality, performance, and substitutability for conventional 
        products and for the fair evaluation of performance claims 
        regarding environmental technologies; and
            (2) for appropriate standard reference materials.
    (b) Existing Non-Federal Programs.--In developing the program 
established in subsection (a), the Director of the National Institute 
of Standards and Technology shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
coordinate efforts under such program with existing non-Federal 
standards activities that affect environmental technology products.
    (c) Coordination With Other Federal Agencies.--The Secretary of 
Commerce, through the Director of the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, shall coordinate with the heads of other appropriate 
Federal agencies to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the use 
of the best available scientific and technical information in the 
evaluation of environmental performance claims by such agencies.
    (d) Glossary of Terms.--The Secretary of Commerce, through the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall 
work with the heads of appropriate Federal agencies and private-sector 
standards organizations to facilitate the development and maintenance 
of a glossary of standard definitions of terms used in the evaluation 
of environmental performance claims.
    (e) International Harmonization.--The Secretary of Commerce, 
through the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, shall work with domestic and international standards 
organizations to ensure harmonization of domestic performance 
measurements with international performance measurements.

SEC. 302. VERIFICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES.

    (a) Designation of Entities To Perform Environmental Technology 
Verification.--The Administrator may, in accordance with this section, 
designate entities to perform the functions described in subsection 
(b). The Administrator may enter into joint agreements with Federal 
agencies, State and local governments, and nonprofit, private-sector 
representatives to support entities designated by the Administrator 
under this section.
    (b) Functions.--Each entity designated under subsection (a) shall--
            (1) verify and evaluate the performance and cost 
        characteristics of environmental technologies;
            (2) disseminate information on the characteristics referred 
        to in paragraph (1), including information that describes 
        whether each environmental technology evaluated and verified--
                    (A) meets the performance criteria of applicable 
                law (including regulations issued by the Administrator) 
                under tested conditions at comparable or lower costs 
                than other existing environmental technologies; and
                    (B) constitutes a significant advance in the 
                development of environmental technologies with broad 
                applicability; and
            (3) submit to the Administrator data and other information 
        compiled by the entity with respect to each environmental 
        technology verified and evaluated by the entity under this 
        section.
    (c) Review by Administrator.--After receiving data and other 
information from an entity designated under subsection (a) with respect 
to an environmental technology under subsection (b)(4), the 
Administrator shall conduct appropriate review of the data, other 
information, and protocols developed by such entity with respect to 
such technology.
    (d) Administration.--In carrying out this section, the 
Administrator shall--
            (1) establish procedures for soliciting applications for 
        and selecting, pursuant to criteria referred to in subsection 
        (e), entities to perform functions described in subsection (b) 
        and, as appropriate, designate model entities;
            (2) establish eligibility criteria for entities to be 
        designated under this section;
            (3) in cooperation with the heads of other appropriate 
        Federal agencies, including the Director of the National 
        Institute of Standards and Technology, certify, and as 
        appropriate develop, common protocols to evaluate the cost and 
        performance of environmental technologies;
            (4) ensure that information regarding environmental 
        technologies verified and evaluated under this program is 
        disseminated pursuant to section 214;
            (5) develop mechanisms to facilitate the verification of--
                    (A) environmental technologies developed or 
                demonstrated by small business concerns, nonprofit 
                organizations, and United States institutions of higher 
                education; and
                    (B) environmental technologies that provide source 
                reduction; and
            (6) consult with the heads of other Federal agencies to 
        make available, through cooperative agreements with the 
        entities designated under this section, sources and expertise 
        of Federal laboratories for use by such entities in performing 
        the functions described in subsection (b).
    (e) Selection Criteria.--The Administrator, in consultation with 
the heads of other Federal agencies, State and local governments, and 
private sector organizations, shall select entities under this section 
based on the following criteria:
            (1) The capabilities of the applicant to provide a thorough 
        and credible technical and financial evaluation of 
        environmental technologies.
            (2) The clarity and efficiency of the proposed procedures 
        for the receipt and review of applications for technology 
        verification.
            (3) The likelihood of the continued viability of the 
        entity.
            (4) The existence of a plan for disseminating 
        nonproprietary information regarding technologies verified by 
        the entity.
            (5) Other criteria that the Administrator considers 
        appropriate.
    (f) Merit-Based Selection Process.--Entities supported under this 
section shall be selected only through a merit-based selection process, 
established by the Administrator, pursuant to the criteria described in 
subsection (e).
    (g) Authority of Administrator.--The Administrator may enter into 
cooperative agreements and contracts to carry out this section.
    (h) Direct Verification.--If the Administrator determines that 
entities designated under this section cannot adequately verify the 
performance of environmental technologies because of scale or 
complexity, the Administrator may enter into direct agreements to 
verify the performance of such technologies.
    (i) Review.--
            (1) In general.--Any action by the Administrator to verify 
        or evaluate a technology (or to review a verification or 
        evaluation) under this section shall not constitute a final 
        action by the Administrator and shall not be subject to 
        judicial review.
            (2) Failure to comply.--If a technology verified, 
        evaluated, or reviewed pursuant to this section fails to comply 
        with any applicable law (including regulations issued by the 
        Administrator), the verification, evaluation, or confirmation 
        shall not constitute a defense in an enforcement action or suit 
        and shall not create a cause of action against the 
        Environmental Protection Agency.

SEC. 303. USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS BY THE FEDERAL 
              GOVERNMENT.

    (a) Establishment.--The President shall establish a program for 
evaluating and approving the purchase by the Federal Government of 
environmental technology products. The President shall consider 
performance standards that clarify the substitutability of 
environmental technology products for conventional products to 
establish a priority list of environmental technology products for 
approval for purchase under the program and implement a plan for the 
procurement of such products.
    (b) Report.--Within one year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act and annually thereafter, the President shall submit to the 
Congress a report describing the progress made in carrying out this 
section and plans for carrying out this section for the three years 
immediately following the year in which the report is submitted.

               TITLE IV--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

SEC. 401. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), there is 
hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years 1995 and 1996 
such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act and the amendments 
made by this Act.
    (b) Environmental Technologies Innovation Initiative.--There is 
hereby authorized to be appropriated to carry out the Environmental 
Technologies Innovation Initiative established in subtitle B of title 
II the following:
            (1) For fiscal year 1995, $80,000,000, of which $500,000 is 
        authorized to be appropriated for the President's Total 
        Environmental Quality Award established in section 213 for 
        fiscal year 1995 and $700,000 is authorized to be appropriated 
        for the study referred to in section 216.
            (2) For fiscal year 1996, $120,000,000, of which $1,500,000 
        is authorized to be appropriated for the President's Total 
        Environmental Quality Award established in section 213.

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