I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 330

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 27, 1999

Referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the Committee on

Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,

in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

AN ACT

To promote the research, identification, assessment, exploration, and development of methane hydrate resources,

and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Methane Hydrate Re5 search and Development Act of 1999’’.
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1 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

2 In this Act:

3 (1) CONTRACT.—The term ‘‘contract’’ means a

4 procurement contract within the meaning of section

5 6303 of title 31, United States Code.

6 (2) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.—The term ‘‘co7 operative agreement’’ means a cooperative agree8 ment within the meaning of section 6305 of title 31,

9 United States Code.

10 (3) GRANT.—The term ‘‘grant’’ means a grant

11 awarded under a grant agreement, within the mean12 ing of section 6304 of title 31, United States Code.

13 (4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The

14 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ means an in15 stitution of higher education, within the meaning of

16 section 102(a)(1) of the Higher Education Act of

17 1965.

18 (5) METHANE HYDRATE.—The term ‘‘methane

19 hydrate’’ means a methane clathrate that—

20 (A) is in the form of a methane-water ice21 like crystalline material; and

22 (B) is stable and occurs naturally in deep23 ocean and permafrost areas.

24 (6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means

25 the Secretary of Energy.
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1 (7) SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.—The term ‘‘Sec2 retary of Defense’’ means the Secretary of Defense,

3 acting through the Secretary of the Navy.

4 (8) SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.—The term

5 ‘‘Secretary of the Interior’’ means the Secretary of

6 the Interior, acting through the Director of the

7 United States Geological Survey.

8 (9) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means

9 the Director of the National Science Foundation.

10 SEC. 3. METHANE HYDRATE RESEARCH AND DEVELOP11 MENT PROGRAM.

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—

13 (1) COMMENCEMENT OF PROGRAM.—Not later

14 than 180 days after the date of enactment of this

15 Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Sec16 retary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, and

17 the Director, shall commence a program of methane

18 hydrate research and development.

19 (2) DESIGNATIONS.—The Secretary, the Sec20 retary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, and

21 the Director shall designate individuals to carry out

22 this section.

23 (3) MEETINGS.—The individuals designated

24 under paragraph (2) shall meet not later than 120

25 days after the date on which all such individuals are
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1 designated and not less frequently than every 120

2 days thereafter to—

3 (A) review the progress of the program

4 under paragraph (1); and

5 (B) make recommendations on future ac6 tivities to occur subsequent to the meeting.

7 (b) GRANTS, CONTRACTS, AND COOPERATIVE

8 AGREEMENTS.—

9 (1) ASSISTANCE AND COORDINATION.—The

10 Secretary may award grants or contracts to, or enter

11 into cooperative agreements with, institutions of

12 higher education and industrial enterprises to—

13 (A) conduct basic and applied research to

14 identify, explore, assess, and develop methane

15 hydrate as a source of energy;

16 (B) assist in developing technologies re17 quired for efficient and environmentally sound

18 development of methane hydrate resources;

19 (C) undertake research programs to pro20 vide safe means of transport and storage of

21 methane produced from methane hydrates;

22 (D) promote education and training in

23 methane hydrate resource research and re24 source development;
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1 (E) conduct basic and applied research to

2 assess and mitigate the environmental impacts

3 of hydrate degassing (including both natural

4 degassing and degassing associated with com5 mercial development); and

6 (F) develop technologies to reduce the

7 risks of drilling through methane hydrates.

8 (2) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary may estab9 lish an advisory panel consisting of experts from in10 dustry, institutions of higher education, and Federal

11 agencies to—

12 (A) advise the Secretary on potential appli13 cations of methane hydrate; and

14 (B) assist in developing recommendations

15 and priorities for the methane hydrate research

16 and development program carried out under

17 subsection (a)(1).

18 (c) LIMITATIONS.—

19 (1) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Not more

20 than 5 percent of the amount made available to

21 carry out this section for a fiscal year may be used

22 by the Secretary for expenses associated with the ad23 ministration of the program carried out under sub24 section (a)(1).
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1 (2) CONSTRUCTION COSTS.—None of the funds

2 made available to carry out this section may be used

3 for the construction of a new building or the acquisi4 tion, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of an exist5 ing building (including site grading and improve6 ment and architect fees).

7 (d) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY.—In car8 rying out subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall—

9 (1) facilitate and develop partnerships among

10 government, industry, and institutions of higher edu11 cation to research, identify, assess, and explore

12 methane hydrate resources;

13 (2) undertake programs to develop basic infor14 mation necessary for promoting long-term interest in

15 methane hydrate resources as an energy source;

16 (3) ensure that the data and information devel17 oped through the program are accessible and widely

18 disseminated as needed and appropriate;

19 (4) promote cooperation among agencies that

20 are developing technologies that may hold promise

21 for methane hydrate resource development; and

22 (5) report annually to Congress on accomplish23 ments under this section.
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1 SEC. 4. AMENDMENT TO THE MINING AND MINERALS POL2 ICY ACT OF 1970.

3 Section 201 of the Mining and Minerals Policy Act

4 of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1901) is amended—

5 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (6) and (7) as

6 paragraphs (7) and (8), respectively;

7 (2) by inserting after paragraph (5) the fol8 lowing:

9 ‘‘(6) The term ‘methane hydrate’ means a

10 methane clathrate that—

11 ‘‘(A) is in the form of a methane-water ice12 like crystalline material; and

13 ‘‘(B) is stable and occurs naturally in

14 deep-ocean and permafrost areas.’’; and

15 (3) in paragraph (7) (as redesignated by para16 graph (1))—

17 (A) in subparagraph (F), by striking

18 ‘‘and’’ at the end;

19 (B) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as

20 subparagraph (H); and

21 (C) by inserting after subparagraph (F)

22 the following:

23 ‘‘(G) methane hydrate; and’’.
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1 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

2 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums

3 as are necessary to carry out this Act.

Passed the Senate April 19, 1999.

Attest: GARY SISCO,

Secretary.