I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3598 

To ensure consideration of water intensity in the Department of Energy’s 

energy research, development, and demonstration programs to help guarantee efficient, reliable, and sustainable delivery of energy and water 

resources. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 17, 2009 

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Science and Technology 

A BILL 

To ensure consideration of water intensity in the Department 

of Energy’s energy research, development, and demonstration programs to help guarantee efficient, reliable, 

and sustainable delivery of energy and water resources. 

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 ‘‘Energy and Water Re5 search Integration Act’’. 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 3598 IH

1 SEC. 2. INTEGRATING ENERGY AND WATER RESEARCH. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out each of the energy 

3 research, development, and demonstration programs of the 

4 Department of Energy, the Secretary of Energy shall— 

5 (1) seek to advance energy and energy effi6 ciency technologies and practices that would— 

7 (A) minimize freshwater withdrawal and 

8 consumption; 

9 (B) increase water use efficiency; and 

10 (C) utilize nontraditional water sources 

11 with efforts to improve the quality of that 

12 water; 

13 (2) consider the effects climate change may 

14 have on water supplies and quality for energy gen15 eration and fuel production; and 

16 (3) improve understanding of the energy re17 quired to provide water supplies and the water re18 quired to provide reliable energy supplies throughout 

19 the United States. 

20 (b) SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS.—In carrying out 

21 subsection (a), the Secretary shall incorporate, as appro22 priate— 

23 (1) new advanced cooling technologies for en24 ergy generation and fuel production technologies; 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 3598 IH

1 (2) performance improvement of existing cool2 ing technologies and cost reductions associated with 

3 using those technologies; 

4 (3) innovative water reuse, recovery, and treat5 ment in energy generation and fuel production; 

6 (4) efficient water use design strategies and 

7 technology development for carbon capture and stor8 age systems; 

9 (5) technologies that are life-cycle cost effective; 

10 (6) systems analysis and modeling of issues re11 lating to the energy required to provide water sup12 plies and the water required to provide reliable en13 ergy supplies throughout the United States; 

14 (7) technologies to treat and utilize produced 

15 waters discharged from oil, coalbed methane, and 

16 mining activities; 

17 (8) advanced materials for the use of nontradi18 tional water sources for energy generation and fuel 

19 production; 

20 (9) biomass production and the impact on hy21 drologic flow; and 

22 (10) reduction of water resource impacts of fos23 sil fuel resource development. 

24 (c) INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION.—In carrying out 

25 the energy research, development, and demonstration proVerDate Nov 24 2008 01:10 Sep 18, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3598.IH H3598

wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 3598 IH

1 grams of the Department of Energy in accordance with 

2 this section, the Secretary shall, where appropriate, work 

3 collaboratively with other Federal agencies operating pro4 grams related and relevant to such programs. 

5 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

6 are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of En7 ergy for carrying out this section $60,000,000 for each 

8 of the fiscal years 2011 through 2015. 

9 SEC. 3. ENERGY-WATER ARCHITECTURE COUNCIL. 

10 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy, in co11 ordination with other relevant Federal agencies, shall es12 tablish an Energy-Water Architecture Council to promote 

13 and enable improved energy and water resource data col14 lection, reporting, and technological innovation. The Coun15 cil shall consist of— 

16 (1) representation from each Federal agency 

17 that conducts research related to energy and water 

18 resource data; and 

19 (2) non-Federal members, including representa20 tives of research and academic institutions and in21 dustry, who have expertise in research, development, 

22 demonstration, and technology transfer relating to 

23 the energy required to provide water supplies and 

24 the water required to provide reliable energy supplies 

25 throughout the United States. 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 3598 IH

1 (b) FUNCTIONS.—The Council shall— 

2 (1) develop and adopt data collection and data 

3 communication standards and protocols for the en4 ergy required to provide water supplies and the 

5 water required to provide reliable energy supplies 

6 throughout the United States; 

7 (2) make improvements to Federal water use 

8 data to increase understanding of trends in power 

9 plant water use; 

10 (3) integrate existing monitoring networks to 

11 provide nationally uniform water and energy use and 

12 infrastructure data; and 

13 (4) conduct an annual technical workshop to fa14 cilitate information exchange among Federal, State, 

15 and private sector experts on technologies that en16 courage the conservation and efficient use of water 

17 and energy. 

18 (c) REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

19 of enactment of this Act, and at least once every 2 years 

20 thereafter, the Council, through the Secretary of Energy, 

21 shall transmit to the Congress a report on its findings and 

22 activities under this section. 

23 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

24 are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of EnVerDate Nov 24 2008 01:10 Sep 18, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3598.IH H3598

wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 3598 IH

1 ergy for carrying out this section $5,000,000 for each of 

2 the fiscal years 2011 through 2015. 

Æ 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with BILLS