I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3203 

To provide research, development, and deployment of marine energy, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 11, 2019 

Mr. DEUTCH (for himself and Ms. BONAMICI) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To provide research, development, and deployment of marine 

energy, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Marine Energy Research and Development Act of 2019’’. 

6 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 

7 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Purpose. 

Sec. 3. Amendment to short title. 

Sec. 4. Definition of marine energy. 

Sec. 5. Marine energy research and development. 

Sec. 6. National Marine Energy Centers. 

Sec. 7. Authorization of appropriations. 


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1 SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 

2 It is the purpose of this Act to support marine energy 

3 programs that— 

4 (1) promote the research and development of 

5 increased energy generation and capacity at reduced 

6 costs; 

7 (2) promote research and development that im8 proves environmental outcomes of marine energy 

9 technologies; 

10 (3) provide grid stability and create new market 

11 opportunities; and 

12 (4) promote job creation in the energy sector. 

13 SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO SHORT TITLE. 

14 Section 631 of the Energy Independence and Security 

15 Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17001) is amended by striking 

16 ‘‘and Hydrokinetic Renewable’’ from the short title. 

17 SEC. 4. DEFINITION OF MARINE ENERGY. 

18 Section 632 of the Energy Independence and Security 

19 Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17211) is amended to read as 

20 follows: 

21 ‘‘SEC. 632. DEFINITIONS. 

22 ‘‘For purposes of this subtitle, the term ‘marine en23 ergy’ means energy from— 

24 ‘‘(1) waves, tides, and currents in oceans, estu25 aries, and tidal areas; 


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1 ‘‘(2) free flowing hydrokinetic water in rivers, 

2 lakes, and streams; 

3 ‘‘(3) free flowing hydrokinetic water in man4 made channels; and 

5 ‘‘(4) differentials in ocean temperature (ocean 

6 thermal energy conversion).’’. 

7 SEC. 5. MARINE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 

8 Section 633 of the Energy Independence and Security 

9 Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17212) is amended to read as 

10 follows: 

11 ‘‘SEC. 633. MARINE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOP12 MENT. 

13 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 

14 the Water Power Technologies Office, in consultation with 

15 the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, 

16 and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, shall 

17 conduct a program to accelerate the introduction of ma18 rine energy production into the United States energy sup19 ply, giving priority to technologies most likely to lead to 

20 commercial utilization, while fostering accelerated re21 search, development, demonstration, and commercial ap22 plication of technology, including programs to— 

23 ‘‘(1) assist technology development at a variety 

24 of scales, including full scale prototypes, in order to 

25 improve the components, processes, and systems 


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1 used for power generation from marine energy re2 sources; 

3 ‘‘(2) establish and expand critical testing infra4 structure and facilities necessary to— 

5 ‘‘(A) cost-effectively and efficiently test 

6 and prove marine energy devices; and 

7 ‘‘(B) accelerate the technological readiness 

8 and commercialization of such devices; 

9 ‘‘(3) support efforts to increase the efficiency of 

10 energy conversion, lower the cost, increase the use, 

11 improve the reliability, and demonstrate the applica12 bility of marine energy technologies by participating 

13 in demonstration projects; 

14 ‘‘(4) investigate variability issues and the effi15 cient and reliable integration of marine energy with 

16 the utility grid; 

17 ‘‘(5) identify and study critical short- and long18 term needs to create a sustainable marine energy 

19 supply chain based in the United States; 

20 ‘‘(6) increase the reliability and survivability of 

21 marine energy technologies; 

22 ‘‘(7) verify the performance, reliability, main23 tainability, and cost of new marine energy device de24 signs and system components in an operating envi25 ronment; 


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1 ‘‘(8) consider the protection of critical infra2 structure, such as adequate separation between ma3 rine energy devices and projects and submarine tele4 communications cables, including consideration of 

5 established industry standards; 

6 ‘‘(9)(A) coordinate the programs carried out 

7 under this section with, and avoid duplication of ac8 tivities across, programs of the Department and 

9 other applicable Federal agencies, including National 

10 Laboratories; and 

11 ‘‘(B) coordinate public-private collaboration in 

12 carrying out the programs under this section; 

13 ‘‘(10) identify opportunities for joint research 

14 and development programs and the development of 

15 economies of scale between— 

16 ‘‘(A) marine energy technologies; and 

17 ‘‘(B) other renewable energy and fossil en18 ergy programs, offshore oil and gas production 

19 activities, and activities of the Department of 

20 Defense; 

21 ‘‘(11) identify, in conjunction with the Sec22 retary of Commerce, acting through the Under Sec23 retary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, 

24 and other relevant Federal agencies as appropriate, 

25 the potential environmental impacts, including poVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:25 Jun 14, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3203.IH H3203

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1 tential impacts on fisheries and other marine re2 sources, of marine energy technologies, measures to 

3 prevent adverse impacts, and technologies and other 

4 means available for monitoring and determining en5 vironmental impacts; 

6 ‘‘(12) identify, in conjunction with the Sec7 retary of the Department in which the United States 

8 Coast Guard is operating, acting through the Com9 mandant of the United States Coast Guard, the po10 tential navigational impacts of marine energy tech11 nologies and measures to prevent adverse impacts on 

12 navigation; and 

13 ‘‘(13) support in-water technology development 

14 with international partners using existing coopera15 tive procedures (including memoranda of under16 standing) to— 

17 ‘‘(A) allow cooperative funding and other 

18 support of value to be exchanged and leveraged; 

19 and 

20 ‘‘(B) encourage international research cen21 ters and international companies to participate 

22 in the development of marine energy technology 

23 in the United States and to encourage United 

24 States research centers and companies to par25 ticipate in marine energy projects abroad. 


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1 ‘‘(b) COST SHARING AND MERIT REVIEW.—The Sec2 retary shall carry out the program under this section in 

3 compliance with sections 988 and 989 of the Energy Pol4 icy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 16352, 16353).’’. 

5 SEC. 6. NATIONAL MARINE ENERGY CENTERS. 

6 Section 634 of the Energy Independence and Security 

7 Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17213) is amended by striking 

8 subsections (a) and (b) and inserting the following: 

9 ‘‘(a) CENTERS.—The Secretary shall award grants to 

10 institutions of higher education for continuation and ex11 pansion of the research, development, and testing activi12 ties at the National Marine Energy Centers established 

13 as of January 1, 2019, and the establishment of new Na14 tional Marine Energy Centers. In selecting locations for 

15 new Centers, the Secretary shall consider one of the fol16 lowing criteria: 

17 ‘‘(1) Hosts an existing marine energy research 

18 and development program in coordination with an 

19 engineering program at an institution of higher edu20 cation. 

21 ‘‘(2) Has proven expertise to support environ22 mental and policy-related issues associated with the 

23 harnessing of energy in the marine environment. 

24 ‘‘(3) Has access to and utilizes marine re25 sources. 


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1 ‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—The Centers shall coordinate 

2 among themselves, the Department and the National Lab3 oratories to— 

4 ‘‘(1) advance research, development, and dem5 onstration of marine energy technologies; 

6 ‘‘(2) support in-water testing and demonstra7 tion of marine energy technologies, including facili8 ties capable of testing— 

9 ‘‘(A) marine energy systems of various 

10 technology readiness levels and scales; 

11 ‘‘(B) a variety of technologies in multiple 

12 test berths at a single location; and 

13 ‘‘(C) arrays of technology devices; and 

14 ‘‘(3) serve as information clearinghouses for the 

15 marine energy industry by collecting and dissemi16 nating information on best practices in all areas re17 lating to developing and managing marine energy re18 sources and energy systems. 

19 ‘‘(c) COST SHARING.—The Secretary shall carry out 

20 the program under this section in compliance with section 

21 988(b)(4) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 

22 16352).’’. 

23 SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

24 Section 636 of the Energy Independence and Security 

25 Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17215) is amended by inserting 


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1 ‘‘and $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 and 

2 2021’’ after ‘‘2008 through 2012’’. 

Æ 


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