106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1753

AN ACT

To promote the research, identification, assessment,

exploration, and development of gas hydrate resources, and for other purposes.
106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1753

AN ACT

To promote the research, identification, assessment, exploration, and development of gas 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,
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Gas Hydrate Research

3 and Development Act of 1999’’.

4 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

5 In this Act:

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

7 procurement contract within the meaning of section

8 6303 of title 31, United States Code.

9 (2) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.—The term ‘‘co10 operative agreement’’ means a cooperative agree11 ment within the meaning of section 6305 of title 31,

12 United States Code.

13 (3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means

14 the Director of the National Science Foundation.

15 (4) GRANT.—The term ‘‘grant’’ means a grant

16 awarded under a grant agreement, within the mean17 ing of section 6304 of title 31, United States Code.

18 (5) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The

19 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ means an in20 stitution of higher education, within the meaning of

21 section 1201(a) of the Higher Education Act of

22 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1141(a)).

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

24 the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Assist25 ant Secretary for Fossil Energy.
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1 (7) SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.—The term

2 ‘‘Secretary of Commerce’’ means the Secretary of

3 Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the

4 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

5 (8) SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.—The term ‘‘Sec6 retary of Defense’’ means the Secretary of Defense,

7 acting through the Secretary of the Navy.

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

9 ‘‘Secretary of the Interior’’ means the Secretary of

10 the Interior, acting through the Director of the

11 United States Geological Survey and the Director of

12 the Minerals Management Service.

13 SEC. 3. GAS HYDRATE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PRO14 GRAM.

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—

16 (1) COMMENCEMENT OF PROGRAM.—Not later

17 than 180 days after the date of the enactment of

18 this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Sec19 retary of Commerce, the Secretary of Defense, the

20 Secretary of the Interior, and the Director, shall

21 commence a program of gas hydrate research and

22 development.

23 (2) DESIGNATIONS.—The Secretary, the Sec24 retary of Commerce, the Secretary of Defense, the
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1 Secretary of the Interior, and the Director shall des2 ignate individuals to carry out this section.

3 (3) MEETINGS.—The individuals designated

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

5 days after the date on which all such individuals are

6 designated and not less frequently than every 120

7 days thereafter to—

8 (A) review the progress of the program

9 under paragraph (1); and

10 (B) make recommendations on future ac11 tivities to occur subsequent to the meeting.

12 (b) GRANTS, CONTRACTS, COOPERATIVE AGREE13 MENTS, INTERAGENCY FUNDS TRANSFER AGREEMENTS,

14 AND FIELD WORK PROPOSALS.—

15 (1) ASSISTANCE AND COORDINATION.—The

16 Secretary may award grants or contracts to, or enter

17 into cooperative agreements with, institutions of

18 higher education and industrial enterprises to—

19 (A) conduct basic and applied research to

20 identify, explore, assess, and develop gas hy21 drate as a source of energy;

22 (B) assist in developing technologies re23 quired for efficient and environmentally sound

24 development of gas hydrate resources;
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1 (C) undertake research programs to pro2 vide safe means of transport and storage of gas

3 produced from gas hydrates;

4 (D) promote education and training in gas

5 hydrate resource research and resource develop6 ment;

7 (E) conduct basic and applied research to

8 assess and mitigate the environmental impacts

9 of hydrate degassing (including both natural

10 degassing and degassing associated with com11 mercial development); and

12 (F) develop technologies to reduce the

13 risks of drilling through gas hydrates.

14 (2) COMPETITIVE MERIT-BASED REVIEW.—

15 Funds made available under paragraph (1) shall be

16 made available based on a competitive merit-based

17 process.

18 (c) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall establish

19 an advisory panel consisting of experts from industry, in20 stitutions of higher education, and Federal agencies to—

21 (1) advise the Secretary on potential applica22 tions of gas hydrate;

23 (2) assist in developing recommendations and

24 priorities for the gas hydrate research and develop-
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1 ment program carried out under subsection (a)(1);

2 and

3 (3) report to the Congress within 2 years after

4 the date of the enactment of this Act, or at such

5 later date as the Secretary considers advisable, on

6 the impact on global climate change from gas hy7 drate extraction and consumption.

8 (d) LIMITATIONS.—

9 (1) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Not more

10 than 5 percent of the amount made available to

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

12 by the Secretary for expenses associated with the ad13 ministration of the program carried out under sub14 section (a)(1).

15 (2) CONSTRUCTION COSTS.—None of the funds

16 made available to carry out this section may be used

17 for the construction of a new building or the acquisi18 tion, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of an exist19 ing building (including site grading and improve20 ment and architect fees).

21 (e) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY.—In car22 rying out subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall—

23 (1) facilitate and develop partnerships among

24 Government, industry, and institutions of higher
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1 education to research, identify, assess, and explore

2 gas hydrate resources;

3 (2) undertake programs to develop basic infor4 mation necessary for promoting long-term interest in

5 gas hydrate resources as an energy source;

6 (3) ensure that the data and information devel7 oped through the program are accessible and widely

8 disseminated as needed and appropriate;

9 (4) promote cooperation among agencies that

10 are developing technologies that may hold promise

11 for gas hydrate resource development; and

12 (5) report annually to Congress on accomplish13 ments under this section.

14 SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO THE MINING AND MINERALS POL15 ICY ACT OF 1970.

16 Section 201 of the Mining and Minerals Policy Act

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

18 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through

19 (7) as paragraphs (5) through (8), respectively;

20 (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol21 lowing:

22 ‘‘(4) The term ‘gas hydrate’ means a gas clath23 rate that—

24 ‘‘(A) is in the form of a gas-water ice-like

25 crystalline material; and
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1 ‘‘(B) is stable and occurs naturally in

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

3 (3) in paragraph (7), as so redesignated by

4 paragraph (1) of this section—

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

6 ‘‘and’’ at the end;

7 (B) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as

8 subparagraph (H); and

9 (C) by inserting after subparagraph (F)

10 the following:

11 ‘‘(G) for purposes of this section and sec12 tions 202 through 205 only, gas hydrate; and’’.

13 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

14 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec15 retary of Energy to carry out this Act—

16 (1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2000;

17 (2) $7,500,000 for fiscal year 2001;

18 (3) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;

19 (4) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2003; and

20 (5) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2004.

21 Amounts authorized under this section shall remain avail22 able until expended.

23 SEC. 6. SUNSET.

24 Section 3 of this Act shall cease to be effective after

25 the end of fiscal year 2004.
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1 SEC. 7. REPORTS AND STUDIES.

2 The Secretary shall simultaneously provide to the

3 Committee on Science of the House of Representatives

4 and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of

5 the Senate copies of any report or study that the Depart6 ment of Energy prepares at the direction of any committee

7 of the Congress.

Passed the House of Representatives October 26,

1999.

Attest:

Clerk.