In the Senate of the United States,

November 19, 1999.

Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R. 1753) entitled ‘‘An Act to promote the research,

identification, assessment, exploration, and development of

gas hydrate resources, and for other purposes.’’, do pass with

the following

AMENDMENTS:

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Methane Hydrate Re3 search 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 agreement
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1 within the meaning of section 6305 of title 31, United

2 States Code.

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

4 Director of the National Science Foundation.

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

6 awarded under a grant agreement, within the mean7 ing of section 6304 of title 31, United States Code.

8 (5) INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISE.—The term ‘‘in9 dustrial enterprise’’ means a private, nongovern10 mental enterprise incorporated under Federal or

11 State law that has an expertise or capability that re12 lates to methane hydrate research and development.

13 (6) 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 1965

17 (20 U.S.C. 1002(a)(1)).

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

19 hydrate’’ means—

20 (A) a methane clathrate that is in the form

21 of a methane-water ice-like crystalline material

22 and is stable and occurs naturally in deep-ocean

23 and permafrost areas, and
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1 (B) other natural gas hydrates found in as2 sociation with deep-ocean and permafrost depos3 its of methane hydrate.

4 (8) SECRETARY OF ENERGY.—The term ‘‘Sec5 retary of Energy’’ means the Secretary of Energy,

6 acting through the Assistant Secretary for Fossil En7 ergy.

8 (9) SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.—The term ‘‘Sec9 retary of Commerce’’ means the Secretary of Com10 merce, acting through the Administrator of the Na11 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

12 (10) SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.—The term ‘‘Sec13 retary of Defense’’ means the Secretary of Defense,

14 acting through the Secretary of the Navy.

15 (11) SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.—The term

16 ‘‘Secretary of the Interior’’ means the Secretary of the

17 Interior, acting through the Director of the United

18 States Geological Survey and the Director of the Min19 erals Management Service.

20 SEC. 3. METHANE HYDRATE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

21 PROGRAM.

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—

23 (1) COMMENCEMENT OF PROGRAM.—Not later

24 than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act,

25 the Secretary of Energy, in collaboration with the
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1 Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Defense, the

2 Secretary of the Interior, and the Director, shall com3 mence a program of methane hydrate research and

4 development in accordance with subsection (b).

5 (2) DESIGNATIONS.—The Secretary of Energy,

6 the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Defense,

7 the Secretary of the Interior, and the Director shall

8 designate individuals to carry out this section.

9 (3) COORDINATION.—The individual designated

10 by the Secretary of Energy shall coordinate all activi11 ties within the Department of Energy relating to

12 methane hydrate research and development.

13 (4) MEETINGS.—The individuals designated

14 under paragraph (2) shall meet not later than 270

15 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and not

16 less frequently than every 120 days thereafter to—

17 (A) review the progress of the program

18 under paragraph (1); and

19 (B) make recommendations on future ac20 tivities to occur subsequent to the meeting.

21 (b) GRANTS, CONTRACTS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREE22 MENTS.—

23 (1) ASSISTANCE AND COORDINATION.—In car24 rying out the program of methane hydrate research

25 and development authorized by this subsection the
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1 Secretary of Energy may award grants or contracts

2 to, or enter into cooperative agreements with, institu3 tions of higher education and industrial enterprises

4 to—

5 (A) conduct basic and applied research to

6 identify, explore, assess, and develop methane hy7 drate as a source of energy;

8 (B) assist in developing technologies re9 quired for efficient and environmentally sound

10 development of methane hydrate resources;

11 (C) undertake research programs to provide

12 safe means of transport and storage of methane

13 produced from gas methane hydrates;

14 (D) promote education and training in

15 methane hydrate resource research and resource

16 development;

17 (E) conduct basic and applied research to

18 assess and mitigate the environmental impacts of

19 hydrate degassing (including both natural

20 degassing and degassing associated with commer21 cial development);

22 (F) develop technologies to reduce the risks

23 of drilling through methane hydrates; and

24 (G) conduct exploratory drilling in support

25 of the activities authorized by this paragraph.
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1 (2) COMPETITIVE MERIT-BASED REVIEW.—Funds

2 made available under paragraph (1) shall be made

3 available based on a competitive merit-based process.

4 (3) CONSULTATION.—

5 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy

6 shall establish an advisory panel consisting of

7 experts from industry, institutions of higher edu8 cation, and Federal agencies to—

9 (i) advise the Secretary of Energy on

10 potential applications of methane hydrate;

11 (ii) assist in developing recommenda12 tions and priorities for the methane hydrate

13 research and development program carried

14 out under subsection (a)(1); and

15 (iii) not later than 2 years after the

16 date of enactment of this Act, and at such

17 later dates as the panel considers advisable,

18 submit to Congress a report on the antici19 pated impact on global climate change

20 from—

21 (I) methane hydrate formation;

22 (II) methane hydrate degassing

23 (including natural degassing and

24 degassing associated with commercial

25 development); and
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1 (III) the consumption of natural

2 gas produced from methane hydrates.

3 (B) MEMBERSHIP.—Not more than twenty4 five percent of the individuals serving on the ad5 visory panel shall be Federal employees.

6 (c) LIMITATIONS.—

7 (1) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Not more than

8 5 percent of the amount made available to carry out

9 this section for a fiscal year may be used by the Sec10 retary of Energy for expenses associated with the ad11 ministration of the program carried out under sub12 section (a)(1).

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

14 made available to carry out this section may be used

15 for the construction of a new building or the acquisi16 tion, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of an exist17 ing building (including site grading and improve18 ment and architect fees).

19 (d) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY OF EN20 ERGY.—In carrying out subsection (b)(1), the Secretary of

21 Energy shall—

22 (1) facilitate and develop partnerships among

23 government, industry, and institutions of higher edu24 cation to research, identify, assess, and explore meth25 ane hydrate resources;
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1 (2) undertake programs to develop basic infor2 mation necessary for promoting long-term interest in

3 methane hydrate resources as an energy source;

4 (3) ensure that the data and information devel5 oped through the program are accessible and widely

6 disseminated as needed and appropriate;

7 (4) promote cooperation among agencies that are

8 developing technologies that may hold promise for

9 methane hydrate resource development; and

10 (5) report annually to Congress on accomplish11 ments under this section.

12 SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO THE MINING AND MINERALS POL13 ICY ACT OF 1970.

14 Section 201 of the Mining and Minerals Policy Act

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

16 (1) in paragraph (6)—

17 (A) in subparagraph (F), by striking ‘‘and’’

18 at the end;

19 (B) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as

20 subparagraph (H); and

21 (C) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the

22 following:

23 ‘‘(G) for purposes of this section and sec24 tions 202 through 205 only, methane hydrate;

25 and’’.
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1 (2) by redesignating paragraph (7) as para2 graph (8); and

3 (3) by inserting after paragraph 6 the following:

4 ‘‘(7) the term ‘‘methane hydrate’’ means—

5 ‘‘(A) a methane clathrate that is in the form

6 of a methane-water ice-like crystalline material

7 and is stable and occurs naturally in deep-ocean

8 and permafrost areas; and

9 ‘‘(B) other natural gas hydrates found in

10 association with deep-ocean and permafrost de11 posits of methane hydrate.’’.

12 SEC. 5. REPORTS AND STUDIES.

13 The Secretary of Energy shall simultaneously provide

14 to the Committee on Science and the Committee on Re15 sources of the House of Representatives and the Committee

16 on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate copies of

17 any report or study that the Department of Energy pre18 pares pursuant to this Act.

19 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

20 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec21 retary of Energy to carry out this Act—

22 (1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2000;

23 (2) $7,500,000 for fiscal year 2001;

24 (3) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;

25 (4) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
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1 (5) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; and

2 (6) therafter such sums as are necessary.

3 Amounts authorized under this section shall remain avail4 able until expended.

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘An Act to promote

the research, identification, assessment, exploration, and

development of methane hydrate resources, and for other

purposes.’’.

Attest:

Secretary.
106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1753

AMENDMENTS