II 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1020 

To move toward energy independence through a coordinated development 

of renewable energy sources, including wave, solar, wind, geothermal, 

and biofuels production. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 28, 2007 

Mrs. HUTCHISON (for herself, Mr. STEVENS, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mr. ALLARD, 

and Mr. CORNYN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To move toward energy independence through a coordinated 

development of renewable energy sources, including wave, 

solar, wind, geothermal, and biofuels production. 

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 ‘‘Creating Renewable 

5 Energy through Science and Technology Act’’ or the 

6 ‘‘CREST Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. RENEWABLE ENERGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 

8 The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 

9 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.) is amended— 

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1 (1) by redesignating section 16 as section 17; 

2 and 

3 (2) by inserting after section 15 the following: 

4 ‘‘SEC. 16. RENEWABLE ENERGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 

5 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director of the Founda6 tion shall establish the Council on Renewable Energy (re7 ferred to in this section as the ‘CORE’) to— 

8 ‘‘(1) advise Congress on renewable energy de9 velopment, strategy, research, and marketability; 

10 and 

11 ‘‘(2) facilitate collaboration among Federal 

12 agencies regarding the execution of national renew13 able energy objectives. 

14 ‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The CORE shall— 

15 ‘‘(1) promote renewable energy research and de16 velopment in the areas of wind, wave, solar, geo17 thermal, and biofuels production, particularly cel18 lulosic; 

19 ‘‘(2) consult with renewable energy experts re20 garding renewable energy policies and make policy 

21 recommendations to Federal agencies; and 

22 ‘‘(3) identify and recommend public and private 

23 research institutions to carry out renewable energy 

24 research described in paragraph (1). 

25 ‘‘(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 

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1 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The CORE shall consist of 

2 the following members (or their designees): 

3 ‘‘(A) The Secretary of Energy. 

4 ‘‘(B) The Secretary of Agriculture. 

5 ‘‘(C) The Secretary of Commerce. 

6 ‘‘(D) The Administrator of the National 

7 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

8 ‘‘(E) The Director of the Office of Science 

9 and Technology Policy. 

10 ‘‘(F) Representatives from public labora11 tories. 

12 ‘‘(G) Representatives of industry and trade 

13 groups. 

14 ‘‘(H) Representatives of State agencies. 

15 ‘‘(2) SELECTION PROCESS.—Not later than 90 

16 days after the date of the enactment of this section, 

17 the Director of the Foundation, in consultation with 

18 the members listed in subparagraphs (A) through 

19 (E) of paragraph (1), shall select the members listed 

20 in subparagraphs (F) through (H) of paragraph (1). 

21 ‘‘(d) MEETINGS.— 

22 ‘‘(1) CHAIRPERSON.—The CORE shall select a 

23 Chairperson from among its members. 

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1 ‘‘(2) MEETINGS.—The CORE shall convene, in 

2 person or by electronic means, at least 4 times a 

3 year, at the call of the Chairperson. 

4 ‘‘(3) QUORUM.—A majority of the members 

5 serving on the Advisory Committee shall constitute 

6 a quorum for purposes of conducting the business of 

7 the Advisory Committee. 

8 ‘‘(e) POWERS.— 

9 ‘‘(1) HEARINGS.—The CORE may hold such 

10 hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take 

11 such testimony, and receive such evidence as the 

12 CORE considers advisable to carry out the purposes 

13 of this section. 

14 ‘‘(2) PERSONNEL MATTERS.— 

15 ‘‘(A) COMPENSATION.—Members of the 

16 CORE shall serve without compensation, but 

17 shall receive travel expenses, including per diem 

18 in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sec19 tions 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States 

20 Code. 

21 ‘‘(B) STAFF.—The Chairperson may, with22 out regard to the civil service laws and regula23 tions, appoint, terminate, and set the com24 pensation of an executive director and such 

25 other additional personnel as may be necessary 

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1 to enable the CORE to perform the duties de2 scribed in subsection (b). 

3 ‘‘(3) COOPERATION.—The CORE may secure 

4 directly from any Federal agency or private entity 

5 such information as the CORE considers necessary 

6 to perform the duties described in subsection (b). 

7 ‘‘(f) ANNUAL REPORT.—The CORE shall submit an 

8 annual report to Congress that contains— 

9 ‘‘(1) a summary of the CORE’s activities; 

10 ‘‘(2) recommendations regarding Federal fund11 ing for renewable energy development research; and 

12 ‘‘(3) recommendations regarding the expendi13 ture of such funding on the particular renewable en14 ergy sources specified in subsection (b)(1). 

15 ‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

16 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 

17 necessary to carry out this section.’’. 

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