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tion shall work with the State geologist of each State being 
studied. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The studies under this section 
shall— 
(1) determine the status and location of mar-
ginal wells and gas reservoirs; 
(2) gather the production information of these 
marginal wells and reservoirs; 
(3) estimate the remaining producible reserves 
based on variable pipeline pressures; 
(4) locate low-pressure gathering facilities and 
pipelines; 
(5) recommend incentives which will enable the 
continued production of these resources; 
(6) produce maps and literature to disseminate 
to States to promote conservation of natural gas re-
serves; and 
(7) evaluate the amount of natural gas that is 
being wasted through the practice of venting or flar-
ing of natural gas produced in association with 
crude oil well production. 
(c) DATA ANALYSIS.—Data development and anal-
ysis under this section shall be performed by an institution 
of higher education with GIS capabilities. If the organiza-
tion receiving the grant under subsection (a) does not have
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GIS capabilities, such organization shall contract with one 
or more entities with— 
(1) technological capabilities and resources to 
perform advanced image processing, GIS program-
ming, and data analysis; and 
(2) the ability to— 
(A) process remotely sensed imagery with 
high spatial resolution; 
(B) deploy global positioning systems; 
(C) process and synthesize existing, vari-
able-format gas well, pipeline, gathering facility, 
and reservoir data; 
(D) create and query GIS databases with 
infrastructure location and attribute informa-
tion; 
(E) write computer programs to customize 
relevant GIS software; 
(F) generate maps, charts, and graphs 
which summarize findings from data research 
for presentation to different audiences; and 
(G) deliver data in a variety of formats, in-
cluding Internet Map Server for query and dis-
play, desktop computer display, and access 
through handheld personal digital assistants.
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(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of En-
ergy for carrying out this section— 
(1) $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2006; and 
(2) $450,000 for each of the fiscal years 2007 
through 2010. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, the 
term ‘‘GIS’’ means geographic information systems tech-
nology that facilitates the organization and management 
of data with a geographic component. 
SEC. 1614. CONSOLIDATION OF GASOLINE INDUSTRY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the 
United States shall conduct a study of the consolidation 
of the refiners, importers, producers, and wholesalers of 
gasoline with the sellers of such gasoline at retail. The 
study shall include an analysis of the impact of such con-
solidation on— 
(1) the retail price of gasoline, 
(2) small business ownership, 
(3) other corollary effects on the market econ-
omy of fuel distribution, 
(4) local communities, and 
(5) other market impacts of such consolidation.
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(b) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—The Comptroller 
General shall submit such study to the Congress not later 
than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 1615. STUDY OF FUEL SAVINGS FROM INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY FOR TRANSPORTATION. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Transportation, report to Congress 
on the potential fuel savings from information technology 
systems that help businesses and consumers to plan their 
travel and avoid delays. These systems may include web- 
based real-time transit information systems, congestion in-
formation systems, carpool information systems, parking 
information systems, freight route management, and traf-
fic management systems. The report shall include analysis 
of fuel savings, analysis of system costs, assessment of 
local, State, and regional differences in applicability, and 
evaluation of case studies, best practices, and emerging 
technologies from both the private and public sector. 
SEC. 1616. FEASIBILITY STUDY OF MUSTARD SEED BIO-
DIESEL. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Energy shall enter 
into an arrangement with the National Academy of 
Sciences for a study to determine the feasibility of using 
of mustard seed as a feedstock for biodiesel.
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(b) CONTENTS.—The study shall include comparisons 
to other biodiesel feedstocks using the following criteria: 
(1) Economics from crop production to biodiesel 
in the typical percentage blends. 
(2) Adaptability to various geographic and agri-
cultural regions in the United States. 
(3) Percentage and quality of oil content. 
(4) Cetene ratings, viscosity ratings, emissions 
for the typical percentage blends. 
(5) Potential to enhance oil, pesticide and her-
bicide qualities. 
(6) Process technologies to convert into bio-
diesel. 
(7) Usefulness of byproducts from the conver-
sion process. 
(8) Other criteria the National Academy of 
Sciences considers pertinent. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the National Acad-
emy of Sciences shall transmit results of the study to Con-
gress, the Secretary of Energy, and the Secretary of Agri-
culture, including any findings and recommendations.
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TITLE XVII—RENEWABLE 
ENERGY —RESOURCES 
SEC. 1701. GRANTS TO IMPROVE THE COMMERCIAL VALUE 
OF FOREST BIOMASS FOR ELECTRIC ENERGY, 
USEFUL HEAT, TRANSPORTATION FUELS, PE-
TROLEUM-BASED 
PRODUCT 
SUBSTITUTES, 
AND OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Thousands of communities in the United 
States, many located near Federal lands, are at risk 
to wildfire. Approximately 190,000,000 acres of land 
managed by the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Secretary of the Interior are at risk of catastrophic 
fire in the near future. The accumulation of heavy 
forest fuel loads continues to increase as a result of 
disease, insect infestations, and drought, further 
raising the risk of fire each year. 
(2) In addition, more than 70,000,000 acres 
across all land ownerships are at risk to higher than 
normal mortality over the next 15 years from insect 
infestation and disease. High levels of tree mortality 
from insects and disease result in increased fire risk, 
loss of old growth, degraded watershed conditions, 
and changes in species diversity and productivity, as
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well as diminished fish and wildlife habitat and de-
creased timber values. 
(3) Preventive treatments such as removing fuel 
loading, ladder fuels, and hazard trees, planting 
proper species mix and restoring and protecting 
early successional habitat, and other specific restora-
tion treatments designed to reduce the susceptibility 
of forest land, woodland, and rangeland to insect 
outbreaks, disease, and catastrophic fire present the 
greatest opportunity for long-term forest health by 
creating a mosaic of species-mix and age distribu-
tion. Such prevention treatments are widely acknowl-
edged to be more successful and cost effective than 
suppression treatments in the case of insects, dis-
ease, and fire. 
(4) The byproducts of preventive treatment 
(wood, brush, thinnings, chips, slash, and other haz-
ardous fuels) removed from forest lands, woodlands 
and rangelands represent an abundant supply of bio-
mass for biomass-to-energy facilities and raw mate-
rial for business. There are currently few markets 
for the extraordinary volumes of byproducts being 
generated as a result of the necessary large-scale 
preventive treatment activities. 
(5) The United States should—
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(A) promote economic and entrepreneurial 
opportunities in using byproducts removed 
through preventive treatment activities related 
to hazardous fuels reduction, disease, and insect 
infestation; and 
(B) develop and expand markets for tradi-
tionally underused wood and biomass as an out-
let for byproducts of preventive treatment ac-
tivities. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) BIOMASS.—The term ‘‘biomass’’ means 
trees and woody plants, including limbs, tops, nee-
dles, and other woody parts, and byproducts of pre-
ventive treatment, such as wood, brush, thinnings, 
chips, and slash, that are removed— 
(A) to reduce hazardous fuels; or 
(B) to reduce the risk of or to contain dis-
ease or insect infestation. 
(2) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4(e) of 
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assist-
ance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(e)). 
(3) PERSON.—The term ‘‘person’’ includes— 
(A) an individual;
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(B) a community (as determined by the 
Secretary concerned); 
(C) an Indian tribe; 
(D) a small business, micro-business, or a 
corporation that is incorporated in the United 
States; and 
(E) a nonprofit organization. 
(4) PREFERRED COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘pre-
ferred community’’ means— 
(A) any town, township, municipality, or 
other similar unit of local government (as deter-
mined by the Secretary concerned) that— 
(i) has a population of not more than 
50,000 individuals; and 
(ii) the Secretary concerned, in the 
sole discretion of the Secretary concerned, 
determines contains or is located near 
land, the condition of which is at signifi-
cant risk of catastrophic wildfire, disease, 
or insect infestation or which suffers from 
disease or insect infestation; or 
(B) any county that— 
(i) is not contained within a metro-
politan statistical area; and
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(ii) the Secretary concerned, in the 
sole discretion of the Secretary concerned, 
determines contains or is located near 
land, the condition of which is at signifi-
cant risk of catastrophic wildfire, disease, 
or insect infestation or which suffers from 
disease or insect infestation. 
(5) SECRETARY CONCERNED.—The term ‘‘Sec-
retary concerned’’ means the Secretary of Agri-
culture or the Secretary of the Interior. 
(c) BIOMASS COMMERCIAL USE GRANT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary concerned 
may make grants to any person that owns or oper-
ates a facility that uses biomass as a raw material 
to produce electric energy, sensible heat, transpor-
tation fuels, or substitutes for petroleum-based prod-
ucts to offset the costs incurred to purchase biomass 
for use by such facility. 
(2) GRANT AMOUNTS.—A grant under this sub-
section may not exceed $20 per green ton of biomass 
delivered. 
(3) MONITORING OF GRANT RECIPIENT ACTIVI-
TIES.—As a condition of a grant under this sub-
section, the grant recipient shall keep such records 
as the Secretary concerned may require to fully and
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correctly disclose the use of the grant funds and all 
transactions involved in the purchase of biomass. 
Upon notice by a representative of the Secretary 
concerned, the grant recipient shall afford the rep-
resentative reasonable access to the facility that pur-
chases or uses biomass and an opportunity to exam-
ine the inventory and records of the facility. 
(d) IMPROVED BIOMASS USE GRANT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary concerned 
may make grants to persons to offset the cost of 
projects to develop or research opportunities to im-
prove the use of, or add value to, biomass. In mak-
ing such grants, the Secretary concerned shall give 
preference to persons in preferred communities. 
(2) SELECTION.—The Secretary concerned shall 
select a grant recipient under paragraph (1) after 
giving consideration to the anticipated public bene-
fits of the project, including the potential to develop 
thermal or electric energy resources or affordable en-
ergy, opportunities for the creation or expansion of 
small businesses and micro-businesses, and the po-
tential for new job creation. 
(3) GRANT AMOUNT.—A grant under this sub-
section may not exceed $500,000.