I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 513 
To ensure the energy independence of the United States by promoting re-
search, development, demonstration, and commercial application of tech-
nologies through a system of grants and prizes on the scale of the 
original Manhattan Project. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 14, 2009 
Mr. FORBES introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science and Technology 
A BILL 
To ensure the energy independence of the United States 
by promoting research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application of technologies through a system 
of grants and prizes on the scale of the original Manhat-
tan Project. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘New Manhattan 
Project for Energy Independence’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
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(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Commission established under section 7. 
(2) RESEARCH.—The term ‘‘research’’ includes 
research on the technologies, materials, and manu-
facturing processes required to achieve the goals de-
scribed in section 3. 
SEC. 3. GOALS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The purpose of this Act is to en-
able the achievement of each of the following goals: 
(1) VEHICLE FUEL EFFICIENCIES AND ALTER-
NATIVE FUEL SOURCES.—Development and manu-
facturing of a plug-in hybrid vehicle, alternative fuel 
vehicle, electric vehicle, hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, or 
other alternative technology vehicle— 
(A) that is not more than 10 percent more 
expensive than a comparable model vehicle of 
the same model year; 
(B) with— 
(i) equal acceleration, horsepower, and 
top speed performance; and 
(ii) not more than 20 percent reduc-
tion in cargo space, 
as compared to a comparable model vehicle of 
the same model year; 
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(C) that meets or exceeds Federal safety 
standards; 
(D) that can travel at least 750 miles be-
tween refueling; and 
(E) in the case of a gasoline powered vehi-
cle, that can travel at least 70 miles per gallon 
of gasoline. 
(2) GREEN BUILDINGS.—Develop and build an 
energy efficient residential or commercial building 
that— 
(A) uses no more than 50 percent of the 
energy of the average new building of similar 
size and type; 
(B) costs no more than 15 percent more to 
construct than the cost of a building of similar 
size and type; and 
(C) can be effectively reproduced in a vari-
ety of climate environments found in the United 
States. 
(3) SOLAR
POWER.—Construction of a large 
scale solar thermal power plant or solar photovoltaic 
power plant capable of generating 300 megawatts or 
more at a cost of 10 cents or less per kilowatt-hour 
when all capital and operating expenses are cal-
culated into the cost. 
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(4) BIOFUELS.—Development and production 
of a biofuel that, when mass produced, does not ex-
ceed 105 percent of the cost for the energy equiva-
lent of unleaded gasoline when all capital and oper-
ating expenses are calculated into the cost of the 
biofuel. 
(5) CARBON
SEQUESTRATION.—Development 
and implementation of a carbon capture and storage 
system for a large scale coal-burning power plant 
that does not increase operating costs more than 15 
percent compared to a baseline design without car-
bon capture and storage while providing an esti-
mated chance of carbon dioxide escape no greater 
than 1 percent over 5,000 years. 
(6) NUCLEAR WASTE.—Development of both— 
(A) a validated process for remediation of 
the radioactive waste form so it is no longer 
harmful to the health or welfare of the environ-
ment or individuals for a period to be deter-
mined by the Commission, which shall be not 
less than 5,000 years; and 
(B) a model that accounts for all the ef-
fects of nuclear waste in that process. 
(7) NUCLEAR FUSION.—Development of a sus-
tainable nuclear fusion reaction capable of providing 
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a large-scale (greater than 300 megawatts), sustain-
able source of electricity for residential, commercial, 
or government entities. 
(b) AMENDMENT OF GOALS.—The Secretary of En-
ergy may amend a goal described in subsection (a) pursu-
ant to a recommendation from the Commission under sec-
tion 7(b)(5), or on his own initiative, if such amendment 
serves the purpose of achieving the goal of United States 
energy independence through the development of tech-
nologies that lead to the widespread adoption of improve-
ments that increase energy supply or energy efficiency. 
SEC. 4. SUMMIT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the President shall convene 
a summit that includes— 
(1) the principal advisors and directors of all 
programs in the Federal Government related to the 
achievement of the goals described in section 3; 
(2) the members of the Commission; and 
(3) leading researchers at the Federal labora-
tories and representatives of private sector partners 
engaged in the production and manufacturing of 
technologies necessary to achieve the goals described 
in section 3. 
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(b) PURPOSE.—The summit shall be for the purpose 
of reviewing the progress and promise for each of these 
technologies, the interrelationship of these technologies to 
each other, and additional funding resources needed to ac-
celerate the progress of these programs toward achieving 
the goals described in section 3. 
SEC. 5. GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of 
Transportation, the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency, and other Federal agencies as appro-
priate, shall carry out a program consisting of a collabo-
rative effort with industry, government, and academia to 
support research, development, demonstration, and com-
mercial application activities related to achieving the goals 
described in section 3. 
(b) GRANTS.—Such program shall consist of grants 
to researchers, large and small businesses, National Lab-
oratories, institutions of higher education, or any other 
qualified applicant, including veterans. 
(c) LIMITATION ON AMOUNT.—No grant shall be 
made under this section in an amount that exceeds 5 per-
cent of the amount authorized under section 8(1) for 
prizes for the achievement of the same goal. 
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(d) COST SHARING.—The Federal share of the costs 
of a project for which a grant is made under this section 
shall not exceed 15 percent. 
SEC. 6. PRIZE PROGRAM. 
(a) PRIZE AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy 
shall carry out a program to competitively award 
cash prizes in conformity with this section to ad-
vance the research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application necessary to achieve the 
goals described in section 3. 
(2) ADVERTISING AND SOLICITATION OF COM-
PETITORS.— 
(A) ADVERTISING.—The Secretary shall 
widely advertise prize competitions under this 
section to encourage broad participation by re-
searchers, large and small businesses, institu-
tions of higher education, and any other quali-
fied applicants, including veterans. 
(B) ANNOUNCEMENT THROUGH FEDERAL 
REGISTER
NOTICE.—The Secretary shall an-
nounce each prize competition under this sec-
tion by publishing a notice in the Federal Reg-
ister. This notice shall include essential ele-
ments of the competition such as the subject of 
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