H. R. 6—531
life from extreme temperatures. In preparing such report, the Sec-
retary shall consult with appropriate officials in all 50 States and 
the District of Columbia. 
SEC. 1805. OIL BYPASS FILTRATION TECHNOLOGY. 
The Secretary and the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency shall— 
(1) conduct a joint study of the benefits of oil bypass filtra-
tion technology in reducing demand for oil and protecting the 
environment; 
(2) examine the feasibility of using oil bypass filtration 
technology in Federal motor vehicle fleets; and 
(3) include in such study, prior to any determination of 
the feasibility of using oil bypass filtration technology, the 
evaluation of products and various manufacturers. 
SEC. 1806. TOTAL INTEGRATED THERMAL SYSTEMS. 
The Secretary shall— 
(1) conduct a study of the benefits of total integrated 
thermal systems in reducing demand for oil and protecting 
the environment; and 
(2) examine the feasibility of using total integrated thermal 
systems in Department of Defense and other Federal motor 
vehicle fleets. 
SEC. 1807. REPORT ON ENERGY INTEGRATION WITH LATIN AMERICA. 
The Secretary shall submit an annual report to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce of the United States House of Representa-
tives and to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
of the Senate concerning the status of energy export development 
in Latin America and efforts by the Secretary and other depart-
ments and agencies of the United States to promote energy integra-
tion with Latin America. The report shall contain a detailed analysis 
of the status of energy export development in Mexico and a descrip-
tion of all significant efforts by the Secretary and other departments 
and agencies to promote a constructive relationship with Mexico 
regarding the development of that nation’s energy capacity. In 
particular this report shall outline efforts the Secretary and other 
departments and agencies have made to ensure that regulatory 
approval and oversight of United States/Mexico border projects 
that result in the expansion of Mexican energy capacity are effec-
tively coordinated across departments and with the Mexican govern-
ment. 
SEC. 1808. LOW-VOLUME GAS RESERVOIR STUDY. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary shall make a grant to an organiza-
tion of oil and gas producing States, specifically those containing 
significant numbers of marginal oil and natural gas wells, for con-
ducting an annual study of low-volume natural gas reservoirs. Such 
organization 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 marginal 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;
H. R. 6—532
(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 reserves; and 
(7) evaluate the amount of natural gas that is being wasted 
through the practice of venting or flaring of natural gas pro-
duced in association with crude oil well production. 
(c) DATA ANALYSIS.—Data development and analysis under this 
section shall be performed by an institution of higher education 
with GIS capabilities. If the organization receiving the grant under 
subsection (a) does not have GIS capabilities, such organization 
shall contract with one or more entities with— 
(1) technological capabilities and resources to perform 
advanced image processing, GIS programming, and data anal-
ysis; and 
(2) the ability to— 
(A) process remotely sensed imagery with high spatial 
resolution; 
(B) deploy global positioning systems; 
(C) process and synthesize existing, variable-format 
gas well, pipeline, gathering facility, and reservoir data; 
(D) create and query GIS databases with infrastructure 
location and attribute information; 
(E) write computer programs to customize relevant 
GIS software; 
(F) generate maps, charts, and graphs which summa-
rize findings from data research for presentation to dif-
ferent audiences; and 
(G) deliver data in a variety of formats, including Inter-
net Map Server for query and display, desktop computer 
display, and access through handheld personal digital 
assistants. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary 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 technology that facilitates 
the organization and management of data with a geographic compo-
nent. 
SEC. 1809. INVESTIGATION OF GASOLINE PRICES. 
(a) INVESTIGATION.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission shall conduct 
an investigation to determine if the price of gasoline is being artifi-
cially manipulated by reducing refinery capacity or by any other 
form of market manipulation or price gouging practices. 
(b) EVALUATION AND ANALYSIS.—The Secretary shall direct the 
National Petroleum Council to conduct an evaluation and analysis 
to determine whether, and to what extent, environmental and other 
regulations affect new domestic refinery construction and significant 
expansion of existing refinery capacity. 
(c) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—
H. R. 6—533
(1) INVESTIGATION.—On completion of the investigation 
under subsection (a), the Federal Trade Commission shall 
submit to Congress a report that describes— 
(A) the results of the investigation; and 
(B) any recommendations of the Federal Trade 
Commission. 
(2) EVALUATION
AND
ANALYSIS.—On completion of the 
evaluation and analysis under subsection (b), the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report that describes— 
(A) the results of the evaluation and analysis; and 
(B) any recommendations of the National Petroleum 
Council. 
SEC. 1810. ALASKA NATURAL GAS PIPELINE. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, and every 180 days thereafter until the Alaska natural gas 
pipeline commences operation, the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission shall submit to Congress a report describing— 
(1) the progress made in licensing and constructing the 
pipeline; and 
(2) any issue impeding that progress. 
SEC. 1811. COAL BED METHANE STUDY. 
(a) STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior, in consulta-
tion with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency, shall enter into an arrangement under which the 
National Academy of Sciences shall conduct a study on the 
effect of coal bed natural gas production on surface and ground 
water resources, including ground water aquifiers, in the States 
of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, 
and Utah. 
(2) MATTERS TO BE ADDRESSED.—The study shall address 
the effectiveness of— 
(A) the management of coal bed methane produced 
water; 
(B) the use of best management practices; and 
(C) various production techniques for coal bed methane 
natural gas in minimizing impacts on water resources. 
(b) DATA ANALYSIS.—The study shall analyze available hydro-
logic, geologic and water quality data, along with— 
(1) production techniques, produced water management 
techniques, best management practices, and other factors that 
can mitigate effects of coal bed methane development; 
(2) the costs associated with mitigation techniques; 
(3) effects on surface or ground water resources, including 
drinking water, associated with surface or subsurface disposal 
of waters produced during extraction of coal bed methane; 
and 
(4) any other significant effects on surface or ground water 
resources associated with production of coal bed methane. 
(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The study shall analyze the effective-
ness of current mitigation practices of coal bed methane produced 
water handling in relation to existing Federal and State laws and 
regulations, and make recommendations as to changes, if any, to 
Federal law necessary to address adverse impacts to surface or 
ground water resources associated with coal bed methane develop-
ment.