I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5979 
To ensure consideration of water intensity in the Department of Energy’s 
energy research, development, and demonstration programs to help guar-
antee efficient, reliable, and sustainable delivery of energy and clean 
water resources. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 9, 2016 
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself and Mr. CARTWRIGHT) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To ensure consideration of water intensity in the Department 
of Energy’s energy research, development, and dem-
onstration programs to help guarantee efficient, reliable, 
and sustainable delivery of energy and clean water re-
sources. 
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 ‘‘Energy and Water Re-
search Integration Act of 2016’’. 
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SEC. 2. INTEGRATING ENERGY AND WATER RESEARCH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy shall in-
tegrate water considerations into energy research, develop-
ment, and demonstration programs and projects of the 
Department of Energy by— 
(1) advancing energy and energy efficiency 
technologies and practices that meet the objectives 
of— 
(A) minimizing freshwater withdrawal and 
consumption; 
(B) increasing water use efficiency; and 
(C) utilizing nontraditional water sources 
with efforts to improve the quality of the water 
from those sources; 
(2) considering the effects climate variability 
may have on water supplies and quality for energy 
generation and fuel production; and 
(3) improving understanding of the energy- 
water nexus. 
(b) STRATEGIC PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 12 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall develop a strategic plan identifying the 
research, development, and demonstration needs for 
Department programs and projects to carry out sub-
section (a). The strategic plan shall include technical 
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milestones for achieving and assessing progress to-
ward the objectives of subsection (a)(1). 
(2) SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS.—In developing 
the strategic plan, the Secretary shall consider— 
(A) new advanced cooling technologies for 
energy generation and fuel production tech-
nologies; 
(B) performance improvement of existing 
cooling technologies and cost reductions associ-
ated with using those technologies; 
(C) innovative water reuse, recovery, and 
treatment technologies in energy generation and 
fuel production; 
(D) technology development for carbon 
capture and storage systems that utilize effi-
cient water use design strategies; 
(E) technologies that are life-cycle cost ef-
fective; 
(F) systems analysis and modeling of 
issues relating to the energy-water nexus; 
(G) technologies to treat and utilize waste-
water and produced waters discharged from oil, 
natural gas, coalbed methane, and any other 
substance to be used as an energy source; 
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(H) advanced materials for the use of non-
traditional water sources for energy generation 
and fuel production; 
(I) biomass production and utilization and 
the impact on hydrologic systems; 
(J) technologies that reduce impacts on 
water from energy resource development; 
(K) energy efficient technologies for water 
distribution, treatment, and collection systems; 
(L) technologies for energy generation 
from water distribution, treatment, and collec-
tion systems; and 
(M) any other area of the energy-water 
nexus that the Secretary considers appropriate. 
(3) COLLABORATION AND NONDUPLICATION.— 
In developing the strategic plan, the Secretary shall 
coordinate and avoid duplication— 
(A) with other Federal agencies operating 
related programs, if appropriate; and 
(B) across programs and projects of the 
Department, including with those of the Na-
tional Laboratories. 
(4) 
RELEVANT
INFORMATION
AND
REC-
OMMENDATIONS.—In developing the strategic plan, 
the Secretary shall consider and incorporate, as ap-
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propriate, relevant information and recommenda-
tions, including those of the National Water Avail-
ability and Use Assessment Program under section 
9508(d) of the Omnibus Public Land Management 
Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. 10368(d)). 
(5) ADDITIONAL
PARTICIPATION.—In devel-
oping the strategic plan, the Secretary shall consult 
and coordinate with a diverse group of representa-
tives from research and academic institutions, indus-
try, and State and local governments who have ex-
pertise in technologies and practices relating to the 
energy-water nexus. 
(6) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
15 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall submit to Congress the strategic 
plan. 
(7) UPDATING
THE
STRATEGIC
PLAN.—Not 
later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and at least once every 5 years thereafter, 
the Secretary shall— 
(A) utilize relevant information produced 
by Federal Government agencies, academia, 
States, and industry to update the strategic 
plan; 
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(B) include in the updated strategic plan a 
description of the changes from the previous 
strategic plan and the rationale for such 
changes; and 
(C) submit the updated strategic plan to 
Congress. 
(c) PROGRESS REPORTS.—Not less frequently than 
once every 2 years, the Secretary shall transmit to Con-
gress a report on the progress the Department has made 
toward the milestones outlined in the strategic plan. 
(d) ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary may 
provide for such additional research, development, and 
demonstration activities as appropriate to integrate water 
considerations into the research, development, and dem-
onstration activities of the Department as described in 
subsection (a). 
SEC. 3. ENERGY-WATER OVERSIGHT AND COORDINATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in coordination 
with other relevant Federal agencies, shall establish an 
Energy-Water Subcommittee of the Energy Advisory 
Board to promote and enable improved energy and water 
resource data collection, reporting, and technological inno-
vation. The Subcommittee shall consist of— 
(1) representation from each program within 
the Department and each Federal agency that con-
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ducts research related to the energy-water nexus; 
and 
(2) non-Federal members, including representa-
tives of research and academic institutions, States, 
and industry, who have expertise in technologies and 
practices relating to the energy-water nexus. 
(b) FUNCTIONS.—The Subcommittee shall— 
(1) make recommendations on the development 
and integration of data collection and data commu-
nication standards and protocols to agencies and en-
tities currently engaged in collecting the data for the 
energy-water nexus; 
(2) recommend ways to make improvements to 
Federal water use data to increase understanding of 
trends in energy generation and fuel production; 
(3) recommend best practices for utilizing infor-
mation from existing monitoring networks to provide 
nationally uniform water and energy use and infra-
structure data; and 
(4) conduct annual technical workshops, includ-
ing at least 1 regional workshop annually, to facili-
tate information exchange among Federal, regional, 
State, local, and tribal governments and private sec-
tor experts on technologies that encourage the con-
servation and efficient use of water and energy. 
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