H. R. 6—192 
this subtitle to, other Department of Energy research and 
development 
programs 
focused 
on 
drilling, 
subsurface 
characterization, and other related technologies. 
(2) In evaluating proposals, the Secretary shall give priority 
to proposals that demonstrate clear evidence of employing a 
systems approach. 
(3) The Secretary shall coordinate and consult with the 
appropriate Federal land management agencies in selecting 
proposals for funding under this subtitle. 
(4) Nothing in this subtitle shall be construed to alter 
or affect any law relating to the management or protection 
of Federal lands. 
SEC. 618. CENTER FOR GEOTHERMAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award to an institution 
of higher education (or consortium thereof) a grant to establish 
a Center for Geothermal Technology Transfer (referred to in this 
section as the ‘‘Center’’). 
(b) DUTIES.—The Center shall— 
(1) serve as an information clearinghouse for the geo-
thermal industry by collecting and disseminating information 
on best practices in all areas relating to developing and utilizing 
geothermal resources; 
(2) make data collected by the Center available to the 
public; and 
(3) seek opportunities to coordinate efforts and share 
information with domestic and international partners engaged 
in research and development of geothermal systems and related 
technology. 
(c) SELECTION CRITERIA.—In awarding the grant under sub-
section (a) the Secretary shall select an institution of higher edu-
cation (or consortium thereof) best suited to provide national leader-
ship on geothermal related issues and perform the duties enumer-
ated under subsection (b). 
(d) DURATION OF GRANT.—A grant made under subsection (a)— 
(1) shall be for an initial period of 5 years; and 
(2) may be renewed for additional 5-year periods on the 
basis of— 
(A) satisfactory performance in meeting the duties out-
lined in subsection (b); and 
(B) any other requirements specified by the Secretary. 
SEC. 619. GEOPOWERING AMERICA. 
The Secretary shall expand the Department of Energy’s 
GeoPowering the West program to extend its geothermal technology 
transfer activities throughout the entire United States. The program 
shall be renamed ‘‘GeoPowering America’’. The program shall con-
tinue to be based in the Department of Energy office in Golden, 
Colorado. 
SEC. 620. EDUCATIONAL PILOT PROGRAM. 
The Secretary shall seek to award grant funding, on a competi-
tive basis, to an institution of higher education for a geothermal- 
powered energy generation facility on the institution’s campus. The 
purpose of the facility shall be to provide electricity and space 
heating. The facility shall also serve as an educational resource 
to students in relevant fields of study, and the data generated
H. R. 6—193 
by the facility shall be available to students and the general public. 
The total funding award shall not exceed $2,000,000. 
SEC. 621. REPORTS. 
(a) REPORTS ON ADVANCED USES OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY.— 
Not later than 3 years and 5 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall report to the Committee on Science 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate on advanced con-
cepts and technologies to maximize the geothermal resource poten-
tial of the United States. The reports shall include— 
(1) the use of carbon dioxide as an alternative geofluid 
with potential carbon sequestration benefits; 
(2) mineral recovery from geofluids; 
(3) use of geothermal energy to produce hydrogen; 
(4) use of geothermal energy to produce biofuels; 
(5) use of geothermal heat for oil recovery from oil shales 
and tar sands; and 
(6) other advanced geothermal technologies, including 
advanced drilling technologies and advanced power conversion 
technologies. 
(b) PROGRESS REPORTS.—(1) Not later than 36 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
of the Senate an interim report describing the progress made under 
this subtitle. At the end of 60 months, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report on the results of projects undertaken under 
this subtitle and other such information the Secretary considers 
appropriate. 
(2) As necessary, the Secretary shall report to the Congress 
on any legal, regulatory, or other barriers encountered that hinder 
economic development of these resources, and provide recommenda-
tions on legislative or other actions needed to address such impedi-
ments. 
SEC. 622. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAWS. 
Nothing in this subtitle shall be construed as waiving, modi-
fying, or superseding the applicability of any requirement under 
any environmental or other Federal or State law. To the extent 
that activities authorized in this subtitle take place in coastal 
and ocean areas, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary 
of Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce 
for Oceans and Atmosphere, regarding the potential marine environ-
mental impacts and measures to address such impacts. 
SEC. 623. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to 
carry out this subtitle $90,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 
2008 through 2012, of which $10,000,000 for each fiscal year shall 
be for carrying out section 616. There are also authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary for the Intermountain West Geo-
thermal Consortium $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 
through 2012. 
SEC. 624. INTERNATIONAL GEOTHERMAL ENERGY DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy, in coordination 
with other appropriate Federal and multilateral agencies (including
H. R. 6—194 
the United States Agency for International Development) shall sup-
port international collaborative efforts to promote the research, 
development, and deployment of geothermal technologies used to 
develop hydrothermal and enhanced geothermal system resources, 
including as partners (as appropriate) the African Rift Geothermal 
Development Facility, Australia, China, France, the Republic of 
Iceland, India, Japan, and the United Kingdom. 
(b) UNITED STATES TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY.—The 
Director of the United States Trade and Development Agency may— 
(1) encourage participation by United States firms in 
actions taken to carry out subsection (a); and 
(2) provide grants and other financial support for feasibility 
and resource assessment studies conducted in, or intended to 
benefit, less developed countries. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2008 through 2012. 
SEC. 625. HIGH COST REGION GEOTHERMAL ENERGY GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means— 
(A) a utility; 
(B) an electric cooperative; 
(C) a State; 
(D) a political subdivision of a State; 
(E) an Indian tribe; or 
(F) a Native corporation. 
(2) HIGH-COST REGION.—The term ‘‘high-cost region’’ means 
a region in which the average cost of electrical power exceeds 
150 percent of the national average retail cost, as determined 
by the Secretary. 
(b) PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall use amounts made available 
to carry out this section to make grants to eligible entities for 
activities described in subsection (c). 
(c) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—An eligible entity may use grant 
funds under this section, with respect to a geothermal energy project 
in a high-cost region, only— 
(1) to conduct a feasibility study, including a study of 
exploration, geochemical testing, geomagnetic surveys, geologic 
information gathering, baseline environmental studies, well 
drilling, resource characterization, permitting, and economic 
analysis; 
(2) for design and engineering costs, relating to the project; 
and 
(3) to demonstrate and promote commercial application 
of technologies related to geothermal energy as part of the 
project. 
(d) COST SHARING.—The cost-sharing requirements of section 
988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352) shall 
apply to any project carried out under this section. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this 
section.
H. R. 6—195 
Subtitle C—Marine and Hydrokinetic 
Renewable Energy Technologies 
SEC. 631. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Marine and Hydrokinetic 
Renewable Energy Research and Development Act’’. 
SEC. 632. DEFINITION. 
For purposes of this subtitle, the term ‘‘marine and hydrokinetic 
renewable energy’’ means electrical energy from— 
(1) waves, tides, and currents in oceans, estuaries, and 
tidal areas; 
(2) free flowing water in rivers, lakes, and streams; 
(3) free flowing water in man-made channels; and 
(4) differentials in ocean temperature (ocean thermal 
energy conversion). 
The term ‘‘marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy’’ does not 
include energy from any source that uses a dam, diversionary 
structure, or impoundment for electric power purposes. 
SEC. 
633. 
MARINE 
AND 
HYDROKINETIC 
RENEWABLE 
ENERGY 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce, acting through 
the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, 
shall establish a program of research, development, demonstration, 
and commercial application to expand marine and hydrokinetic 
renewable energy production, including programs to— 
(1) study and compare existing marine and hydrokinetic 
renewable energy technologies; 
(2) research, develop, and demonstrate marine and 
hydrokinetic renewable energy systems and technologies; 
(3) reduce the manufacturing and operation costs of marine 
and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies; 
(4) investigate efficient and reliable integration with the 
utility grid and intermittency issues; 
(5) advance wave forecasting technologies; 
(6) conduct experimental and numerical modeling for 
optimization of marine energy conversion devices and arrays; 
(7) increase the reliability and survivability of marine and 
hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies, including develop-
ment of corrosive-resistant materials; 
(8) identify, in conjunction with the Secretary of Commerce, 
acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans 
and Atmosphere, and other Federal agencies as appropriate, 
the potential environmental impacts, including potential 
impacts on fisheries and other marine resources, of marine 
and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies, measures to 
prevent adverse impacts, and technologies and other means 
available for monitoring and determining environmental 
impacts; 
(9) identify, in conjunction with the Secretary of the Depart-
ment in which the United States Coast Guard is operating, 
acting through the Commandant of the United States Coast 
Guard, the potential navigational impacts of marine and