H. R. 527—10 
‘‘(2) to separate and capture helium from natural gas 
streams; and 
‘‘(3) to reduce the venting of helium and helium-bearing 
low-Btu gas during natural gas exploration and production. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAMS.— 
‘‘(1) MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH.—The Secretary of 
Energy, in consultation with other appropriate agencies, shall 
support a civilian research program to develop advanced mem-
brane technology that is used in the separation of low-Btu 
gases, including technologies that remove helium and other 
constituent gases that lower the Btu content of natural gas. 
‘‘(2) HELIUM SEPARATION TECHNOLOGY.—The Secretary of 
Energy shall support a research program to develop tech-
nologies for separating, gathering, and processing helium in 
low concentrations that occur naturally in geological reservoirs 
or formations, including— 
‘‘(A) low-Btu gas production streams; and 
‘‘(B) technologies that minimize the atmospheric 
venting of helium gas during natural gas production. 
‘‘(3) INDUSTRIAL
HELIUM
PROGRAM.—The Secretary of 
Energy, working through the Advanced Manufacturing Office 
of the Department of Energy, shall carry out a research pro-
gram— 
‘‘(A) to develop low-cost technologies and technology 
systems for recycling, reprocessing, and reusing helium 
for all medical, scientific, industrial, commercial, aerospace, 
and other uses of helium in the United States, including 
Federal uses; and 
‘‘(B) to develop industrial gathering technologies to 
capture helium from other chemical processing, including 
ammonia processing. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000. 
‘‘SEC. 18. HELIUM-3 SEPARATION. 
‘‘(a) 
INTERAGENCY
COOPERATION.—The 
Secretary 
shall 
cooperate with the Secretary of Energy, or a designee, on any 
assessment or research relating to the extraction and refining of 
the isotope helium-3 from crude helium and other potential sources, 
including— 
‘‘(1) gas analysis; and 
‘‘(2) infrastructure studies. 
‘‘(b) FEASIBILITY STUDY.—The Secretary, in consultation with 
the Secretary of Energy, or a designee, may carry out a study 
to assess the feasibility of— 
‘‘(1) establishing a facility to separate the isotope helium- 
3 from crude helium; and 
‘‘(2) exploring other potential sources of the isotope helium- 
3. 
‘‘(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Represent-
atives a report that contains a description of the results of the 
assessments conducted under this section. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000.
H. R. 527—11 
‘‘SEC. 19. FEDERAL AGENCY HELIUM ACQUISITION STRATEGY. 
‘‘In anticipation of the implementation of Phase D described 
in section 6(d), and not later than 2 years after the date of enact-
ment of the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013, the Secretary (in 
consultation with the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Defense, 
the Director of the National Science Foundation, the Administrator 
of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Director 
of the National Institutes of Health, and other agencies as appro-
priate) shall submit to Congress a report that provides for Federal 
users— 
‘‘(1) an assessment of the consumption of, and projected 
demand for, crude and refined helium; 
‘‘(2) a description of a 20-year Federal strategy for securing 
access to helium; 
‘‘(3) a determination of a date prior to September 30, 2021, 
for the implementation of Phase D as described in section 
6(d) that minimizes any potential supply disruptions for Federal 
users; 
‘‘(4) an assessment of the effects of increases in the price 
of refined helium and methods and policies for mitigating any 
determined effects; and 
‘‘(5) a description of a process for prioritization of uses 
that accounts for diminished availability of helium supplies 
that may occur over time.’’. 
SEC. 7. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 
(a) Section 4 of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167b) is amended 
by striking ‘‘section 6(f)’’ each place it appears in subsections (c)(3), 
(c)(4), and (d)(2) and inserting ‘‘section 6(e)’’. 
(b) Section 8 of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167f) is repealed. 
SEC. 8. EXISTING AGREEMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—This Act and the amendments made by this 
Act shall not affect or diminish the rights and obligations of the 
Secretary of the Interior and private parties under agreements 
in existence on the date of enactment of this Act, except to the 
extent that the agreements are renewed or extended after that 
date. 
(b) DELIVERY.—No agreement described in subsection (a) shall 
affect or diminish the right of any party that purchases helium 
after the date of enactment of this Act in accordance with section 
6 of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167d) (as amended by section 
5) to receive delivery of the helium in accordance with section 
5(e)(2) of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167c(e)(2)) (as amended by 
section 4). 
SEC. 9. REGULATIONS. 
The Secretary of the Interior shall promulgate such regulations 
as are necessary to carry out this Act and the amendments made 
by this Act, including regulations necessary to prevent unfair acts 
and practices. 
SEC. 10. AMENDMENTS TO OTHER LAWS. 
(a) SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SELF DETERMINA-
TION PROGRAM.— 
(1) SECURE
PAYMENTS
FOR
STATES
AND
COUNTIES
CON-
TAINING FEDERAL LAND.—
H. R. 527—12 
(A) AVAILABILITY OF PAYMENTS.—Section 101 of the 
Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination 
Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7111) is amended by striking ‘‘2012’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘2013’’. 
(B) ELECTIONS.—Section 102(b) of the Secure Rural 
Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 
(16 U.S.C. 7112(b)) is amended— 
(i) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ‘‘2012’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2013’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ‘‘2012’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘2013’’. 
(C) DISTRIBUTION
OF
PAYMENTS
TO
ELIGIBLE
COUN-
TIES.—Section 103(d)(2) of the Secure Rural Schools and 
Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 
7113(d)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘and 2012’’ and inserting 
‘‘through 2013’’. 
(2) CONTINUATION
OF
AUTHORITY
TO
CONDUCT
SPECIAL 
PROJECTS
ON
FEDERAL
LAND.—Title II of the Secure Rural 
Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 is 
amended— 
(A) in section 203(a)(1) (16 U.S.C. 7123(a)(1)), by 
striking ‘‘2012’’ and inserting ‘‘2013’’; 
(B) 
in 
section 
204(e)(3)(B)(iii) 
(16 
U.S.C. 
7124(e)(3)(B)(iii)), by striking ‘‘2012’’ and inserting ‘‘2013’’; 
(C) in section 205(a)(4) (16 U.S.C. 7125(a)(4)), by 
striking ‘‘2011’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘2012’’; 
(D) in section 207(a) (16 U.S.C. 7127(a)), by striking 
‘‘2012’’ and inserting ‘‘2013’’; and 
(E) in section 208 (16 U.S.C. 7128)— 
(i) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘2012’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2013’’; and 
(ii) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘2013’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2014’’. 
(3) CONTINUATION
OF
AUTHORITY
TO
RESERVE
AND
USE 
COUNTY FUNDS.—Section 304 of the Secure Rural Schools and 
Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7144) 
is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘2012’’ and inserting 
‘‘2013’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘2013’’ and inserting 
‘‘2014’’. 
(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 402 of the 
Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act 
of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7152) is amended by striking ‘‘2012’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2013’’. 
(b) ABANDONED WELL REMEDIATION.—Section 349 of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15907) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(i) FEDERALLY DRILLED WELLS.—Out of any amounts in the 
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 
2014, $36,000,000 for fiscal year 2015, and $4,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2019 shall be made available to the Secretary, without further 
appropriation and to remain available until expended, to remediate, 
reclaim, and close abandoned oil and gas wells on current or former 
National Petroleum Reserve land.’’.
H. R. 527—13 
(c) NATIONAL PARKS MAINTENANCE BACKLOG.—Section 814(g) 
of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 
(16 U.S.C. 1f) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) AVAILABLE
FUNDS.—Out of any amounts in the 
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $20,000,000 shall be 
made available to the Secretary of the Interior for fiscal year 
2018, and $30,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary 
of the Interior for fiscal year 2019, without further appropria-
tion and to remain available until expended, to pay the Federal 
funding share of challenge cost-share agreements for deferred 
maintenance projects and to correct deficiencies in National 
Park Service infrastructure. 
‘‘(5) COST-SHARE REQUIREMENT.—Not less than 50 percent 
of the total cost of project for funds made available under 
paragraph (4) to pay the Federal funding share shall be derived 
from non-Federal sources, including in-kind contribution of 
goods and services fairly valued.’’. 
(d) ABANDONED MINE RECLAMATION FUND.—Section 411(h) of 
the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 
1240a(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING.— 
‘‘(A) WAIVER OF LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding para-
graph (5), the limitation on the total annual payments 
to a certified State or Indian tribe under this subsection 
shall not apply for fiscal years 2014 and 2015. 
‘‘(B) 
LIMITATION
ON
WAIVER.—Notwithstanding 
subparagraph (A), the total annual payment to a certified 
State or Indian tribe under this subsection for fiscal year 
2014 shall not be more than $28,000,000 and for fiscal 
year 2015 shall not be more than $75,000,000. 
‘‘(C) INSUFFICIENT AMOUNTS.—If the total annual pay-
ment to a certified State or Indian tribe under paragraphs 
(1) and (2) is limited by subparagraph (B), the Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(i) give priority to making payments under para-
graph (2); and 
‘‘(ii) use any remaining funds to make payments 
under paragraph (1).’’. 
(e) SODA ASH ROYALTIES.—Notwithstanding section 24 of the 
Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 262) and the terms of any lease 
under that Act, the royalty rate on the quantity of gross value 
of the output of sodium compounds and related products at the 
point of shipment to market from Federal land in the 2-year period 
beginning on the date of enactment of this Act shall be 4 percent. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OFFSET.—Section 207(c) of the Energy 
Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17022(c)) is 
amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: 
‘‘, except that the amount authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this section not appropriated as of the date of enactment of
H. R. 527—14 
the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013 shall be reduced by 
$6,000,000’’. 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.