182 
(3) LOW
DOSE
RADIATION
RESEARCH
PRO-
GRAM.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Director shall 
carry out a research program on low dose radi-
ation. The purpose of the program is to en-
hance the scientific understanding of and re-
duce uncertainties associated with the effects of 
exposure to low dose radiation in order to in-
form improved risk management methods. 
(B) DEFINITION.—In this paragraph, the 
term ‘‘low dose radiation’’ means a radiation 
dose of less than 100 millisieverts. 
(C) STUDY.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Director 
shall enter into an agreement with the National 
Academies to conduct a study assessing the 
current status and development of a long-term 
strategy for low dose radiation research. The 
study shall be conducted in coordination with 
Federal agencies that perform ionizing radi-
ation effects research. 
(D) CONTENTS.—The study performed 
under subparagraph (C) shall— 
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183 
(i) identify current scientific chal-
lenges for understanding the long-term ef-
fects of ionizing radiation; 
(ii) assess the status of current low 
dose radiation research in the United 
States and internationally; 
(iii) formulate overall scientific goals 
for the future of low-dose radiation re-
search in the United States; 
(iv) recommend a long-term strategic 
and prioritized research agenda to address 
scientific research goals for overcoming the 
identified scientific challenges in coordina-
tion with other research efforts; 
(v) define the essential components of 
a research program that would address 
this research agenda within the universities 
and the National Laboratories; and 
(vi) assess the cost-benefit effective-
ness of such a program. 
(E) 5-YEAR RESEARCH PLAN.—Not later 
than 90 days after the completion of the assess-
ment performed under subparagraph (C), the 
Secretary shall deliver to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
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Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate a five-year 
research plan that responds to the assessment’s 
findings and recommendations and identifies 
and prioritizes research needs. 
(4) REPEAL.—Section 977 of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16317) is repealed. 
(c) CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE ACTIVI-
TIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the activities au-
thorized under subsection (a), and in coordination 
with activities carried out under subsection (b), the 
Director shall carry out climate and environmental 
science research, which shall include activities to— 
(A) understand, observe, and model the re-
sponse of Earth’s atmosphere and biosphere to 
increased concentrations of greenhouse gas 
emissions and any associated changes in cli-
mate; 
(B) understand the processes for immo-
bilization, or removal of, and understand the 
movement of, energy production-derived con-
taminants such as radionuclides and heavy met-
als, and understand the process of sequestration 
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and transformation of carbon dioxide in sub-
surface environments; and 
(C) inform potential mitigation and adap-
tation options for increased concentrations of 
greenhouse gas emissions and any associated 
changes in climate. 
(2) 
SUBSURFACE
BIOGEOCHEMICAL
RE-
SEARCH.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—As part of the activities 
described in paragraph (1), the Director shall 
carry out research to advance a fundamental 
understanding of coupled physical, chemical, 
and biological processes for controlling the 
movement of sequestered carbon and subsurface 
environmental contaminants. 
(B) COORDINATION.— 
(i) DIRECTOR.—The Director shall 
carry out activities under this paragraph in 
accordance with priorities established by 
the Under Secretary to support and accel-
erate the decontamination of relevant fa-
cilities managed by the Department. 
(ii) UNDER SECRETARY.—The Under 
Secretary shall ensure the coordination of 
activities of the Department, including ac-
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