H. R. 6—322
such contract is competitively awarded, or the Secretary grants, 
on a case-by-case basis, a waiver. The Secretary may not delegate 
the authority to grant such a waiver and shall submit to Congress 
a report notifying it of the waiver, and setting forth the reasons 
for the waiver, at least 60 days prior to the date of the award 
of such contract. 
SEC. 996. WESTERN MICHIGAN DEMONSTRATION PROJECT. 
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 
in consultation with the State of Michigan and affected local offi-
cials, shall conduct a demonstration project to address the effect 
of transported ozone and ozone precursors in Southwestern 
Michigan. The demonstration program shall address projected non-
attainment areas in Southwestern Michigan that include counties 
with design values for ozone of less than .095 based on years 
2000 to 2002 or the most current 3-year period of air quality 
data. The Administrator shall assess any difficulties such areas 
may experience in meeting the 8-hour national ambient air quality 
standard for ozone due to the effect of transported ozone or ozone 
precursors into the areas. The Administrator shall work with State 
and local officials to determine the extent of ozone and ozone 
precursor transport, to assess alternatives to achieve compliance 
with the 8-hour standard apart from local controls, and to determine 
the timeframe in which such compliance could take place. The 
Administrator shall complete this demonstration project no later 
than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section and shall 
not impose any requirement or sanction under the Clean Air Act 
(42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) that might otherwise apply during the 
pendency of the demonstration project. 
SEC. 997. ARCTIC ENGINEERING RESEARCH CENTER. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation, in consulta-
tion with the Secretary and the United States Arctic Research 
Commission, shall provide annual grants to a university located 
adjacent to the Arctic Energy Office of the Department of Energy, 
to establish and operate a university research center to be 
headquartered in Fairbanks and to be known as the ‘‘Arctic 
Engineering Research Center’’ (referred to in this section as the 
‘‘Center’’). 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Center shall be to conduct 
research on, and develop improved methods of, construction and 
use of materials to improve the overall performance of roads, 
bridges, residential, commercial, and industrial structures, and 
other infrastructure in the Arctic region, with an emphasis on 
developing— 
(1) new construction techniques for roads, bridges, rail, 
and related transportation infrastructure and residential, 
commercial, and industrial infrastructure that are capable of 
withstanding the Arctic environment and using limited energy 
resources as efficiently as practicable; 
(2) technologies and procedures for increasing road, bridge, 
rail, and related transportation infrastructure and residential, 
commercial, and industrial infrastructure safety, reliability, and 
integrity in the Arctic region; 
(3) new materials and improving the performance and 
energy efficiency of existing materials for the construction of 
roads, bridges, rail, and related transportation infrastructure
H. R. 6—323
and residential, commercial, and industrial infrastructure in 
the Arctic region; and 
(4) recommendations for new local, regional, and State 
permitting and building codes to ensure transportation and 
building safety and efficient energy use when constructing, 
using, and occupying such infrastructure in the Arctic region. 
(c) OBJECTIVES.—The Center shall carry out— 
(1) basic and applied research in the subjects described 
in subsection (b), the products of which shall be judged by 
peers or other experts in the field to advance the body of 
knowledge in road, bridge, rail, and infrastructure engineering 
in the Arctic region; and 
(2) an ongoing program of technology transfer that makes 
research results available to potential users in a form that 
can be implemented. 
(d) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—For each of fiscal years 2006 through 
2011, the Secretary shall provide a grant in the amount of 
$3,000,000 to the institution specified in subsection (a) to carry 
out this section. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2006 through 2011. 
SEC. 998. BARROW GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH FACILITY. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Commerce, in consulta-
tion with the Secretaries of Energy and the Interior, the Director 
of the National Science Foundation, and the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, shall establish a joint research 
facility in Barrow, Alaska, to be known as the ‘‘Barrow Geophysical 
Research Facility’’, to support scientific research activities in the 
Arctic. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretaries of Commerce, Energy, and 
the Interior, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and 
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for the 
planning, design, construction, and support of the Barrow Geo-
physical Research Facility, $61,000,000. 
Subtitle J—Ultra-Deepwater and Uncon-
ventional Natural Gas and Other Petro-
leum Resources 
SEC. 999A. PROGRAM AUTHORITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out a program 
under this subtitle of research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application of technologies for ultra-deepwater and 
unconventional natural gas and other petroleum resource explo-
ration and production, including addressing the technology chal-
lenges for small producers, safe operations, and environmental miti-
gation (including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and seques-
tration of carbon). 
(b) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—The program under this subtitle shall 
address the following areas, including improving safety and mini-
mizing environmental impacts of activities within each area:
H. R. 6—324
(1) Ultra-deepwater architecture and technology, including 
drilling to formations in the Outer Continental Shelf to depths 
greater than 15,000 feet. 
(2) Unconventional natural gas and other petroleum 
resource exploration and production technology. 
(3) The technology challenges of small producers. 
(4) Complementary research performed by the National 
Energy Technology Laboratory for the Department. 
(c) LIMITATION ON LOCATION OF FIELD ACTIVITIES.—Field activi-
ties under the program under this subtitle shall be carried out 
only— 
(1) in— 
(A) areas in the territorial waters of the United States 
not under any Outer Continental Shelf moratorium as of 
September 30, 2002; 
(B) areas onshore in the United States on public land 
administered by the Secretary of the Interior available 
for oil and gas leasing, where consistent with applicable 
law and land use plans; and 
(C) areas onshore in the United States on State or 
private land, subject to applicable law; and 
(2) with the approval of the appropriate Federal or State 
land management agency or private land owner. 
(d) ACTIVITIES AT THE NATIONAL ENERGY TECHNOLOGY LABORA-
TORY.—The Secretary, through the National Energy Technology 
Laboratory, shall carry out a program of research and other activi-
ties complementary to and supportive of the research programs 
under subsection (b). 
(e) CONSULTATION WITH SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.—In car-
rying out this subtitle, the Secretary shall consult regularly with 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 999B. ULTRA-DEEPWATER AND UNCONVENTIONAL ONSHORE NAT-
URAL GAS AND OTHER PETROLEUM RESEARCH AND 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out the activities 
under section 999A, to maximize the value of natural gas and 
other petroleum resources of the United States, by increasing the 
supply of such resources, through reducing the cost and increasing 
the efficiency of exploration for and production of such resources, 
while improving safety and minimizing environmental impacts. 
(b) ROLE OF THE SECRETARY.—The Secretary shall have ulti-
mate responsibility for, and oversight of, all aspects of the program 
under this section. 
(c) ROLE OF THE PROGRAM CONSORTIUM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall contract with a cor-
poration that is structured as a consortium to administer the 
programmatic activities outlined in this chapter. The program 
consortium shall— 
(A) administer the program pursuant to subsection 
(f)(3), utilizing program administration funds only; 
(B) issue research project solicitations upon approval 
of the Secretary or the Secretary’s designee; 
(C) make project awards to research performers upon 
approval of the Secretary or the Secretary’s designee; 
(D) disburse research funds to research performers 
awarded under subsection (f) as directed by the Secretary
H. R. 6—325
in accordance with the annual plan under subsection (e); 
and 
(E) carry out other activities assigned to the program 
consortium by this section. 
(2) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not assign any activi-
ties to the program consortium except as specifically authorized 
under this section. 
(3) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.— 
(A) PROCEDURES.—The Secretary shall establish proce-
dures— 
(i) to ensure that each board member, officer, or 
employee of the program consortium who is in a 
decisionmaking capacity under subsection (f)(3) shall 
disclose to the Secretary any financial interests in, 
or financial relationships with, applicants for or recipi-
ents of awards under this section, including those of 
his or her spouse or minor child, unless such relation-
ships or interests would be considered to be remote 
or inconsequential; and 
(ii) to require any board member, officer, or 
employee with a financial relationship or interest dis-
closed under clause (i) to recuse himself or herself 
from any oversight under subsection (f)(4) with respect 
to such applicant or recipient. 
(B) FAILURE TO COMPLY.—The Secretary may disqualify 
an application or revoke an award under this section if 
a board member, officer, or employee has failed to comply 
with procedures required under subparagraph (A)(ii). 
(d) SELECTION OF THE PROGRAM CONSORTIUM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall select the program 
consortium through an open, competitive process. 
(2) MEMBERS.—The program consortium may include cor-
porations, trade associations, institutions of higher education, 
National Laboratories, or other research institutions. After 
submitting a proposal under paragraph (4), the program consor-
tium may not add members without the consent of the Sec-
retary. 
(3) REQUIREMENT OF SECTION 501(c)(3) STATUS.—The Sec-
retary shall not select a consortium under this section unless 
such consortium is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax 
under such section 501(a) of such Code. 
(4) SCHEDULE.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall solicit proposals 
from eligible consortia to perform the duties in subsection (c)(1), 
which shall be submitted not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act. The Secretary shall select the 
program consortium not later than 270 days after such date 
of enactment. 
(5) APPLICATION.—Applicants shall submit a proposal 
including such information as the Secretary may require. At 
a minimum, each proposal shall— 
(A) list all members of the consortium; 
(B) fully describe the structure of the consortium, 
including any provisions relating to intellectual property; 
and