I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2090 
To improve assessments of and research about energy critical elements, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 2, 2011 
Mr. HULTGREN (for himself, Mrs. BIGGERT, and Mr. LIPINSKI) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources 
and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To improve assessments of and research about energy critical 
elements, and for other purposes. 
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 Critical Ele-
ments Advancement Act of 2011’’. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:01 Jun 07, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2090.IH
H2090
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. INFORMATION GATHERING, ANALYSIS, AND DIS-
SEMINATION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the Interior, 
acting through the Director of the USGS, and the Sec-
retary of Energy, acting through the Administrator of the 
Energy Information Administration, shall collaborate to 
improve assessments of energy critical elements that in-
cludes— 
(1) discovered and potential resources; 
(2) production; 
(3) use; 
(4) trade; 
(5) disposal; and 
(6) recycling. 
(b) DUTIES.—The entity within the USGS that gath-
ers the information for the assessments under subsection 
(a) shall— 
(1) regularly survey emerging energy tech-
nologies and the supply chain for elements through-
out the periodic table necessary for those tech-
nologies in order to forecast potential supply disrup-
tions; and 
(2) make available such information in the ag-
gregate, with appropriate protection of proprietary 
information, to the United States scientific commu-
nity, including industry, institutions of higher edu-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:01 Jun 07, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2090.IH
H2090
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
cation, and the United States Department of Energy 
National Laboratories and Technology Centers. 
(c) DESIGNATION.—The Director of the USGS shall 
designate the entity within the USGS that gathers the in-
formation for the assessments under subsection (a) as a 
‘‘Principal Statistical Agency’’. 
SEC. 3. RESEARCH. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Energy, in 
coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, shall es-
tablish a research program to advance basic knowledge 
and enable expanded availability of energy critical ele-
ments, including research on basic materials science, 
chemistry, physics, and engineering associated with energy 
critical elements, including materials characterization and 
substitution, recycling, and life-cycle analysis. 
(b) RESEARCH PLAN.—In consultation with the Crit-
ical and Strategic Mineral Supply Chain Subcommittee of 
the National Science and Technology Council, the Sec-
retary shall develop and update biennially an integrated 
research plan to guide program activities. 
(c) LIMITATION.—Research under subsection (a) 
shall be limited to areas that industry is not likely to un-
dertake due to technical and financial uncertainty. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:01 Jun 07, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2090.IH
H2090
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 4. REPORT. 
Within 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Critical and Strategic Mineral Supply Chain Sub-
committee of the National Science and Technology Council 
shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate a report on the recycling of energy critical ele-
ments, including— 
(1) the logistics, economic viability, and re-
search and development needs for completing the re-
cycling process; 
(2) options for both the Federal Government 
and industry, including an assessment of the 
strengths and weaknesses of such options, for im-
proving the rates of collection of post-consumer 
products containing energy critical elements; and 
(3) an analysis of the methods explored and im-
plemented in various states and countries, such as 
Japan and South Korea. 
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act, the following definitions apply: 
(1) ENERGY
CRITICAL
ELEMENT.—The term 
‘‘energy critical element’’ means each of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) Helium. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:01 Jun 07, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2090.IH
H2090
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS