(3) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants with re-
spect to which the Secretary has contributed funds 
under this subsection, the Director shall give priority 
to applications from departments, programs, or cen-
ters of a school of engineering that are partnered 
with schools, departments, or programs of design, 
architecture, and city, regional, or urban planning, 
and due consideration to applications from Histori-
cally Black Colleges and Universities and other mi-
nority serving institutions. 
SEC. 13. ARPA–E STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter into an 
arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to 
conduct a detailed study of, and make further rec-
ommendations on, the October 2005 National Academy of 
Sciences recommendation to establish an Advanced Re-
search Projects Agency-Energy (in this section referred to 
as ARPA–E). 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 12 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit 
to Congress the study described in subsection (a) and the 
Secretary’s response to the findings, conclusions, and rec-
ommendations of that study.
(c) TERMS OF REFERENCE.—The Secretary shall en-
sure that the study described in subsection (a) addresses 
the following questions: 
(1) What basic research related to new energy 
technologies is occurring now, what entities are 
funding it, and what is preventing the results of that 
research from reaching the market? 
(2) What economic evidence indicates that the 
limiting factor in the market penetration of new en-
ergy technologies is a lack of basic research on path-
breaking new technologies? What barriers do those 
trying to develop new energy technologies face dur-
ing later stages of research and development? 
(3) To what extent is the Defense Advanced 
Research Projects Agency an appropriate model for 
an energy research agency, given that the Federal 
Government would not be the primary customer for 
its technology and where cost is an important con-
cern? 
(4) How would research and development spon-
sored by ARPA–E differ from research and develop-
ment conducted by the National Laboratories or 
sponsored by the Department through the Office of 
Science, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renew-
able Energy, the Office of Fossil Energy, the Office
of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, and 
the Office of Nuclear Energy? 
(5) Should industry or National Laboratories be 
recipients of ARPA–E grants? What institutional or 
organizational arrangements would be required to 
ensure that ARPA–E sponsors transformational, 
rather than incremental, research and development? 
SEC. 14. COAL METHANATION. 
(a) PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall establish a pro-
gram of research, development, demonstration, and com-
mercial application of coal gasification facilities that con-
vert coal into pipeline quality gaseous fuels for direct use 
or subsequent chemical or physical conversion. 
(b) PROCEDURES.—The program established under 
subsection (a) shall be carried out using procedures de-
scribed in title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. 
SEC. 15. ALTERNATIVE BIOBASED FUELS AND ULTRA LOW 
SULFUR DIESEL. 
(a) ALTERNATIVE FUEL AND ULSD INFRASTRUC-
TURE AND ADDITIVES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.—
The Secretary, in consultation with the National Institute 
of Standards and Technology, shall carry out a program 
of research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application of materials to be added to alternative 
biobased fuels and Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuels to make
them more compatible with existing infrastructure used to 
store and deliver petroleum-based fuels to the point of 
final sale. The program shall address—
(1) materials to prevent or mitigate—
(A) corrosion of metal, plastic, rubber, 
cork, fiberglass, glues, or any other material 
used in pipes and storage tanks; 
(B) dissolving of storage tank sediments; 
(C) clogging of filters; 
(D) contamination from water or other 
adulterants or pollutants; 
(E) poor flow properties related to low 
temperatures; 
(F) oxidative and thermal instability in 
long-term storage and use; 
(G) increased volatile emissions; 
(H) microbial contamination; 
(I) problems associated with electrical con-
ductivity; and 
(J) increased nitrogen oxide emissions; 
(2) alternatives to conventional methods for re-
furbishment and cleaning of gasoline and diesel 
tanks, including tank lining applications; and
(3) other problems as identified by the Sec-
retary in consultation with the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology. 
(b) SULFUR TESTING FOR DIESEL FUELS.—
(1) PROGRAM.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology, shall carry out a research, development, and 
demonstration program on portable, low-cost, and 
accurate methods and technologies for testing of sul-
fur content in fuel, including Ultra Low Sulfur Die-
sel and Low Sulfur Diesel. 
(2) SCHEDULE
OF
DEMONSTRATIONS.—Not 
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall begin demonstrations of 
technologies under paragraph (1). 
(c) STANDARD REFERENCE MATERIALS AND DATA 
BASE DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology shall develop a physical prop-
erties data base and standard reference materials for al-
ternative fuels. Such data base and standard reference 
materials shall be maintained and updated as appropriate 
as additional alternative fuels become available.
SEC. 16. BIOENERGY. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
931 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16231) 
is amended—
(1) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ‘‘, includ-
ing $25,000,000 for section 932(d)(1)(B)(v)’’ after 
‘‘section 932(d)’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)(2), by inserting ‘‘, includ-
ing $25,000,000 for section 932(d)(1)(B)(v)’’ after 
‘‘section 932(d)’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c)(3), by inserting ‘‘, includ-
ing $25,000,000 for section 932(d)(1)(B)(v)’’ after 
‘‘section 932(d)’’. 
(b) BIOENERGY PROGRAM.—Section 932(d)(1)(B) of 
the 
Energy 
Policy 
Act 
of 
2005 
(42 
U.S.C. 
16232(d)(1)(B)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of clause (iii); 
and 
(2) by adding after clause (iv) the following new 
clause:
‘‘(v) biodegradable natural plastics 
from biomass; and’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 29, 
2006. 
Attest:
Clerk.
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6203
AN ACT 
To provide for Federal energy research, develop-
ment, demonstration, and commercial application 
activities, and for other purposes.