SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The National Environmental Research 
Parks are unique outdoor laboratories that provide 
opportunities for environmental studies on protected 
lands around Department of Energy facilities. 
(2) In 1972, the Atomic Energy Commission 
established its first official environmental research 
park at the Savannah River site in South Carolina. 
(3) In 1976, the Department of Energy defined 
the mission for the research parks in accordance 
with the recommendations of the multiagency review 
team for environmental research activities at the Sa-
vannah River site. 
(4) The mission of the research parks is to— 
(A) conduct research and education activi-
ties to assess and document environmental ef-
fects associated with energy and weapons use; 
(B) explore methods for eliminating or 
minimizing adverse effects of energy develop-
ment and nuclear materials on the environment; 
(C) train people in ecological and environ-
mental sciences; and 
(D) educate the public. 
(5) The National Environmental Research 
Parks are located within six major ecological regions
of the United States, covering more than half of the 
Nation. 
(6) The parks are especially valuable research 
sites because within their borders they provide se-
cure settings for scientists to conduct long-term re-
search on a broad range of subjects including— 
(A) plant succession; 
(B) biomass production; 
(C) population ecology; 
(D) radioecology; 
(E) ecological restoration; and 
(F) thermal effects on freshwater eco-
systems. 
(7) The parks maintain several long-term data 
sets that are available nowhere else in the United 
States or in the world on amphibian populations, 
bird populations, and soil moisture and plant water 
stress. These data sets are uniquely valuable for the 
detection of long-term shifts in climate. 
(8) The maintenance of these parks by the De-
partment of Energy is consistent with statutory obli-
gations to promote sound environmental stewardship 
of Federal lands and to safeguard sites containing 
cultural and archeological resources.
(9) Public education and outreach activities car-
ried out on these sites provide unique learning op-
portunities, promote a stronger connection between 
these Federal facilities and the surrounding commu-
nities, and enhance public confidence that the De-
partment of Energy is fulfilling its environmental 
stewardship responsibilities. 
SEC. 2. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH PARKS. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—The Secretary of Energy shall 
designate the six National Environmental Research Parks 
located on Department of Energy sites as protected out-
door research reserves for the purposes of conducting 
long-term environmental research on the impacts of 
human activities on the natural environment. The six Na-
tional Environmental Research Parks shall include— 
(1) the Savannah River National Environ-
mental Research Park; 
(2) the Idaho National Environmental Research 
Park; 
(3) the Los Alamos National Environmental 
Research Park; 
(4) the Fermi Lab National Environmental Re-
search Park; 
(5) the Oak Ridge National Environmental Re-
search Park; and
(6) the Nevada National Environmental Re-
search Park. 
(b) PURPOSES.—Each site shall support— 
(1) environmental research and monitoring ac-
tivities to characterize and monitor present and fu-
ture site conditions, and serve as control areas for 
comparison with environmental impacts of Depart-
ment of Energy land management, energy tech-
nology development, remediation, and other site ac-
tivities outside the National Environmental Research 
Park areas. Areas of research and monitoring on the 
sites may include— 
(A) ecology of the site and the region; 
(B) population biology and ecology; 
(C) radioecology; 
(D) effects of climate variability and 
change on ecosystems; 
(E) ecosystem science; 
(F) pollution fate and transport research; 
(G) surface and groundwater modeling; 
and 
(H) environmental impacts of development 
and use of energy generation technologies, in-
cluding renewable energy technologies; and
(2) public education and outreach activities con-
sistent with subsection (d). 
(c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.—To ensure the inde-
pendence of the research, monitoring, public education, 
and outreach activities conducted on each site, the Sec-
retary shall enter into a cooperative agreement with a uni-
versity, community college, or consortium of institutions 
of higher education with expertise in ecology and environ-
mental science of the region in which the National Envi-
ronmental Research Park is located. 
(d) 
ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION
AND
OUT-
REACH.—Each site shall support an outreach program to 
inform the public of the diverse ecological activities con-
ducted at the park and to educate students at various lev-
els in environmental science. Program activities may in-
clude— 
(1) on-site and in-classroom education pro-
grams for elementary and secondary students; 
(2) presentations to school, civic, and profes-
sional groups; 
(3) exhibits at local and regional events; 
(4) development of educational projects and 
materials for students at all levels; 
(5) undergraduate and community college in-
ternships and graduate research opportunities; and
(6) regularly scheduled public tours. 
(e) COORDINATION.—The Secretary of Energy shall 
designate a National Environmental Research Park Coor-
dinator within the Department of Energy Office of 
Science. The Coordinator shall— 
(1) coordinate research activities among the 
National Environmental Research Parks as appro-
priate; 
(2) ensure that information on best practices 
for research, education, and outreach activities is 
shared among the sites; and 
(3) serve as liaison to other Federal agencies to 
facilitate collaborative work at the Parks. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of En-
ergy, acting through the Director of the Office of Science, 
for carrying out this section $30,000,000, including 
$5,000,000 for each National Environmental Research 
Park, for each of the fiscal years 2010 through 2014. 
SEC. 3. SAVINGS. 
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the 
activities that the Federal Government may carry out or 
authorize on a site on which a National Environmental 
Research Park is located.
SEC. 4. SUMMER INSTITUTES PROGRAM. 
The National Environmental Research Parks may be 
utilized to provide educational opportunities through the 
Summer Institutes program authorized in section 3185 of 
the Department of Energy Science Education Enhance-
ment Act (42 U.S.C. 7381n). 
Passed the House of Representatives July 21, 2009. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 2729 
AN ACT 
To authorize the designation of National Environ-
mental Research Parks by the Secretary of En-
ergy, and for other purposes.