Department of Energy BIO Act
Bill: H.R.2961 | Sponsor: Rep. Baird, James R. (R-IN)
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Department of Energy Biological Innovation Opportunities Act or the Department of Energy BIO Act
This bill requires the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) within the Department of Energy to select and establish up to four bioenergy research centers. The centers must conduct research to inform the production of biofuels and to facilitate the translation of the research results to industry.
ARPA-E may select existing bioenergy research centers and provide support for them under this bill.

To provide for advanced biological and environmental research and 
   development capabilities and infrastructure at the Department of 
                    Energy, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Energy Biological 
Innovation Opportunities Act'' or the ``Department of Energy BIO Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 977(f) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
(42 U.S.C. 16317) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(f) Bioenergy Research Centers.--
            ``(1) In general.--In carrying out activities under 
        subsection (a), the Director shall select and establish up to 
        four bioenergy research centers to conduct basic and 
        fundamental research in plant and microbial systems biology, 
        bio imaging and analysis, and genomics to inform the production 
        of fuels, chemicals from sustainable biomass resources, and to 
        facilitate the translation of basic research results to 
        industry.
            ``(2) Selection.--The Director shall select centers under 
        paragraph (1) on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis. The 
        Director shall consider applications from National 
        Laboratories, multi-institutional collaborations, and other 
        appropriate entities.
            ``(3) Duration.--A center established under this subsection 
        shall receive support for a period of not more than 5 years, 
        subject to the availability of appropriations.
            ``(4) Existing centers.--The Director may select a center 
        for participation under this subsection that is in existence, 
        or undergoing a renewal process, on the date of enactment of 
        the Department of Energy BIO Act. Such center shall be eligible 
        to receive support for the duration the 5-year period beginning 
        on the date of establishment of such center.
            ``(5) Renewal.--Upon the expiration of any period of 
        support of a center under this subsection, the Director may 
        renew support for the center, on a merit-reviewed basis, for a 
        period of not more than 5 years.
            ``(6) Termination.--Consistent with the existing 
        authorities of the Department, the Director may terminate an 
        underperforming center for cause during the performance 
        period.''.
    (b) User Facilities.--Section 306 of the Department of Energy 
Research and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 18644) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
    ``(e) Biological and Environmental Research User Facilities.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a program 
        for the development, construction, operation, and maintenance 
        of user facilities to enhance the collection and analysis of 
        observational data related to complex biological, earth, and 
        environmental systems.
            ``(2) Facility requirements.--To the maximum extent 
        practicable, the user facilities developed, constructed, 
        operated, or maintained under paragraph (1) shall include--
                    ``(A) distributed field research and observation 
                platforms for understanding earth system processes;
                    ``(B) instruments and modeling resources for 
                understanding the physical, chemical, and cellular 
                processes of biological and environmental systems;
                    ``(C) integrated high-throughput sequencing, DNA 
                design and synthesis, metabolomics and computational 
                analysis; and
                    ``(D) such other facilities as the Director 
                considers appropriate, consistent with section 209 of 
                the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 
                7139).
            ``(3) Existing facilities.--In carrying out the program 
        established in paragraph (1), the Director is encouraged to 
        evaluate the capabilities of existing user facilities and, to 
        the maximum extent practicable, invest in modernization of 
        those capabilities to address emerging research priorities.''.
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