Marine Mineral Resources Research Act of 1996
PL 104-325 (S.1194), enacted 10/19/1996

110 STAT. 3994 
PUBLIC LAW 104-325—OCT. 19, 1996 
Public Law 104-325 
104th Congress 
An Act 
Oct. 19, 1996 
To promote the research, identification, assessment, and exploration of marine 
[S. 1194] 
mineral resources, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
Marine Mineral 
the United States of America in Congress assembled. 
Resources 
Research Act of 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
30^SC 1901 
' ' ^ ^ ^^^ "^^y ^^ cited as the "Marine Minersd Resources 
note. 
Research Act of 1996". 
SEC. 2. RESEARCH PROGRAM. 
The Mining and Minerals PoHcy Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 21a) 
is amended— 
(1) by inserting after the first section the following: 
"TITLE I—MINING POLICY''; 
(2) by redesignating section 2 as section 101; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
'^ITLE II—MARINE MINERAL 
RESOURCES RESEARCH PROGRAM 
30 use 1901. 
"SEC. 201. DEFINITIONS. 
"In this title: 
"(1) The term 'contract' has the same meaning as 'procure-
ment contract' in section 6303 of title 31, United States Code. 
"(2) The term 'cooperative agreement' has the same me£in-
ing as in section 6305 of title 31, United States Code. 
"(3) The term 'eligible entity* means— 
"(A) a research or educational entity chartered or incor-
porated under Federal or State law; 
"(B) an individual who is a United States citizen; or 
"(C) a State or regional agency. 
"(4) The term 'grant' has the same meaning as 'grant 
agreement' in section 6304 of title 31, United States Code. 
"(5) The term 'in-kind contribution' means a noncash con-
tribution provided by a non-Federal entity that directly benefits 
and is related to a specific project or program. An in-kind 
contribution may include real property, equipment, supplies, 
other expendable property, goods, and services. 
"(6) The term 'marine mineral resource' means— 
"(A) sand and aggregates; 
PUBLIC LAW 104-325--OCT. 19, 1996 
110 STAT. 3995 
"(B) placers; 
"(C) phosphates; 
"(D) manganese nodules; 
"(E) cobalt crusts; 
"(F) metal sulfides; and 
"(G) other msirine resources that are not— 
"(i) oil and gas; 
"(ii) fisheries; or 
"(iii) marine mammals. 
"(7) The term 'Secretary* means the Secretary of the 
Interior. 
"SEC. 202. RESEARCH PROGRAM. 
Establishment. 
"(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish and carry out 
a program of research on marine mineral resources. 
"(b) PROGRAM GOAL.—The goal of the program shall be to— 
"(1) promote research, identification, assessment, and 
exploration of marine mineral resources in an environmentally 
responsible manner; 
"(2) assist in developing domestic technologies required 
for efficient and environmentally sound development of marine 
mineral resources; 
"(3) coordinate and promote the use of technologies devel-
oped with Federal assistance, and the use of available Federal 
assets, for research, identification, assessment, exploration, and 
development of marine mineral resources; and 
"(4) encourage academia and industry to conduct basic 
£ind applied research, on a joint basis, through grants, coopera-
tive agreements, or contracts with the Federal Government. 
"(c) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY.—In carrying out the 
program, the Secretary shall— 
"(1) promote and coordinate partnerships between industry, 
government, and academia to research, identify, assess, and 
explore marine mineral resources in an environmentally sound 
manner; 
"(2) undertake programs to develop the basic information 
necessary to the long-term national interest in marine mineral 
resources (including seabed mapping) and to ensure that data 
and information are accessible and widely disseminated as 
needed and appropriate; 
"(3) identify, and promote cooperation among agency pro-
grams that are developing, technologies developed by other 
Federal programs that may hold promise for facilitating luider-
sea applications related to marine mineral resources, including 
technologies related to vessels and other platforms, underwater 
vehicles, survey and mapping systems, remote power sources, 
data collection and transmission systems, and various seabed 
research systems; and 
"(4) foster communication and coordination between Fed-
eral and State agencies, universities, and private entities 
concerning marine mineral research on seabeds of the continen-
tal shelf, ocean basins, and arctic and cold water areas. 
In carrying out these responsibilities, the Secretary shall ensure 
the participation of non-Federal users of technologies and data 
related to marine mineral resources in planning and priority setting. 
"SEC. 203. GRANTS, CONTRACTS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. 
30 USC 1903. 
"(a) ASSISTANCE AND COORDINATION.— 
110 STAT. 3996 
PUBLIC LAW 104-325—OCT. 19, 1996 
"(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award grants or 
contracts to, or enter into cooperative agreements with, eUgible 
entities to support research for the development or utiUzation 
of— 
"(A) methods, equipment, systems, and components 
necessary for the identification, assessment, and explo-
ration of msirine mineral resources in an environmenteilly 
responsible manner; 
"(B) methods of detecting, monitoring, and predicting 
the presence of adverse environmental effects in the marine 
environment and remediating the environmental effects 
of marine mineral resource exploration, development, and 
production; and 
"(C) education and training material in marine mineral 
research and resource management. 
"(2) COST-SHARING FOR CONTRACTS OR COOPERATIVE AGREE-
MENTS.— 
"(A) FEDERAL SHARE.—Except as provided in subpara-
graph (B)(ii), the Federal share of the cost of a contract 
or cooperative agreement carried out under this subsection 
shall not be greater than 80 percent of the total cost 
of the project. 
"(B) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The remaining non-Federal 
share of the cost of a project carried out under this section 
may be— 
"(i) in the form of cash or in-kind contributions, 
or both; and 
"(ii) comprised of funds made available under other 
Federal programs, except that non-Federal funds shall 
be used to defray at least 10 percent of the total 
cost of the project. 
"(C) CONSULTATION.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
establish, after consultation with other Federal ajgencies, 
terms and conditions under which Federal fundmg will 
be provided under this subsection that are consistent with 
the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures 
referred to in section 101(dXl2) of the Uruguay Roimd 
Agreement Act (19 U.S.C. 3511(d)(12)). 
"(b) COMPETITIVE REVIEW.— 
"(1) IN GENERAL.—^An entity shall not be eli^ble to receive 
a grant or contract, or participate in a cooperative agreement, 
under subsection (a) unless— 
"(A) the entity submits a proposal to the Secretaiy 
at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
information as the Secretary may reasonably require; and 
"(B) the proposal has been evaluated by a competitive 
review psinel under paragraph (3). 
"(2) COMPETITIVE REVIEW PANELS.— 
"(A) COMPOSITION.—^A competitive review panel shall 
be chaired by tiie Secretary or by the Secretary's designee 
and shall be composed of members who meet the following 
criteria: 
"(i) 
APPOINTMENT.—^The 
members 
shall be 
appointed by the Secretary. 
"(ii) EXPERIENCE.—^Not less th£ui 50 percent of the 
members shall represent or be employed by private 
PUBLIC LAW 104-325—OCT. 19, 1996 
110 STAT. 3997 
marine resource companies that are involved in explo-
ration of the marine environment or development of 
marine mineral resources. 
"(iii) INTEREST.—^None of the members may have 
an interest in a grant, contract, or cooperative agree-
ment being evaluated by the panel. 
"(B) No COMPENSATION.—^A review panel member who 
is not otherwise a Federal employee shall receive no com-
pensation for performing duties under this section, except 
that, while engaged in the performance of duties away 
from the home or regular place of business of the member, 
the member may be allowed travel expenses, including 
per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same mEinner as 
a person employed intermittently in the Government serv-
ice under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code. 
"(3) EVALUATION,—^A competitive review panel shall base 
an evaluation of a proposal on criteria developed by the Sec-
retary that shall include— 
"(A) the merits of the proposal; 
"(B) the research methodology and costs of the pro-
posal; 
"(C) the capabiHty of the entity submitting the proposal 
and any other participating entity to perform the proposed 
work and provide in-land contributions; 
"(D) the amount of matching funds provided by the 
entity submitting the proposal or provided by other Federal, 
State, or private entities; 
"(E) the extent of collaboration with other Federal, 
State, or private entities; 
"(F) in the case of a noncommercial entity, the existence 
of a cooperative agreement with a commercial entity that 
provides for collaboration in the proposed research; 
"(G) whether 
the 
proposal 
promotes 
responsible 
environmental stewardship; and 
"(H) such other factors as the Secretary considers 
appropriate. 
"(c) LIMITATIONS.— 
"(1) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Not more than 10 percent 
of the amount made available to carry out this section during 
a fiscal year may be used by the Secretary for expenses associ-
ated with administration of the program authorized by this 
section. 
"(2) CONSTRUCTION COSTS.—None of the funds made avail-
able under this section may be used for the construction of 
a new building or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or 
gdteration of an existing building (including site grading and 
improvement and architect fees). 
"(d) REPORTS.—^An eUgible entity that receives a grant or con-
tract or enters into a cooperative agreement under this section 
shall submit an annual progress report and a final technical report 
to the Secretary that— 
"(1) describes project activities, implications of the project, 
the significance of the project to marine mineral research, 
identification, 
assessment, and exploration, and 
potential 
commercial and economic benefits and effects of the project; 
and 
110 STAT. 3998 
PUBLIC LAW 104-325—OCT. 19, 1996 
"(2) in the case of an annual progress report, includes 
a project plan for the subsequent year. 
30 use 1904. 
«SEC. 204. MARINE MINERAL RESEARCH CENTERS. 
"(a) IN GENERAL.—NO later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall designate 3 centers 
for marine mineral research and related activities. 
"(b) CONCENTRATION.—One center shall concentrate primarily 
on research in the continental shelf regions of the United States, 
1 center shall concentrate primarily on research in deep seabed 
and near-shore environments of islands, and 1 center shsdl con-
centrate primarily on research in arctic and cold water regions. 
"(c) CRITERIA.—In designating a center under this section, the 
Secretary shall give priority to a university that— 
"(1) administers a federally funded center for marine min-
erals research; 
"(2) matriculates students for advanced degrees in marine 
geological sciences, nonenergy natural resources, and related 
fields of science and engineering; 
"(3) is a United States university with established programs 
£uid facilities that primarily focus on marine mineral resources; 
"(4) has engaged in collaboration and cooperation with 
industry, governmental agencies, and other universities in the 
field of marine mineral resources; 
"(5) has demonstrated significant engineering, develop-
ment, and design experience in two or more of the following 
areas; 
"(A) seabed exploration systems; 
"(B) meirine mining systems; £ind 
"(C) marine mineral processing systems; and 
"(6) has been designated by the Secretary as a State Mining 
and Mineral Resources Research Institute. 
"(d) CENTER ACTIVITIES.—A center shall— 
"(1) provide technical assistance to the Secretary concerning 
marine mineral resources; 
"(2) advise the Secretary on pertinent international activi-
ties in marine mineral resources development; 
"(3) engage in research, training, and education transfer 
associated with the characterization and utilization of marine 
mineral resources; and 
"(4) promote the efficient identification, assessment, explo-
ration, and m£inagement of marine mineral resources in an 
environmentally sound manner. 
"(e) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.—In distributing fiinds to the cen-
ters designated under subsection (a), the Secretary shall, to the 
extent practicable, allocate an equal amount to each center. 
"(f) LIMITATIONS.— 
"(1) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Not more than 5 percent 
of the amount made available to carry out this section during 
a fiscal year may be used by the Secretary for expenses associ-
ated with administration of the program authorized by this 
section. 
"(2) CONSTRUCTION COSTS.—None of the fiinds made avail-
able under this section may be used for the construction of 
a new building or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or 
alteration of an existing building (including site grading and 
improvement and architect fees). 
PUBLIC LAW 104-325—OCT. 19, 1996 
110 STAT. 3999 
"SEC. 205. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
30 USC 1905. 
"There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
necessary to carry out this title.". 
Approved October 19, 1996. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1194: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 104-296 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 142 (1996): 
Sept. 28, considered and passed Senate. 
Oct. 4, considered and passed House.