USC Subchapter VIII

USC Subchapter VIII
in effect

42 U.S.C. § 13411 Enhanced oil recovery

(a) Program directionThe Secretary shall conduct a 5-year program, in accordance with sections 13541 and 13542 of this title, on technologies to increase the recoverability of domestic oil resources to—(1) improve reservoir characterization; (2) improve analysis and field verification; (3) field test and demonstrate enhanced oil recovery processes, including advanced processes, in reservoirs the Secretary considers to be of high priority, ranked primarily on the basis of oil recovery potential and risk of abandonment; (4) transfer proven recovery technologies to producers and operators of wells, including stripper wells, that would otherwise be likely to be abandoned in the near term due to declining production; (5) improve enhanced oil recovery process technology for more economic and efficient oil production; (6) identify and develop new recovery technologies; (7) study reservoir properties and how they affect oil recovery from porous media; (8) improve techniques for meeting environmental requirements; (9) improve data bases of reservoir and environmental conditions; and (10) lower lifting costs on stripper wells by utilizing advanced renewable energy technologies such as small wind turbines and others. (b) Program goals(1) Near-term prioritiesThe near-term priorities of the program include preserving access to high potential reservoirs, identifying available technologies that can extend the lifetime of wells and of stripper well property, and developing environmental field operations for waste disposal and injection practices. (2) Mid-term prioritiesThe mid-term priorities of the program include developing and testing identified but unproven technologies, and transferring those technologies for widespread use. (3) Long-term prioritiesThe long-term priorities of the program include developing advanced techniques to recover oil not recoverable by other techniques. (c) Accelerated program planWithin 180 days after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Congress a plan for carrying out under this section the accelerated field testing of technologies to achieve the priorities stated in subsection (b). In preparing the plan, the Secretary shall consult with appropriate representatives of industry, institutions of higher education, Federal agencies, including national laboratories, and professional and technical societies, and with the Advisory Board established under section 13522 of this title. (d) ProposalsWithin 1 year after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall solicit proposals for conducting activities under this section. (e) ConsultationIn carrying out the provisions of this section, the Secretary shall consult representatives of the oil and gas industry with respect to innovative research and development proposals to improve oil and gas recovery and shall consider relevant technical data from industry and other research and information centers and institutes. (f) Authorization of appropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section, including advanced extraction and process technology, $57,250,000 for fiscal year 1993 and $70,000,000 for fiscal year 1994.

42 U.S.C. § 13412 Oil shale

(a) Program directionThe Secretary shall conduct a 5-year program, in accordance with sections 13541 and 13542 of this title, on oil shale extraction and conversion, including research and development on both eastern and western shales, as provided in this section. (b) Program goalsThe goals of the program established under this section include—(1) supporting the development of economically competitive and environmentally acceptable technologies to produce domestic supplies of liquid fuels from oil shale; (2) increasing knowledge of environmentally acceptable oil shale waste disposal technologies and practices; (3) increasing knowledge of the chemistry and kinetics of oil shale retorting; (4) increasing understanding of engineering issues concerning the design and scale-up of oil shale extraction and conversion technologies; (5) improving techniques for oil shale mining systems; and (6) providing for cooperation with universities and other private sector entities. (c) Eastern oil shale program(1) As part of the program authorized by this section, the Secretary shall carry out a program on oil shale that includes applied research, in cooperation with universities and the private sector, on eastern oil shale that may have the potential to decrease United States dependence on energy imports. (2) As part of the program authorized by this subsection, the Secretary shall consider the potential benefits of including in that program applied research carried out in cooperation with universities and other private sector entities that are, as of October 24, 1992, engaged in research on eastern oil shale retorting and associated processes. (3) The program carried out under this subsection shall be cost-shared with universities and the private sector to the maximum extent possible. (d) Western oil shale programAs part of the program authorized by this section, the Secretary shall carry out a program on extracting oil from western oil shales that includes, if appropriate, establishment and utilization of at least one field testing center for the purpose of testing, evaluating, and developing improvements in oil shale technology at the field test level. In establishing such a center, the Secretary shall consider sites with existing oil shale mining and processing infrastructure and facilities. Sixty days prior to establishing any such field testing center, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the center to be established. (e) Authorization of appropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $5,250,000 for fiscal year 1993 and $6,000,000 for fiscal year 1994.

42 U.S.C. § 13413 Natural gas supply

(a) Program directionThe Secretary shall conduct a 5-year program, in accordance with sections 13541 and 13542 of this title, to increase the recoverable natural gas resource base including, but not limited to—(1) more intensive recovery of natural gas from discovered conventional resources; (2) the extraction of natural gas from tight gas sands and devonian shales or other unconventional sources; (3) surface gasification of coal; and (4) recovery of methane from biofuels including municipal solid waste. (b) ProposalsWithin 1 year after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall solicit proposals for conducting activities under this section. (c) Cofiring of natural gas and coal(1) ProgramThe Secretary shall establish and carry out a 5-year program, in accordance with sections 13541 and 13542 of this title, on cofiring natural gas with coal in utility and large industrial boilers in order to determine optimal natural gas injection levels for both environmental and operational benefits. (2) Financial assistanceThe Secretary shall enter into agreements with, and provide financial assistance to, appropriate parties for application of cofiring technologies to boilers to demonstrate this technology. (3) Report to CongressThe Secretary shall, before December 31, 1995, submit to the Congress a report on the progress made in carrying out this subsection. (d) Authorization of appropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section and sections 13414 and 13415 of this title, $29,745,000 for fiscal year 1993 and $45,000,000 for fiscal year 1994.

42 U.S.C. § 13414 Natural gas end-use technologies

The Secretary shall carry out a 5-year program, in accordance with sections 13541 and 13542 of this title, on new and advanced natural gas utilization technologies including, but not limited to— (1) stationary source emissions control and efficiency improvements including combustion systems, industrial processes, cogeneration, and waste fuels; and (2) natural gas storage including increased deliverability from existing gas storage facilities and new capabilities for storage near demand centers, and on-site storage at major energy consuming facilities.

42 U.S.C. § 13415 Midcontinent Energy Research Center

(a) FindingCongress finds that petroleum resources in the midcontinent region of the United States are very large but are being prematurely abandoned. (b) PurposesThe purposes of this section are to—(1) improve the efficiency of petroleum recovery; (2) increase ultimate petroleum recovery; and (3) delay the abandonment of resources. (c) EstablishmentThe Secretary may establish the Midcontinent Energy Research Center (referred to in this section as the “Center”) to—(1) conduct research in petroleum geology and engineering focused on improving the recovery of petroleum from existing fields and established plays in the upper midcontinent region of the United States; and (2) ensure that the results of the research described in paragraph (1) are transferred to users. (d) Research(1) In generalIn conducting research under this section, the Center shall, to the extent practicable, cooperate with agencies of the Federal Government, the States in the midcontinent region of the United States, and the affected industry. (2) ProgramsResearch programs conducted by the Center may include—(A) data base development and transfer of technology; (B) reservoir management; (C) reservoir characterization; (D) advanced recovery methods; and (E) development of new technology.

42 U.S.C. § 13431 General transportation

(a) Program directionThe Secretary shall conduct a 5-year program, in accordance with sections 13541 and 13542 of this title, on cost effective technologies to reduce the demand for oil in the transportation sector for all motor vehicles, including existing vehicles, through increased energy efficiency and the use of alternative fuels. Such program shall include a broad range of technological approaches, and shall include field demonstrations of sufficient scale and number in operating environments to prove technical and economic viability to meet the goals stated in section 13401 of this title. Such program shall include the activities required under sections 13432 through 13437 of this title, and ongoing activities of a similar nature at the Department of Energy. (b) Program planWithin 180 days after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Congress a 5-year program plan to guide activities under this part. In preparing the program plan, the Secretary shall consult with appropriate representatives of industry, utilities, institutions of higher education, Federal agencies, including national laboratories, and professional and technical societies. (c) ProposalsWithin 1 year after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall solicit proposals for conducting activities under this section. (d) “Alternative fuels” definedFor purposes of this part, the term “alternative fuels” includes natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, fuels other than alcohol that are derived from biological materials, and any fuel the content of which is at least 85 percent by volume methanol, ethanol, or other alcohol. (e) Authorization of appropriations(1) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this part, including all transportation sector energy conservation research and development (other than activities under section 13435 of this title) and all transportation sector biofuels energy systems under solar energy, $119,144,000 for fiscal year 1993 and $160,000,000 for fiscal year 1994. (2) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out section 13435 of this title—(A) $60,300,000 for fiscal year 1993; (B) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 1994; (C) $80,000,000 for fiscal year 1995; (D) $80,000,000 for fiscal year 1996; (E) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 1997; and (F) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1998.

42 U.S.C. § 13432 Advanced automotive fuel economy

(a) Program directionThe Secretary shall conduct a program, in accordance with sections 13541 and 13542 of this title, to supplement ongoing research activities of a similar nature at the Department of Energy, to accelerate the near-term and mid-term development of advanced technologies to improve the fuel economy of light-duty passenger vehicles powered by a piston engine, and hybrid vehicles powered by a combination of piston engine and electric motor. (b) Program goalThe goal of the program established under subsection (a) shall be to stimulate the development of emerging technologies with the potential to achieve significant improvements in fuel economy while reducing emissions of air pollutants. (c) ProposalsWithin 1 year after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall solicit proposals for conducting activities under this section, making a special effort to involve small businesses in the program.

42 U.S.C. § 13433 Alternative fuel vehicle program

(a) Program directionThe Secretary shall carry out a program, in accordance with sections 13541 and 13542 of this title, on techniques related to improving natural gas and other alternative fuel vehicle technology, including—(1) fuel injection; (2) carburetion; (3) manifolding; (4) combustion; (5) power optimization; (6) efficiency; (7) lubricants and detergents; (8) engine durability; (9) ignition, including fuel additives to assist ignition; (10) multifuel engines; (11) emissions control, including catalysts; (12) novel gas compression concepts; (13) advanced storage systems; (14) advanced gaseous fueling technologies; and (15) the incorporation of advanced materials in these areas. (b) Cooperative agreements and assistanceThe Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with, and provide financial assistance to, public or private entities willing to provide 50 percent of the costs of a program to perform activities under subsection (a). (c) DefinitionsFor purposes of this section—(1) the term “alternative fuel vehicle” means a motor vehicle that operates on alternative fuels; and (2) the term “motor vehicle” includes any automobile, truck, bus, van, or other on-road or off-road motor vehicle, including a boat.

42 U.S.C. § 13434 Biofuels user facility

(a) The Secretary shall establish a biofuels user facility to expedite industry adoption of biofuels technologies, including production of alcohol fuels from biomass. (b) The Secretary, through such universities and colleges as the Secretary determines are qualified, shall establish a program, in accordance with sections 13541 and 13542 of this title, with respect to the production and use of diesel fuels from vegetable oils or animal fats. The program shall investigate—(1) the economic feasibility of production of oilseed crops for biofuels purposes; and (2) the establishment of a mobile small-scale oilseed pressing and esterification unit and a stationary small-scale commercial oilseed pressing and esterification unit.

42 U.S.C. § 13435 Electric motor vehicles and associated equipment research and development

(a) GeneralThe Secretary shall conduct, pursuant to the Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5901–5920), a research and development program on electric motor vehicles and associated equipment. Such program shall be conducted in cooperation with the electric utility industry, and automobile industry, battery manufacturers, and such other persons as the Secretary considers appropriate. (b) Comprehensive plan(1) The Secretary shall prepare a comprehensive 5-year program plan for carrying out the purposes of this section. Such comprehensive plan shall be updated biennially for a period of not less than 10 years after October 24, 1992. (2) The comprehensive plan under paragraph (1) shall be prepared in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Commerce, the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, representatives of the electric utility industry, electric motor vehicle manufacturers, the United States automobile industry, and such other persons as the Secretary considers appropriate. (3) The comprehensive plan shall include—(A) a prioritization of research areas critical to the commercialization of electric motor vehicles, including advanced battery technology; (B) the program elements, management structure, and activities, including program responsibilities, of Federal agencies; (C) the program strategies, including technical milestones to be achieved toward specific goals during each fiscal year of the comprehensive plan for all major activities and projects; (D) the estimated costs of individual program elements, including estimated costs for each of the fiscal years of the comprehensive plan for each of the participating Federal agencies; (E) a description of the methods of technology transfer; (F) a proposal for participation by non-Federal entities in the implementation of the comprehensive plan; and (G) such other information as the Secretary considers appropriate. (4) Not later than 180 days after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall transmit the comprehensive plan to the Congress. Biennial updates shall be submitted to the Congress. (c) Cooperative agreementsThe Secretary, consistent with the comprehensive plan under subsection (b), may enter into cooperative agreements to conduct research and development projects with industry in such areas of technology development as—(1) high efficiency electric power trains, including advanced motors, motor controllers, and hybrid power trains for electric motor vehicle range improvement; (2) light-weight structures for electric motor vehicle weight reduction; (3) advanced batteries with high energy density and power density, and improved range or recharging cycles for a given unit weight, for electric motor vehicle application; (4) hybrid power trains incorporating an electric motor and recyclable battery charged by an onboard liquid fuel engine, designed to significantly improve fuel economies while maintaining acceleration characteristics comparable to a conventionally fueled vehicle; (5) batteries and fuel cells for electric-hybrid vehicle application; (6) fuel cells and fuel cell systems for primary electric motor vehicle power sources; and (7) photovoltaics for use with electric motor vehicles. (d) Solicitation of proposals(1) Within one year after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall solicit proposals for cooperative agreements for research and development under subsection (c). (2) Thereafter, the Secretary may solicit additional proposals for cooperative agreements under subsection (c) if, in the judgment of the Secretary, such cooperative agreements could contribute to the development of electric motor vehicles and associated equipment. (e) Cost-sharing(1) The Secretary shall require at least 50 percent of the costs directly and specifically related to any cooperative agreement under this section, other than a cooperative agreement under subsection (j), to be from non-Federal sources. Such share may be in the form of cash, personnel, services, equipment, and other resources. (2) The Secretary may reduce the amount of costs required to be provided by non-Federal sources under paragraph (1), if the Secretary determines that the reduction is necessary and appropriate—(A) considering the technological risks involved in the project; and (B) in order to meet the objectives of this section. (f) Deployment(1) The Secretary shall conduct a program designed to accelerate deployment of advanced battery technologies for use with electric motor vehicles. (2) In carrying out the program authorized by this subsection, the Secretary shall—(A) undertake an inventory and assessment of advanced battery technologies and electric motor vehicle technologies and the commercial capability of such technologies; and (B) develop a Federal industry information exchange program to improve the deployment or use of such technologies, which may consist of workshops, publications, conferences, and a data base for use by the public and private sectors. (g) Domestic parts manufacturersIn carrying out this section, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, shall issue regulations to ensure that the procurement practices of participating electric motor vehicle and associated equipment manufacturers do not discriminate against the United States manufacturers of vehicle parts. (h) Hold harmlessNothing in this section shall be construed to alter, affect, modify, or change any activities or agreements initiated prior to October 24, 1992, with domestic motor vehicle manufacturers through joint venture or consortium agreements regarding batteries for electric motor vehicles. (i) ConsultationThe Secretary shall consult with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Transportation in carrying out this section. (j) Fuel cells for transportation(1) The Secretary shall develop and implement a comprehensive program of research, development, and demonstration of fuel cells and related systems for transportation applications through the establishment of one or more cooperative programs among industry, government, and research institutions to develop and demonstrate the use of fuel cells as the primary power source for private and mass transit vehicles and other mobile applications. (2) Research, development, and demonstration activities under this subsection shall be designed to incorporate one or more of the following priorities:(A) The potential for near-term to mid-term commercialization. (B) The ability of the systems to use a variety of renewable and nonfossil fuels. (C) Emission reduction and energy conservation potential. (D) The potential to utilize fuel cells and fuel cell systems developed under Department of Defense and National Aeronautics and Space Administration programs. (E) The potential to take maximum practical advantage of advances made in electric motor vehicle research, stationary source fuel cell research, and other research activities authorized by this subchapter. (3)(A) Research, development, and demonstration projects selected by the Secretary under this subsection shall apply to—(i) passenger vehicles; (ii) vans and utility vehicles; (iii) light rail systems and locomotives; (iv) trucks, including long-haul trucks, dump trucks, and garbage trucks; (v) passenger buses; (vi) non-chlorofluorocarbon mobile refrigeration systems; (vii) marine vessels, including recreational marine engines; or (viii) mobile engines and power generation, including recreational generators, and industrial and construction equipment. (B) The Secretary shall establish programs to undertake research, development, and demonstration activities for the applications listed in clauses (i) through (viii) of subparagraph (A) in each of fiscal years 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996, based on the priorities established in paragraph (2), so that by the end of the period, research, development, and demonstration activities are under way for the applications under each such clause. The initiatives authorized and implemented pursuant to this subsection shall be in addition to any other fuel cell programs authorized in existing law. (k) DefinitionsFor purposes of this section—(1) the term “advanced battery technology” means electrochemical storage devices and systems, including fuel cells, and associated technology necessary to charge, discharge, recharge, or regenerate such devices, for use as a source of power for an electric motor vehicle and any other associated equipment; (2) the term “associated equipment” means equipment necessary for the regeneration, refueling, or recharging of batteries or other forms of electric energy used to power an electric motor vehicle and, in the case of electric-hybrid vehicles, such term includes nonpetroleum-related equipment necessary for, and solely related to, the demonstration of such vehicles; (3) the term “electric motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle primarily powered by an electric motor that draws current from rechargeable storage batteries, fuel cells, photovoltaic arrays, or other sources of electric current and may include an electric-hybrid vehicle; and (4) the term “electric-hybrid vehicle” means vehicle primarily powered by an electric motor that draws current from rechargeable storage batteries, fuel cells, or other sources of electric current and also relies on a nonelectric source of power that also operates on or is capable of operating on a nonelectrical source of power.

42 U.S.C. § 13437 Advanced diesel emissions program

(a) Program directionThe Secretary shall initiate a 5-year program, in accordance with sections 13541 and 13542 of this title, on diesel engine combustion and engine systems, related advanced materials, and fuels and lubricants to reduce emissions oxides of nitrogen and particulates. Activities conducted under this program shall supplement activities of a similar nature at the Department of Energy. Such program shall include field demonstrations of sufficient scale and number in operating environments to prove technical and economic viability to meet the goal stated in subsection (b). (b) Program goalThe goal of the program established under subsection (a) shall be to accelerate the ability of United States diesel manufacturers to meet current and future oxides of nitrogen and particulate emissions requirements. (c) Program planWithin 180 days after October 24, 1992, the Secretary, in consultation with appropriate representatives of industry, institutions of higher education, Federal agencies, including national laboratories, and professional and technical societies, shall prepare and submit to the Congress a 5-year program plan to guide the activities under this section. Such plan shall be included as part of the plan required by section 13431(b) of this title. (d) Solicitation of proposalsWithin 1 year after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall solicit proposals for conducting activities consistent with the 5-year program plan.

42 U.S.C. § 13438 Telecommuting study

(a) StudyThe Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, shall conduct a study of the potential costs and benefits to the energy and transportation sectors of telecommuting. The study shall include—(1) an estimation of the amount and type of reduction of commuting by form of transportation type and numbers of commuters; (2) an estimation of the potential number of lives saved; (3) an estimation of the reduction in environmental pollution, in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency; (4) an estimation of the amount and type of reduction of energy use and savings by form of transportation type; and (5) an estimation of the social impact of widespread use of telecommuting. (b) Report to CongressThis study shall be completed no more than one hundred and eighty days after October 24, 1992. A report, summarizing the results of the study, shall be transmitted to the United States House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate no more than sixty days after completion of this study.

42 U.S.C. § 13401 Goals

It is the goal of the United States in carrying out energy supply and energy conservation research and development— (1) to strengthen national energy security by reducing dependence on imported oil; (2) to increase the efficiency of the economy by meeting future needs for energy services at the lowest total cost to the Nation, including environmental costs, giving comparable consideration to technologies that enhance energy supply and technologies that improve the efficiency of energy end uses; (3) to reduce the air, water, and other environmental impacts (including emissions of greenhouse gases) of energy production, distribution, transportation, and utilization, through the development of an environmentally sustainable energy system; (4) to maintain the technological competitiveness of the United States and stimulate economic growth through the development of advanced materials and technologies; (5) to foster international cooperation by developing international markets for domestically produced sustainable energy technologies, and by transferring environmentally sound, advanced energy systems and technologies to developing countries to promote sustainable development; (6) to consider the comparative environmental and public health impacts of the energy to be produced or saved by the specific activities; (7) to consider the obstacles inherent in private industry’s development of new energy technologies and steps necessary for establishing or maintaining technological leadership in the area of energy and energy efficiency resource technologies; and (8) to consider the contribution of a given activity to fundamental scientific knowledge.

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