HR 5827 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

112th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

2d SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

H. R. 5827CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To ensure consideration of water intensity in the Department of Energy’s energy research, development, and demonstration programs to help guarantee efficient, reliable, and sustainable delivery of energy and clean water resources.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

May 18, 2012CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself and Ms. EDWARDS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and TechnologyCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To ensure consideration of water intensity in the Department of Energy’s energy research, development, and demonstration programs to help guarantee efficient, reliable, and sustainable delivery of energy and clean water resources.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Energy and Water Research Integration Act of 2012’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. INTEGRATING ENERGY AND WATER RESEARCH.

(a) In General- The Secretary of Energy shall integrate water considerations into energy research, development, and demonstration programs and projects of the Department of Energy by--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) advancing energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices that meet the objectives of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) minimizing freshwater withdrawal and consumption;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) increasing water use efficiency; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) utilizing nontraditional water sources with efforts to improve the quality of the water from those sources;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) considering the effects climate variability and change may have on water supplies and quality for energy generation and fuel production; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) improving understanding of the energy-water nexus.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Strategic Plan-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a strategic plan identifying the research, development, and demonstration needs for Department programs and projects to carry out subsection (a). The strategic plan shall include technical milestones for achieving and assessing progress toward the objectives of subsection (a)(1).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS- In developing the strategic plan, the Secretary shall consider--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) new advanced cooling technologies for energy generation and fuel production technologies;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) performance improvement of existing cooling technologies and cost reductions associated with using those technologies;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) innovative water reuse, recovery, and treatment technologies in energy generation and fuel production;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) technology development for carbon capture and storage systems that utilize efficient water use design strategies;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) technologies that are life-cycle cost effective;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) systems analysis and modeling of issues relating to the energy-water nexus;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(G) technologies to treat and utilize wastewater and produced waters discharged from oil, natural gas, coalbed methane, and any other substance to be used as an energy source;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(H) advanced materials for the use of nontraditional water sources for energy generation and fuel production;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(I) biomass production and utilization and the impact on hydrologic systems;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(J) technologies that reduce impacts on water from energy resource development;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(K) energy efficient technologies for water distribution and collection systems;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(L) technologies for energy generation from water distribution and collection systems; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(M) any other area of the energy-water nexus that the Secretary considers appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) COLLABORATION AND NONDUPLICATION- In developing the strategic plan, the Secretary shall coordinate and avoid duplication--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) with other Federal agencies operating related programs, if appropriate; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) across programs and projects of the Department, including with those of the National Laboratories.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) RELEVANT INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS- In developing the strategic plan, the Secretary shall consider and incorporate, as appropriate, relevant information and recommendations, including those of the National Water Availability and Use Assessment Program under section 9508(d) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. 10368(d)).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) NONGOVERNMENTAL PARTICIPATION- In developing the strategic plan, the Secretary shall consult and coordinate with a diverse group of representatives from research and academic institutions and industry who have expertise in technologies and practices relating to the energy-water nexus.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS- Not later than 9 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress the strategic plan.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) UPDATING THE STRATEGIC PLAN- Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and at least once every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) utilize relevant information produced by Federal Government agencies, academia, and industry to update the strategic plan;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) include in the updated strategic plan a description of the changes from the previous strategic plan and the rationale for such changes; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) submit the updated strategic plan to Congress.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Progress Reports- Not less frequently than once every 2 years, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the progress the Department has made toward the milestones outlined in the strategic plan.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Additional Activities- The Secretary may provide for such additional research, development, and demonstration activities as appropriate to integrate water considerations into the research, development, and demonstration activities of the Department as described in subsection (a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $60,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 2017.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. ENERGY-WATER ARCHITECTURE COUNCIL.

(a) In General- The Secretary, in coordination with other relevant Federal agencies, shall establish an Energy-Water Architecture Council to promote and enable improved energy and water resource data collection, reporting, and technological innovation. The Council shall consist of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) representation from each Federal agency that conducts research related to the energy-water nexus; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) non-Federal members, including representatives of research and academic institutions and industry, who have expertise in technologies and practices relating to the energy-water nexus.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Functions- The Council shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) make recommendations on the development of data collection and data communication standards and protocols to agencies and entities currently engaged in collecting the data for the energy-water nexus;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) recommend ways to make improvements to Federal water use data to increase understanding of trends in energy generation and fuel production;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) recommend best practices for utilizing information from existing monitoring networks to provide nationally uniform water and energy use and infrastructure data; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) conduct annual technical workshops, including at least 1 regional workshop annually, to facilitate information exchange among Federal, regional, State, local, and tribal governments and private sector experts on technologies that encourage the conservation and efficient use of water and energy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Reports- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and at least once every 2 years thereafter, the Council, through the Secretary, shall transmit to Congress a report on its findings and activities under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $2,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 2017.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. MANDATES.

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require State, tribal, or local governments to take any action that may result in an increased financial burden to such governments by restricting the use of water by such governments.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. COORDINATION AND NONDUPLICATION.

To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall coordinate activities under this Act with other programs of the Department and other Federal research programs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) COUNCIL- The term ‘Council’ means the Energy-Water Architecture Council established by section 3(a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) DEPARTMENT- The term ‘Department’ means the Department of Energy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) ENERGY-WATER NEXUS- The term ‘energy-water nexus’ means the energy required to provide reliable water supplies and the water required to provide reliable energy supplies throughout the United States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) SECRETARY- The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Energy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink