93rd Congress > Senate > Vote 1126

Date: 1974-12-17

Result: 91-1

Vote Subject Matter: Government Management / Budget Special Interest

Bill number: S1283

Description: TO AGREE TO THE CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 1283, A BILL PROVIDING FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR PROGRAMS OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF FUELS AND ENERGY.

Bill summary: National Energy Research and Development Policy Act - Title I: Coordination and Augmentation of Federal Support for Research and Development of Fuels and Energy - Declares it to be the policy of the Congress to establish and maintain a national program of research and development in fuels and energy adequate to meet specified objectives. Establishes an Energy Research Management Project which shall have a Chairman appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the (...show more) Senate. Sets forth the duties of the Project, initiating: (1) to review the full range of Federal activities in and financial support for fuels and energy research and development, giving consideration to research and development being conducted by industry and other non-Federal entities, to determine the capability of ongoing research efforts to carry out the policies established by this Act and other relevant Federal policies, particulary the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; and (2) to formulate a comprehensive energy research and development strategy for the Federal Government which will expeditiously advance the policies established by this Act. Provides that in evaluating proposed opportunities for particular research and development undertakings pursuant to this title, the Management Project shall assign priority to types of projects listed in this title. Requires the President not later than five years from the date of this Act, if the authorities and duties of the Management Project are not reassigned to a permanent agency in the interim, to report to the Congress on his evaluation of the progress of fuels and energy research and development and his recommendation for further management of the Federal research and development programs. Provides that the Chairman shall keep the Congress fully and currently informed of all of the Management Project's activities and shall submit to the Congress an annual report. States that neither the Chairman nor any other member of the Management Project or his employees may refuse to testify before the Congress or to submit information to the legislative or appropriations committees of either House of the Congress. Authorizes to be appropriated $10,000,000 annually for the administrative expenses of the Management Project. Authorizes to be appropriated not to exceed $800,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1974, and, subject to annual congressional authorizations, $800,000,000 for each of the four following fiscal years to carry out the provisions of this title with respect to energy research and development. Title II: Establishment of a Coal Gasification Corporation - Establishes the Coal Gasification Development Corporation. States that it shall be the function of the Corporation to select, on the basis of the best engineering information available, the two or more most technically, environmentally, and economically feasible methods for manufacturing substitute natural gas from coal. Authorizes the Corporation to design construct, operate, and maintain a demonstration-type facility for each such method selected in order to determine the technical, environmental, and economical feasibility thereof and to design, construct, operate, and maintain, for each such method demonstrated, which is technically and economically feasible, a fullscale, commercial-size facility to manufacture substitute natural gas from coal by such method. Provides that the Corporation shall transmit to the President of the United States and the Congress, annually, commencing one year from the date of the enactment of this Act, and at such other times as it deems desirable, a comprehensive and detailed report of its operations, activities, and accomplishments under this title. Authorizes to be appropriated to the Corporation, for fiscal year 1974, the sum of $6,000,000, and for each of the next nine succeeding fiscal years such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title. Title III: Establishment of a Shale Oil Development Corporation - States that it is the policy of the Federal Government to bring into being the technology for commercial development of shale oil as quickly as possible by establishing a Government-industry program jointly managed and funded to demonstrate commercial methods of producing environmentally acceptable fuels from shale oil. Establishes the Shale Oil Development Corporation which shall have a Board of nine Directors consisting of individuals who are citizens of the United States, of whom one shall be elected annually by the Board to serve as Chairman. States that it shall be the function of the Corporation to select on the basis of the best engineering information available, the two or more technically, environmentally, and economically feasible methods for producing a syncrude from shale oil. Authorizes the Corporation to design, construct, operate, and maintain a demonstration-type facility for each such method selected in order to determine the technical, environmental, and economical feasibility thereof and to design, construct, operate, and maintain, for each such method demonstrated, which is technically and economically feasible, a full-scale, commercial-size facility to produce a syncrude from shale oil by such method. Requires the Corporation to transmit an annual report to the President and the Congress and at such time to submit such legislative recommendations as it deems desirable. Authorizes to be appropriated to the Corporation, for fiscal year 1974, the sum of $5,000,000 and for each of the next seven succeeding fiscal years such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title. Title IV: Establishment of an Advanced Power Cycle Development Corporation - Establishes the Advanced Power Cycle Development Corporation which shall have a Board of nine Directors consisting of individuals who are citizens of the United States, of whom one shall be elected annually by the Board to serve as Chairman. States that it shall be the function of the Corporation to select, on the basis of the best engineering information available, the two or more most technically, environmentally, and economically feasible methods for producing electricity at high efficiencies using advanced power cycles with minimum adverse environmental impacts using coal. Authorizes the Corporation to design, construct, operate, and maintain a demonstration-type facility for each such method selected in order to determine the technical and economical feasibility thereof and to design, construct, operate, and maintain, for each such method demonstrated, which is technically and economically feasible a full-scale commercial-size facility to produce electricity from coal by such mehtod. Authorizes to be appropriated to the Corporation for fiscal year 1974, the sum of $6,500,000, and for each of the next nine succeeding fiscal years, such sums as may be necessary. Title V: Establishment of a Geothermal Energy Development Corporation - Establishes the Geothermal Energy Development Corporation which shall have a Board of nine Directors consisting of individuals who are citizens of the United States, of whom one shall be elected annually by the Board to serve as Chairman. States that it shall be the function of the Corporation, on the basis of the best geologic information and after field exploration, to select suitable sites for the construction of two or more demonstration installations to develop technologies for the generation of steam and electric power from geothermal resources. Authorizes the Corporation to operate a full scale commercial-size facility to produce electricity from geothermal energy. Authorizes to be appropriated to the Corporation, for fiscal year 1974, the sum of $8,000,000, and for each of the next fourteen succeeding fiscal years such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title. Title VI: States that it is the policy of the Federal Government to bring into being the technology for commercial development of coal liquefaction processes as quickly as possible by establishing a Government-industry program jointly managed and funded to demonstrate commercial methods of producing synthetic liquid petroleum products from coal. Establishes the Coal Liquefaction Corporation which shall have a Board of nine Directors consisting of individuals who are citizens of the United States, of whom one shall be elected annually by the Board to serve as Chairman. States that it shall be the function of the Corporation to select, on the basis of the best engineering information available, the two or more technically, environmentally, and economically feasible methods for producing synthetic liquid petroleum products from coal. Authorizes the Corporation to design, construct, operate, and maintain a demonstration-type facility for each such method selected in order to determine the technical, environmental, and economical feasiblity thereof and to design, construct, operate, and maintain, for each such method demonstrated, which is technically and economically feasible, a full-scale, commercial-size facility to produce synthetic fuel from coal by such method. Authorizes to be appropriated to the Corporation, fiscal year 1974, the sum of $7,500,000, and for each of the next eleven succeeding fiscal years, such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title.

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Bill titles: An Act to establish a national program for research and development in nonnuclear energy sources.; A bill to establish a national program for research, development, and demonstration in fuels and energy and for the coordination and financial supplementation of Federal energy research and development; to establish development corporations to demonstrate technologies for shale oil development, coal gasification development, advanced power cycle development, geothermal steam development and coal liquefaction development; to authorize and direct the Secretary of the Interior to make mineral resources of the public lands available for said development corporations.

Original source documents: Digest of the Congressional Record vol. 120-177, p. S21791;

Links for more info on the vote: congress.gov

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