30 U.S.C. § 1124 : US Code - Section 1124: Research and development

Search 30 U.S.C. § 1124 : US Code - Section 1124: Research and development

(a) The Chairman, acting through the appropriate Federal agencies
and in cooperation with non-Federal entities, shall initiate a
research and development program for the purpose of resolving all
major technical problems inhibiting the fullest possible commercial
utilization of geothermal resources in the United States. The
specific goals of such programs shall include -
(1) the development of effective and efficient drilling methods
to operate at high temperatures in formations of geothermal
interest;
(2) the development of reliable predictive methods and control
techniques for the production of geothermal resources from
reservoirs;
(3) the exploitation of new concepts for fracturing rock to
permit recovery of contained heat reserves;
(4) the improvement of equipment and technology for the
extraction of geothermal resources from reservoirs;
(5) the development of improved methods for converting
geothermal resources and byproducts to useful forms;
(6) the development of improved methods for controlling
emissions and wastes from geothermal utilization facilities,
including new monitoring methods to any extent necessary;
(7) the development and evaluation of waste disposal control
technologies and the evaluation of surface and subsurface
environmental effects of geothermal development;
(8) the improvement of the technical capability to predict
environmental impacts resulting from the development of
geothermal resources, the preparation of environmental impact
statements, and the assuring of compliance with applicable
standards and criteria;
(9) the identification of social, legal, and economic problems
associated with geothermal development (both locally and
regionally) for the purpose of developing policy and providing a
framework of policy alternatives for the commercial utilization
of geothermal resources;
(10) the provision for an adequate supply of scientists to
perform required geothermal research and development activities;
and
(11) the establishment of a program to encourage States to
establish and maintain geothermal resources clearinghouses, which
shall serve to (A) provide geothermal resources developers with
information with respect to applicable local, State, and Federal
laws, rules, and regulations, (B) coordinate the processing of
permit applications, impact statements, and other information
which geothermal resources developers are required to provide,
(C) encourage uniformity with respect to local and State laws,
rules, and regulations with respect to geothermal resources
development, and (D) encourage establishment of land use plans,
which would include zoning for geothermal resources development
and which would assure that geothermal resources developers will
be able to carry out development programs to the production
stage.
(b) The Chairman, acting through the appropriate Federal agencies
and in cooperation with non-Federal entities, shall implement a
coordinated program of research and development in order to
demonstrate the technical means for the extraction and utilization
of the resource base, including any by-products of such base, and
in order to accomplish the goals established by subsection (a) of
this section. Research authorized by this chapter having potential
applications in matters other than geothermal energy may be pursued
to the extent that the findings of such research can be published
in a form for utilization by others.