Sec. 205. Biological and environmental research
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The Director shall carry out a program of basic research in the areas of biological systems science and environmental science relevant to the development of new energy technologies and to support Department missions in energy, environment, and national security. In carrying out activities under subsection (a), the Director shall select and establish up to four bioenergy research centers to conduct basic and fundamental research in plant and microbial systems biology, bio imaging and analysis, and genomics to inform the production of fuels, chemicals from sustainable biomass resources, and to facilitate the translation of basic research results to industry.
The Director shall select centers under paragraph
(1)on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis. The Director shall consider applications from National Laboratories, multi-institutional collaborations, and other appropriate entities. A center established under this subsection shall receive support for a period of not more than 5 years, subject to the availability of appropriations. The Director may select a center for participation under this subsection that is in existence, or undergoing a renewal process, on the date of enactment of this Act. Such center shall be eligible to receive support for the duration the 5-year period beginning on the date of establishment of such center. Upon the expiration of any period of support of a center under this subsection, the Director may renew support for the center, on a merit-reviewed basis, for a period of not more than 5 years. Consistent with the existing authorities of the Department, the Director may terminate an underperforming center for cause during the performance period. The Secretary shall carry out a basic research program on low-dose and low dose-rate radiation to— enhance the scientific understanding of, and reduce uncertainties associated with, the effects of exposure to low-dose and low dose-rate radiation; and inform improved risk-assessment and risk-management methods with respect to such radiation. In carrying out the program required under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— formulate scientific goals for low-dose radiation and low dose-rate radiation basic research in the United States; identify ongoing scientific challenges for understanding the long-term effects of ionizing radiation on biological systems; develop a long-term strategic and prioritized basic research agenda to address such scientific challenges in coordination with other research efforts; identify and, to the extent possible, quantify, potential monetary and health-related benefits to Federal agencies, the general public, industry, research communities, and other users of information produced by such research program; leverage the collective body of knowledge from existing low-dose and low dose-rate radiation research; and engage with other Federal agencies, research communities, and potential users of information produced under this section, including institutions concerning radiation research, medical physics, radiology, health physics, and emergency response. In carrying out the program required under paragraph (1), the Secretary, in coordination with the Physical Science Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council, shall— support the directives under section 106 of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act ( 42 U.S.C. 6601 note); ensure that the Office of Science of the Department of Energy consults and coordinates with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Homeland Security; advise and assist the National Science and Technology Council on policies and initiatives in radiation biology, including enhancing scientific knowledge of the effects of low-dose and low dose-rate radiation on biological systems to improve radiation risk-assessment and risk-management methods; and identify opportunities to stimulate international cooperation relating to low-dose and low dose-rate radiation and leverage research and knowledge from sources outside of the United States. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 4-year research plan that identifies and prioritizes basic research needs relating to low-dose and low dose-rate radiation. In developing such plan, the Secretary shall incorporate the components described in paragraph (2). In this section, the term low-dose radiation means a radiation dose of less than 100 millisieverts. In this section, the term low dose-rate radiation means a radiation dose rate of less than 5 millisieverts per hour. Nothing in this section shall be construed to subject any research carried out by the Secretary for the program under this section to any limitations described in section 977(e). For purposes of carrying out this section, the Secretary is authorized to make available from funds provided to the Biological and Environmental Research Program— $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2026; $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2028; and $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2029. The Director shall carry out a program of fundamental research to develop high-resolution Earth system modeling, analysis, and intercomparison capabilities, in order to further the understanding of the biological, biogeochemical, and physical processes across the multiple scales that control the flux of environmentally relevant compounds between the terrestrial surface and the atmosphere. In carrying out the program authorized under paragraph (1), the Director shall prioritize— the development of software and algorithms to enable the productive application of environmental systems models in high-performance computing systems; and capabilities that support the Department’s mission needs for energy and infrastructure security, resilience, and reliability. In carrying out the activities authorized under paragraph (1), the Director shall establish and operate user facilities to advance the collection, validation, and analysis of atmospheric data, including activities to advance knowledge and improve model representations and measure the impact of atmospheric gases, aerosols, and clouds on earth and environmental systems. To the maximum extent practicable, the Director shall utilize existing facilities to carry out this subsection. The Director shall select user facilities under paragraph
(1)on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis. The Director shall consider applications from the National Laboratories, institutes of higher education, multi-institutional collaborations, and other appropriate entities. Consistent with the existing authorities of the Department, the Director may terminate an underperforming user facility for cause during the performance period. In carrying out the program authorized in paragraph (1), the Director shall ensure that the Office of Science— consults and coordinates with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and any other relevant Federal agency on the collection, validation, and analysis of atmospheric data; and coordinates with relevant stakeholders, including institutes of higher education, nonprofit research institutions, industry, State, local, and tribal governments, and other appropriate entities to ensure access to the best available relevant atmospheric and historical weather data. The Director shall carry out a basic research program to enhance the understanding of coastal ecosystems. In carrying out this program, the Director shall prioritize efforts to enhance the collection of observational data, and shall develop models to analyze the ecological, biogeochemical, hydrological and physical processes that interact in coastal zones. The Director shall establish an integrated system of field research sites in order to improve the quantity and quality of observational data, and that encompass at least three of the major land-water interfaces of the United States, including— the Great Lakes region; the Pacific coast; the Atlantic coast; the Arctic; and the Gulf coast. In carrying out the programs and establishing the field research sites under paragraph
(1)and (2), the Secretary shall leverage existing Department of Energy R&D infrastructure, including the Department’s existing marine sciences lab. For the purposes of carrying out the programs and establishing the field research sites under the Initiative, the Secretary may enter into agreements with Federal Departments and agencies with complementary capabilities. Not less than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall provide to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate a report examining whether the system described in this section should be established as a National User Facility. The Director shall carry out a program for the development, construction, operation, and maintenance of user facilities to enhance the collection and analysis of observational data related to complex biological, earth, and environmental systems. To the maximum extent practicable, the user facilities developed, constructed, operated, or maintained under paragraph
(1)shall include— distributed field research and observation platforms for understanding earth system processes; instruments and modeling resources for understanding the physical, chemical, and cellular processes of biological and environmental systems; integrated high-throughput sequencing, DNA design and synthesis, metabolomics and computational analysis; and such other facilities as the Director considers appropriate, consistent with section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act ( 42 U.S.C. 7139 ). In carrying out the program established in paragraph (1), the Director is encouraged to evaluate the capabilities of existing user facilities and, to the maximum extent practicable, invest in modernization of those capabilities to address emerging research priorities.
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