30 U.S.C. § 1902 — Research program

Page 383 TITLE 30—MINERAL LANDS AND MINING § 1903 (A) a methane clathrate that is in the form of a methane-water ice-like crystalline ma- terial and is stable and occurs naturally in deep-ocean and permafrost areas; and (B) other natural gas hydrates found in as- sociation with deep-ocean and permafrost deposits of methane hydrate. (8) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Sec- retary of the Interior. (Pub. L. 91–631, title II, § 201, as added Pub. L. 104–325, § 2(3), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3994; amend- ed Pub. L. 106–193, § 4, May 2, 2000, 114 Stat. 236.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2000—Par. (6)(G), (H). Pub. L. 106–193, § 4(1), added sub- par. (G) and redesignated former subpar. (G) as (H). Pars. (7), (8). Pub. L. 106–193, § 4(2), (3), added par. (7) and redesignated former par. (7) as (8). Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries SHORT TITLE Pub. L. 104–325, § 1, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3994, pro- vided that: ‘‘This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Marine Mineral Resources Research Act of 1996’.’’ § 1902. Research program (a) In general The Secretary shall establish and carry out a program of research on marine mineral re- sources. (b) Program goal The goal of the program shall be to— (1) promote research, identification, assess- ment, and exploration of marine mineral re- sources in an environmentally responsible manner; (2) assist in developing domestic tech- nologies required for efficient and environ- mentally sound development of marine min- eral resources; (3) coordinate and promote the use of tech- nologies developed with Federal assistance, and the use of available Federal assets, for re- search, identification, assessment, explo- ration, and development of marine mineral re- sources; and (4) encourage academia and industry to con- duct basic and applied research, on a joint basis, through grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts with the Federal Government. (c) Responsibilities of Secretary In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall— (1) promote and coordinate partnerships be- tween industry, government, and academia to research, identify, assess, and explore marine mineral resources in an environmentally sound manner; (2) undertake programs to develop the basic information necessary to the long-term na- tional interest in marine mineral resources (including seabed mapping) and to ensure that data and information are accessible and wide- ly disseminated as needed and appropriate; (3) identify, and promote cooperation among agency programs that are developing, tech- nologies developed by other Federal programs that may hold promise for facilitating under- sea applications related to marine mineral re- sources, including technologies related to ves- sels and other platforms, underwater vehicles, survey and mapping systems, remote power sources, data collection and transmission sys- tems, and various seabed research systems; and (4) foster communication and coordination between Federal and State agencies, univer- sities, and private entities concerning marine mineral research on seabeds of the continental shelf, ocean basins, and arctic and cold water areas. In carrying out these responsibilities, the Sec- retary shall ensure the participation of non-Fed- eral users of technologies and data related to marine mineral resources in planning and pri- ority setting. (Pub. L. 91–631, title II, § 202, as added Pub. L. 104–325, § 2(3), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3995.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries METHANE HYDRATE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Pub. L. 106–193, May 2, 2000, 114 Stat. 234, known as the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000, which was set out as a note under this section, was amended and transferred to chapter 32 (§ 2001 et seq.) of this title by Pub. L. 109–58, title IX, § 968, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 894. § 1903. Grants, contracts, and cooperative agree- ments (a) Assistance and coordination (1) In general The Secretary shall award grants or con- tracts to, or enter into cooperative agree- ments with, eligible entities to support re- search for the development or utilization of— (A) methods, equipment, systems, and components necessary for the identification, assessment, and exploration of marine min- eral resources in an environmentally respon- sible manner; (B) methods of detecting, monitoring, and predicting the presence of adverse environ- mental effects in the marine environment and remediating the environmental effects of marine mineral resource exploration, de- velopment, and production; and (C) education and training material in ma- rine mineral research and resource manage- ment. (2) Cost-sharing for contracts or cooperative agreements (A) Federal share Except as provided in subparagraph (B)(ii), the Federal share of the cost of a contract or cooperative agreement carried out under this subsection shall not be greater than 80 percent of the total cost of the project. (B) Non-Federal share The remaining non-Federal share of the cost of a project carried out under this sec- tion may be— (i) in the form of cash or in-kind con- tributions, or both; and