HR 4877 — Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act

changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italics, and existing law in which no 
change is proposed is shown in roman):

 ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

 (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Energy 
Policy Act of 2005''.
 (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is 
as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
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 TITLE IX--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

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 Subtitle F--Fossil Energy

Sec. 961. Fossil energy.
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Sec. 969E. Abandoned wells research, development, and demonstration 
 program.

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TITLE IX--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

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Subtitle F--Fossil Energy

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SEC. 969E. ABANDONED WELLS RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION 
 PROGRAM.

 (a) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Energy shall, 
in coordination with relevant Federal and state agencies and 
entities, establish a research, development, and demonstration 
program to improve--
 (1) data collection on the location of abandoned 
 wells;
 (2) the plugging, remediation, reclamation, and 
 repurposing of abandoned wells; and
 (3) strategies to mitigate potential environmental 
 impacts of documented and undocumented abandoned wells.
 (b) Activities.--The research, development, and demonstration 
under subsection (a) shall include activities to improve--
 (1) remote sensor capabilities, LiDAR capabilities, 
 optical gas imaging, magnetic survey technology, and 
 any other technologies relevant to the efficient 
 identification of abandoned wells;
 (2) understanding of how certain parameters of 
 abandoned wells affect methane emission rates of such 
 wells, including paramaters such as well age, well 
 depth, geology, construction, case material, and 
 geographic region;
 (3) the efficiency and cost-efficacy of processes for 
 plugging, remediating, reclaiming, and repurposing 
 abandoned wells, including--
 (A) improvement of processes and technologies 
 for the unique challenges associated with 
 plugging remote abandoned wells;
 (B) use of low carbon, lightweight cement or 
 use of alternative materials and additives for 
 plugging purposes; and
 (C) repurposing of abandoned wells for 
 alternative uses, including geothermal power 
 production or carbon capture, utilization, and 
 storage; and
 (4) understanding of the impacts of abandoned wells 
 on groundwater quality and contamination.
 (c) Coordination.--In carrying out the program established 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure coordination 
of these activities with State and local governments, 
institutions of higher education, the Department of Energy 
National Laboratories, the private sector, and impacted 
communities, including landowners within such communities.
 (d) Abandoned Well Defined.--In this section, the term 
``abandoned well'' means a well originally drilled in 
connection with oil and gas operations that is not being used, 
has not been plugged, and has no anticipated use in oil and gas 
operations.
 (e) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary to carry out this section amounts authorized pursuant 
to section 10771 of subtitle O of title VI of the Research and 
Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (enacted as 
division B of Public Law 117-167), as follows:
 (1) For fiscal year 2024, $30,000,000.
 (2) For fiscal year 2025, $31,250,000.
 (3) For fiscal year 2026, $32,500,000.
 (4) For fiscal year 2027, $33,750,000.
 (5) For fiscal year 2028, $35,000,000.
 (f) Sunset.--This section shall terminate five years after 
the date of the enactment of this section.

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 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, COMPETITION, AND INNOVATION ACT

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DIVISION B--RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

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TITLE VI--MISCELLANEOUS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROVISIONS

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 Subtitle O--Department of Energy Research, Development, and 
 Demonstration Activities

SEC. 10771. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND 
 DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITIES.

 For the purpose of carrying out research, development, and 
demonstration activities and addressing energy-related supply 
chain activities in the key technology focus areas (as 
described in section 10387), there are authorized to be 
appropriated the following amounts:
 (1) Office of energy efficiency and renewable 
 energy.--In addition to amounts otherwise authorized to 
 be appropriated or made available, there are authorized 
 to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy (referred 
 to in this section as the ``Secretary''), acting 
 through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
 Energy, for the period of fiscal years 2023 through 
 2026--
 (A) $1,200,000,000 to carry out building 
 technologies research, development, and 
 demonstration activities;
 (B) $1,200,000,000 to carry out sustainable 
 transportation research, development, and 
 demonstration activities;
 (C) $1,000,000,000 to carry out advanced 
 manufacturing research, development, and 
 demonstration activities, excluding activities 
 carried out pursuant to subparagraph (D);
 (D) $1,000,000,000 to carry out section 454 
 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 
 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17113);
 (E) $600,000,000 to carry out advanced 
 materials research, development, and 
 demonstration activities, including relating to 
 upcycling, recycling, and biobased materials; 
 and
 (F) $800,000,000 to carry out renewable power 
 research, development, and demonstration 
 activities.
 (2) Office of electricity.--In addition to amounts 
 otherwise authorized to be appropriated or made 
 available, there is authorized to be appropriated to 
 the Secretary, acting through the Office of 
 Electricity, for the period of fiscal years 2023 
 through 2026, $1,000,000,000 to carry out electric grid 
 modernization and security research, development, and 
 demonstration activities.
 (3) Office of cybersecurity, energy security, and 
 emergency response.--In addition to amounts otherwise 
 authorized to be appropriated or made available, there 
 is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary, 
 acting through the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy 
 Security, and Emergency Response, for the period of 
 fiscal years 2023 through 2026, $800,000,000 to carry 
 out cybersecurity and energy system physical security 
 research, development, and demonstration activities.
 (4) Office of nuclear energy.--In addition to amounts 
 otherwise authorized to be appropriated or made 
 available, there is authorized to be appropriated to 
 the Secretary, acting through the Office of Nuclear 
 Energy, for the period of fiscal years 2023 through 
 2026, $400,000,000 to carry out advanced materials 
 research, development, and demonstration activities.
 (5) Office of environmental management.--In addition 
 to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated or 
 made available, there is authorized to be appropriated 
 to the Secretary, acting through the Office of 
 Environmental Management, for the period of fiscal 
 years 2023 through 2026, $200,000,000 to carry out 
 research, development, and demonstration activities, 
 including relating to artificial intelligence and 
 information technology.
 (6) Office of fossil energy and carbon management.--
 In addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be 
 appropriated or made available, there are authorized to 
 be appropriated to the Secretary, acting through the 
 Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, for the 
 period of fiscal years 2023 through [2026] 2028--
 (A) [$600,000,000] $507,500,000 to carry out 
 clean industrial technologies research, 
 development, and demonstration activities 
 pursuant to section 454 of the Energy 
 Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
 U.S.C. 17113);
 (B) $200,000,000 to carry out alternative 
 fuels research, development, and demonstration 
 activities; [and]
 (C) [$1,000,000,000] $930,000,000 to carry 
 out carbon removal research, development, and 
 demonstration activities[.]; and
 (D) $162,500,000 to carry out abandoned wells 
 research, development, and demonstration 
 activities under section 969E of the Energy 
 Policy Act of 2005, in accordance with such 
 section.
 (7) Advanced research projects agency--energy.--In 
 addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be 
 appropriated or made available, there is authorized to 
 be appropriated to the Secretary, acting through the 
 Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency--
 Energy established under section 5012 of the America 
 COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538), for the period of 
 fiscal years 2023 through 2026, $1,200,852,898 to carry 
 out activities of the Advanced Research Projects 
 Agency--Energy.

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