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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3684 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3684
To amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to
reauthorize water power research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application activities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 15, 2026
Ms. Murkowski (for herself and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to
reauthorize water power research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application activities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Water Power Research and Development
Reauthorization Act''.
SEC. 2. WATER POWER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Definitions.--Section 632 of the Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17211) is amended by redesignating
paragraphs (4), (5), and (6) as paragraphs (5), (6), and (4),
respectively, and moving the paragraphs so as to appear in numerical
order.
(b) Water Power Technology Research, Development, and
Demonstration.--Section 633 of the Energy Independence and Security Act
of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17212) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``capacity and reduce the
cost'' inserting ``capacity or efficiency, and reduce the
cost,''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) To advance scalable United States-based manufacturing
of composite and additive manufactured marine energy components
through collaborations with regional institutions of higher
education and industry, including advanced composite and
additive manufacturing facilities.''.
(c) Hydropower Research, Development, and Demonstration.--Section
634 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C.
17213) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), in the first
sentence, by inserting ``generation,'' after ``efficiency,'';
(2) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by inserting ``, cybersecurity,'' after ``physical'';
(3) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
``(3) study, in conjunction with other relevant Federal
agencies, State agencies, Tribal entities (including Alaska
Native Corporations), and local agencies, as appropriate,
methods to streamline and improve the hydropower licensing
process, including by compiling current environmental data and
studies, accepted best practices, public comments, and
methodologies to assess the full range of potential
environmental and economic impacts;'';
(4) in paragraph (6)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by
striking ``develop methods and technologies to improve
environmental impact'' and inserting ``develop and
support studies, methods, and technologies to assess
and improve environmental impacts''; and
(B) in subparagraph (D), by inserting
``hydrology,'' after ``water quality,'';
(5) in paragraph (7)(G), by inserting ``for hydropower and
pumped storage applications'' after ``components'';
(6) in paragraph (9), by inserting ``and project management
and delivery strategies'' after ``systems analysis'';
(7) in paragraph (10)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``and'' after
the semicolon; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) improving methods for incorporating
hydropower and pumped storage in grid modeling
systems;'';
(8) in paragraph (13), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
(9) by striking paragraph (14) and inserting the following:
``(14) identify mechanisms and systems to test, validate,
and improve performance and reliability of hydropower and
pumped storage technologies;
``(15) conduct research on, and develop methods for,
mitigating the impacts of invasive species on hydropower
equipment; and
``(16) support workforce development programs (including
Tribal workforce development programs), training, student-led
research, and education and outreach activities to foster
growth of the next generation of hydropower professionals and
researchers.''.
(d) Marine Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration.--
Section 635(a) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42
U.S.C. 17214(a)) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting a
comma before ``and other relevant'';
(2) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking ``infrastructure and facilities'' and
inserting ``infrastructure, facilities, and equipment'';
(3) in paragraph (4), by striking ``, which may include
smart building systems'' and inserting ``and microgrids, which
may include smart energy management systems'';
(4) in paragraph (5), by striking ``maintaining a
sustainable'' and inserting ``establish and support
manufacturing and an industrial'';
(5) in paragraph (9), by inserting ``, which may include
production of hydrogen and other transportation fuels'' before
the semicolon;
(6) in paragraph (11), by inserting before the semicolon
the following: ``and cooperative defense research and
development through demonstration projects with the Department
of Defense and the Navy for resilient coastal power and
surveillance systems'';
(7) in paragraph (13), by inserting ``utilization of
advanced manufacturing processes, including the'' after ``such
as the'';
(8) in paragraph (17), by striking ``; and'' and inserting
``, including data centers, subsea or offshore power,
microgrids, sensors, and communications systems;'';
(9) in paragraph (18)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by
striking ``to develop'' and inserting ``develop''; and
(B) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the
following:
``(B) for the generation and storage of power to
promote the resilience of coastal and riverside
communities (including high-energy tidal environments)
and critical infrastructure (as defined in subsection
(e) of the Critical Infrastructures Protection Act of
2001 (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e))), including in applications
relating to--
``(i) desalination;
``(ii) disaster recovery and resilience;
``(iii) end-user and grid resilience;
``(iv) aquaculture;
``(v) marine carbon dioxide removal;
``(vi) community microgrids and isolated
power systems; and
``(vii) resilience and microgrid
demonstration sites integrating marine energy
and working waterfront economies; and''; and
(10) by adding at the end the following:
``(19) develop, validate, and deploy marine energy systems
designed for extreme tidal, temperature, and icing conditions
typical of arctic marine environments.''.
(e) National Marine Energy Centers.--Section 636 of the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17215) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Whether the institution has access to regional test
sites demonstrating unique natural advantages, such as high
tidal ranges, strong currents, and cold-water operating
conditions''; and
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by
striking ``and National Laboratories'' and inserting
``National Laboratories, and other relevant Federal
agencies'';
(B) in paragraph (2)(D), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) support workforce development, training, student-led
research programs, and development and dissemination of
curriculum, education, and outreach activities to foster growth
of the next generation of marine energy professionals and
researchers.''.
(f) Organization and Administration of Programs.--Section 637 of
the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17216) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``Minority Serving
Institutions'' and inserting ``minority-serving
institutions and Tribal Colleges and
Universities''; and
(ii) by inserting ``other domestic and''
before ``international bodies'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Minority
Serving Institutions'' and inserting ``minority-serving
institutions and Tribal Colleges and Universities'';
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``(including the
United States Agency for International Development)''
and inserting ``, including the Department of State and
the International Trade Administration of the
Department of Commerce,''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Interagency collaboration.--In carrying out this
subtitle, the Secretary shall seek to coordinate with the
Secretary of Commerce to leverage the National Oceanographic
and Atmospheric Administration and National Sea Grant Program
to use existing ocean networks and coastal innovation
initiatives.'';
(2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
``(d) Award Frequency.--Not less frequently than once per fiscal
year, the Secretary shall--
``(1) solicit applications for awards under this subtitle;
and
``(2) to the extent funding is available, make awards under
this subtitle.'';
(3) in subsection (f), by striking paragraph (2) and
inserting the following:
``(2) workforce development and training activities to
support education, recruitment, and the dissemination of
standards and best practices for enabling water power
production, including--
``(A) hydropower and marine energy collegiate
competitions, graduate student research program and
fellowships relating to marine energy, and other
workforce programs; and
``(B) collaborations with foundations, nonprofit
organizations, and educational institutions (including
Tribal Colleges and Universities and Alaska Native-
serving institutions) regarding workforce issues.'';
(4) in subsection (g)(1), by striking ``an annual'' and
inserting ``a biennial''; and
(5) by striking subsection (h) and inserting the following:
``(h) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of the Water Power Research and Development
Reauthorization Act, and at least once every 2 years thereafter, the
Secretary shall provide to the relevant authorizing and appropriations
committees of Congress a briefing on, and make available to the public,
the findings of research conducted and activities carried out pursuant
to this subtitle, including--
``(1) the most current strategic plan drafted under
subsection (g); and
``(2) a description of the progress made in implementing
the plan referred to in paragraph (1).''.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 639 of the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17218) is amended by
striking ``$186,600,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025,
including $137,428,378 for marine energy and $49,171,622 for hydropower
research, development, and demonstration activities'' and inserting
``$300,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including
$200,000,000 for marine energy and $100,000,000 for hydropower
research, development, and demonstration activities''.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
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