(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). 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.
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