§9117 Protection of the environment

Summary

Start a program to study how ocean thermal energy conversion facilities and plantships affect the environment. The program must do baseline studies at likely sites, fund research, and monitor facilities while they operate. It must check short- and long-term effects on the ocean, air, weather, climate, and living things. It must study effects from underwater power cables, including risks if a cable is cut. It must also find out whether the total number or total capacity of these facilities should be limited because of combined environmental harm. Within 180 days after August 3, 1980, the Administrator must send Congress a plan for the program with funding needs for the next 5 fiscal years. Once enough is known, the program should be cut back to the minimum needed to keep baseline and monitoring analysis. Any license to build or run a facility or plantship counts as a major federal action and requires a single environmental impact statement prepared with other agencies. Draft statements must be published within 180 days after notice of the application, and final statements within 90 days after public hearings end. The Administrator can extend those deadlines for good written reason. A licensed facility or plantship is not treated as a "vessel or other floating craft" under the referenced law.