Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§16291 Fossil Energy

Title 42 › CHAPTER 149 — NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS › SUBCHAPTER IX — RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › Part F — Fossil Energy › § 16291

Last updated Sep 23, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must run research, development, demonstration, and commercial programs on fossil energy to make production, conversion, and use more efficient, cheaper, and less harmful to the environment. The programs must aim to improve efficiency and lower costs, boost supply diversity and U.S. energy security, reduce dependence on foreign energy, cut pollution (including carbon dioxide and heavy metals), expand exports of U.S. fossil-energy equipment and emissions-control technology, lower the cost of emissions controls, greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, develop carbon-removal and reuse technologies (including direct air capture and storage), improve handling and storage of carbon oxides, and reduce water use and environmental impacts when developing unconventional oil and gas. The Secretary must give priority to work that can produce large emissions reductions and that supports the United States’ international commitments. Congress authorized money for these programs: $611,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, $626,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, and $641,000,000 for fiscal year 2009. Specific allocations include for section 16292: $367,000,000 (2007), $376,000,000 (2008), $394,000,000 (2009); for section 16294: $20,000,000 (2007), $25,000,000 (2008), $30,000,000 (2009); for section 16296: $1,500,000 (2007) and $450,000 (2008 and 2009); and $25,000,000 each year for the Office of Arctic Energy for fiscal years 2007–2009 and again for fiscal years 2010–2012. None of the money may be used for Fossil Energy Environmental Restoration or Import/Export Authorization. At least 20 percent of the funds set aside under the allocation for section 16294 must go each year to research at colleges and universities.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §16291

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment
(1)In general
The Secretary shall carry out research, development, demonstration, and commercial application programs in fossil energy, including activities under this part, with the goal of improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and environmental performance of fossil energy production, upgrading, conversion, and consumption.
(2)Objectives
The programs described in paragraph (1) shall take into consideration the following objectives:
(A)Increasing the energy conversion efficiency of all forms of fossil energy through improved technologies.
(B)Decreasing the cost of all fossil energy production, generation, and delivery.
(C)Promoting diversity of energy supply.
(D)Decreasing the dependence of the United States on foreign energy supplies.
(E)Improving United States energy security.
(F)Decreasing the environmental impact of energy-related activities, including technology development to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and associated emissions of heavy metals within coal combustion residues and gas streams resulting from fossil fuel use and production.
(G)Increasing the export of fossil energy-related equipment, technology, including emissions control technologies, and services from the United States.
(H)Decreasing the cost of emissions control technologies for fossil energy production, generation, and delivery.
(I)Significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions for all fossil fuel production, generation, delivery, and utilization technologies.
(J)Developing carbon removal and utilization technologies, products, and methods that result in net reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, including direct air capture and storage, and carbon use and reuse for commercial application.
(K)Improving the conversion, use, and storage of carbon oxides produced from fossil fuels.
(L)Reducing water use, improving water reuse, and minimizing surface and subsurface environmental impact in the development of unconventional domestic oil and natural gas resources.
(3)Priority
In carrying out the objectives described in subparagraphs (F) through (K) of paragraph (2), the Secretary shall prioritize activities and strategies that have the potential to significantly reduce emissions for each technology relevant to the applicable objective and the international commitments of the United States.
(b)Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out fossil energy research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities, including activities authorized under this part—
(1)$611,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
(2)$626,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
(3)$641,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
(c)Allocations
From amounts authorized under subsection (a), the following sums are authorized:
(1)For activities under section 16292 of this title—
(A)$367,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
(B)$376,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
(C)$394,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
(2)For activities under section 16294 of this title—
(A)$20,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
(B)$25,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
(C)$30,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
(3)For activities under section 16296 of this title—
(A)$1,500,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(B)$450,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009.
(4)For the Office of Arctic Energy under section 7144d of this title $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2009.
(d)Extended authorization
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the Office of Arctic Energy established under section 7144d of this title $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2012.
(e)Limitations
(1)Uses
None of the funds authorized under this section may be used for Fossil Energy Environmental Restoration or Import/Export Authorization.
(2)Institutions of higher education
Of the funds authorized under subsection (c)(2), not less than 20 percent of the funds appropriated for each fiscal year shall be dedicated to research and development carried out at institutions of higher education.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This part, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1) and (b), was in the original “this subtitle”, meaning subtitle F (§§ 961–968) of title IX of Pub. L. 109–58, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 889, which enacted this part and provisions set out as notes under section 2001 of Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining, and amended provisions set out as a note under section 1902 of Title 30. For complete classification of subtitle F to the Code, see Tables. section 16292 of this title, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), relating to coal and related technologies program, was repealed and a new section 16292 of this title, relating to carbon capture technology program, was enacted by Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title IV, § 4002(a), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2528.

Amendments

2020—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–260, § 4001(5), designated second sentence of par. (1), as redesignated, as par. (2), inserted heading, and substituted “The programs described in paragraph (1) shall” for “Such programs”. Pub. L. 116–260, § 4001(4), designated existing provisions of subsec. (a) as par. (1), substituted “Establishment” for “In general” in subsec. heading, and inserted par. (1) heading. Pub. L. 116–260, § 4001(3), added subpars. (G) to (L) and struck out former subpar. (G), as redesignated, which read as follows: “Increasing the export of fossil energy-related equipment, technology, and services from the United States.” Pub. L. 116–260, § 4001(2), in subpar. (F), as redesignated, inserted “, including technology development to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and associated emissions of heavy metals within coal combustion residues and gas streams resulting from fossil fuel use and production” before period at end. Pub. L. 116–260, § 4001(1), redesignated pars. (1) to (7) of subsec. (a) as subpars. (A) to (G), respectively, and realigned margins. Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 116–260, § 4001(6), added par. (3).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 16291

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 23, 2026

Release point: 119-110