or pay" provisions of gas supply contracts forcing them to buy more gas than they could resell. Considering this fact, we must proceed carefully in this matter and I believe that S. 341 is wisely cautious in its approach. Also, I have had the opportunity to look over the amendments by my colleague from New Mexico and I believe that they will strengthen our efforts to expedite the FERC certification process. Mr. Chairman, I welcome all of our witnesses today and look forward to their testimonies. I am particularly pleased to have my constituent, Ronald L. Kuehn, Jr. of Birmingham, Alabama, with us today. Ron is chairman, president and CEO of Sonat Inc., which is a large and very important energy company headquartered in my state. I have known Ron for some time and he has certainly done an enviable job in running Sonat. I believe that you will find his remarks interesting and informative. I look forward to hearing his testimony. To reduce the Nation's dependence on imported oil, to provide for the energy security of the Nation and for other purposes. II IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 5 (legislative day, JANUARY 3), 1991 Mr. JOHNSTON (for himself and Mr. WALLOP) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To reduce the Nation's dependence on imported oil, to provide for the energy security of the Nation and for other purposes. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa 2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 That this Act may be referred to as the "National Energy 4 Security Act of 1991". * * 80 7 TITLE VI-RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, DEMON STRATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION AC- SEC. 6003. NATURAL GAS END-USE TECHNOL8 OGIES. (a) Program.-The Secretary of Energy shall carry 9 out a program to promote the development and commercial10 ization of new and advanced natural gas utilization technol11 ogies including, but not limited to, the following areas: 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 (1) Stationary source emissions control and efficiency improvements including combustion systems, industrial processes, natural gas heating and cooling, and cofiring natural gas with coal and waste fuels; (2) natural gas storage including increased deliverability from existing gas storage facilities and new capabilities for storage near demand centers and on-site storage at major energy consuming facilities; (3) transportation fuel alternatives and emissions controls including natural gas vehicle commercialization and infrastructure development, and advanced engines and propulsion concepts; and (4) electrochemical energy conversion including the commercialization of molten carbonate fuel cells S 341 IS 1 2 3 81 and the development of advanced natural gas-fired fuel cell technologies. (b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.-The Secretary shall 4 enter into cooperative agreements under this section. 5 (c) COST-SHARE.-The Secretary shall not finance 6 more than 50 per centum of the total costs of natural gas 7 utilization technologies selected under this section as estimat8 ed by the Secretary as of the date of award of financial assist 9 ance. 10 (d) AUTHORIZATION.-There is authorized to be appro11 priated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to 12 carry out a program in fiscal years 1992, 1993, and 1994, 13 under this section. 14 SEC. 6004. NATURAL GAS SUPPLY ENHANCEMENT. 15 (a) PROGRAM.-The Secretary shall carry out a program of 16 research, development and demonstration to increase the re17 coverable natural gas resource base including, but not limited 18 to, the following areas: 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 (1) More intensive recovery of natural gas from discovered conventional resources; (2) Economic recovery of unconventional natural gas resources, including gas from tight sands, Eastern shales, and gas from less permeable formations, coalbed methane and geopressurized reservoirs; (3) Surface gasification of coal; and 1 2 3 82 (4) Recovery of methane from biofuels including municipal solid waste. (b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.-The Secretary shall 4 enter into cooperative agreements under this section. 5 (c) COST SHARE.-The Secretary shall not finance 6 more than 50 per centum of the total costs of a project select7 ed under this section as estimated by the Secretary as of the 8 date of award of financial assistance. 9 (d) AUTHORIZATION.-There is authorized to be appro10 priated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to 11 carry out a program in fiscal years 1992, 1993, and 1994, 12 under this section. |