ERDA authorization, Fiscal Year 1977. Part III. Geothermal. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Energy Research, Development and Demonstration of the Committee on Science and Technology, U. S. House of Representatives, Ninety-Fourth Congress, Second Session, February 19, 1976

Book · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7318636

The hearing focused on the proposed budget and program for the ERDA Geothermal Energy Division and on the adequacy of the proposed activities to implement the legislative mandates of the Geothermal Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1974, Public Law 93-410. One objective of the law was to establish a comprehensive program for research, development, demonstration, and commercial demonstration of this important energy resource. Another primary objective of the 1974 Geothermal Energy Act was to streamline and coordinate the splintered jurisdictions of the Federal agencies involved in geothermal energy. A major activity set forth in the Act is a resource inventory and assessment program. In addition, the Act established an R and D program to underpin a demonstration program and analyzed the institutional barriers to commercialization of geothermal energy. The budgetary provisions and the strategy for managing these programs were examined at the hearing. The legislative history of the act indicates that it was the intent of the committee to have 6 to 10 electrical powerplants of approximately 10 to 40 megawatt capacity on line by the end of fiscal year 1980. Rep. Mike McCormack, presiding chairman of the subcommittee, stated: ''In looking at the proposed fiscal year 1977 budget, the subcommittee must express its clear concern that this objective appears to be in jeopardy due to the absence of any specific construction items for geothermal energy demonstration plants. We want to clarify what the differences were between the division request and the Presidential budget submission for demonstration projects.'' The witnesses heard on these and other geothermal issues were Dr. Robert L. Hirsch, Dr. Eric H. Willis, Dr. Vincent E. McKelvey, and Dr. Richard S. Fiske. (MCW)

• OSTI ID: 7318636
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150400 -- Geothermal Energy-- Legislation & Regulations
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
299002* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Geothermal-- (-1989)
BUDGETS
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HEARINGS
LEGISLATION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS