,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #abae  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,may #f1 #bjae ,ms4    
,murk[ski introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0
 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on 
,en]gy & ,natural ,res\rces  ,a ,,bill  
,to am5d ! ,me?ane ,hydrate ,rese>* &   
,developm5t ,act ( #bjjj to provide = ! 
developm5t ( me?ane hydrate z a         
comm]cially viable s\rce ( en]gy4  #a4  
,%ort title  ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !  
,me?ane ,hydrate ,rese>* & ,developm5t  
,am5dm5ts ,act ( #bjae4  #b4 ,am5dm5ts  
to ! ,me?ane ,hydrate ,rese>* &         
,developm5t ,act ( #bjjj  7a7 ,f9d+s    
,section #b ( ! ,me?ane ,hydrate ,rese>*
 & ,developm5t ,act ( #bjjj 7#cj        
,u4,s4,c4 #bjja7 is am5d$--  7#a7 9     
p>agraph 7#d71 by /rik+ & at ! end2     
7#b7 9 p>agraph 7#e71 by /rik+ ! p]iod  
at ! end & ins]t+ a semicolon2 &  7#c7  
by add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  7#f7 me?ane 
is a p[]ful gre5h\se gas t may be       
ex*ang$ betwe5 t]re/rial me?ane hydrate 
res]voirs & ! atmosph]e by natural or   

an?ropog5ic processes2 &  7#g7 ! %ort- &
 long-t]m release ( me?ane f arctic or  
m>9e res]voirs may h significant        
environm5tal effects1 includ+ global    
climate *ange4  4  7b7 ,me?ane hydrate  
rese>* & developm5t program  7#a7 ,9    
g5]al ,section #d ( ! ,me?ane ,hydrate  
,rese>* & ,developm5t ,act ( #bjjj 7#cj 
,u4,s4,c4 #bjjc7 is am5d$ by /rik+      
subsection 7b7 & ins]t+ ! foll[+3  7b7  
,grants1 contracts1 coop]ative          
agreem5ts1 int]ag5cy funds transf]      
agreem5ts1 & field "w proposals  7#a7   
,assi/ance & coord9ation ,9 c>ry+ out ! 
program ( me?ane hydrate rese>* &       
developm5t au?oriz$ by ?is section1 !   
,secret>y may aw>d grants to1 or ent]   
into contracts or coop]ative agreem5ts  
)1 in/itutions t--  7,a7 conduct basic &
 appli$ rese>* to id5tify1 explore1     
assess1 & develop me?ane hydrate z a    
comm]cially viable s\rce ( en]gy2  7,b7 
id5tify & *>act]ize me?ane hydrate      
res\rces us+ remote s5s+ & seismic data1
 includ+ ! *>act]ization ( hydrate      

conc5trations 9 m>9e res]voirs 9 ! ,gulf
 ( ,mexico or ! ,atlantic ,ocean ,bas9  
by ! date t is #d ye>s aft] ! date (    
enactm5t ( ! ,me?ane ,hydrate ,rese>* & 
,developm5t ,am5dm5ts ,act ( #bjae2     
7,c7 develop te*nologies requir$ =      
effici5t & environm5tally s\nd          
developm5t ( me?ane hydrate res\rces2   
7,d7 conduct basic & appli$ rese>* to   
assess & mitigate ! environm5tal impact 
( hydrate degass+ 7includ+ natural      
degass+ & degass+ associat$ ) comm]cial 
developm5t72  7,e7 develop te*nologies  
to r$uce ! risks ( drill+ ?r\gh me?ane  
hydrates2  7,f7 conduct exploratory     
drill+1 well te/+1 & production te/+    
op]ations on p]mafro/ & nonp]mafro/ gas 
hydrates 9 support ( ! activities       
au?oriz$ by ?is p>agraph1 includ+--  7i7
 drill+ ( a te/ well & p]=m+ a long-t]m 
hydrate production te/ on l& 9 ! ,unit$ 
,/ates ,arctic region by ! date t is #d 
ye>s aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ! ,me?ane 
,hydrate ,rese>* & ,developm5t ,am5dm5ts
 ,act ( #bjae2  7ii7 drill+ ( a te/ well

 & p]=m+ a long-t]m hydrate production  
te/ 9 a m>9e environm5t by ! date t is  
#aj ye>s aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( !     
,me?ane ,hydrate ,rese>* & ,developm5t  
,am5dm5ts ,act ( #bjae2 &  7iii7 drill+ 
a full-scale production te/ well at a   
location to be det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y2  
or  7,g7 exp& education & tra9+ programs
 9 me?ane hydrate res\rce rese>* &      
res\rce developm5t ?r\gh fell[%ips or   
o!r means = graduate education & tra9+4 
7#b7 ,environm5tal monitor+ ,! ,secret>y
 %all conduct a long-t]m environm5tal   
monitor+ program to /udy ! effects (    
production f me?ane hydrate res]voirs4  
7#c7 ,competitive pe] review ,funds made
 available "u p>agraphs 7#a7 & 7#b7 %all
 be made available bas$ on a competitive
 process us+ ext]nal sci5tific pe]      
review ( propos$ rese>*4  4  7#b7       
,con=m+ am5dm5t ,section #d7;e7 ( !     
,me?ane ,hydrate ,rese>* & ,developm5t  
,act ( #bjjj 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #bjjc7;e77  
is am5d$ 9 ! matt] prec$+ p>agraph 7#a7 
by /rik+ subsection 7b77#a7 & ins]t+    

p>agraphs 7#a7 & 7#b7 ( subsection 7b74 
7c7 ,au?orization ( appropriations ,!   
,me?ane ,hydrate ,rese>* & ,developm5t  
,act ( #bjjj is am5d$ by /rik+ section  
#g 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #bjjf7 & ins]t+ !     
foll[+3  #g4 ,au?orization (            
appropriations ,!re are au?oriz$ to be  
appropriat$ to ! ,secret>y su* sums z   
are necess>y to c>ry out ?is ,act4  4