- (a) General authority
The Secretary, pursuant to the authority provided under provisions of the
Federal Nonnuclear Research and Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5901, et seq.), shall reestablish an industrial energy conservation and competitive technology program to conduct scientific research and development of steel and aluminum technologies to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Such program shall provide the financial and technical assistance and other incentives which, in the judgment of the Secretary, are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
- (b) Management plan
Within 6 months after November 17, 1988, the Secretary shall publish an update
of the management plan to expand the steel research and development initiative to include aluminum and to carry out the purposes of this chapter. The Secretary, from time to time, may further update the management plan. The management plan shall be subject to the following conditions:
- (1) For newly initiated research and development proposals submitted under
the revised management plan, the non-Federal financial share shall equal at least 30 percent of the total cost of any project.
- (2) Existing facilities, equipment, supplies, and other property may be
included in the non-Federal share under this section only when they are directly relevant to the project.
- (3) The knowledge resulting from research and development activities
conducted under this chapter shall be developed for the benefit of the domestic companies who provide financial resources to the program.
- (4) The Secretary, for a period of up to 5 years after the development of
information that -
- (A) results from research and development activities conducted under this
chapter; and
- (B) would be a trade secret or commercial or financial information that is
privileged or confidential, as described in section 5104(a) of this title, if the information had been obtained from a domestic company, may provide appropriate protections against the dissemination of such information, including exemption from subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5.
- (5) The plan shall assure basic research support, for the research carried
out under the research plan, from independent laboratories, universities, and nonprofit organizations, by coordinating activities under the research plan with the basic research efforts of the Department of Energy, such as the Energy Conversion and Utilization Technologies Program and the Materials Processing and Sensor and Controls programs within the Office of Industrial Technologies.
- (c) Priorities
Within 6 months after November 17, 1988, the Secretary shall publish an update
of the research plan. In reviewing research and development activities for possible inclusion in the research plan, the Secretary shall consider the following:
- (1) Steel projects
- (A) The direct production of liquid steel from domestic materials.
- (B) The production of near-net shape forms from liquid, powder, or solid
steel.
- (C) The development of universal grades of steel.
- (D) The application of automatic processing technology.
- (E) The removal of residual elements from steel scrap.
- (F) The treatment and storage of waste materials and other byproducts from
steel production and processing.
- (G) The development of super-plastic steel processing.
- (H) The development of advanced coatings for sheet steels.
- (I) The development of technologies and equipment related to the production
of steel that enhance the protection of the environment and the safety and health of workers.
- (J) Other steel technologies which, in the judgment of the Secretary, further
the purposes of this chapter.
- (2) Aluminum and other projects
- (A) The production of aluminum.
- (B) The application of automatic processing technology.
- (C) The treatment and storage of waste materials and other byproducts from
aluminum production and processing.
- (D) The manufacture of aluminum mill products.
- (E) Aluminum recycling technologies.
- (F) The development of technologies and equipment related to the production
of aluminum that enhance the protection of the environment and the safety and health of workers.
- (G) Aluminum, copper, and other metals technologies which, in the judgment of
the Secretary, further the purposes of this chapter.
- (d) Industry participation and review
The Secretary shall arrange for participation and review by representatives of
each affected industry and by labor in the updating of the management and research plans and in the evaluation of the progress of research and development activities for their industry conducted under this chapter.