[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5692 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5692
To accelerate the competitiveness of the United States in marine energy
technologies, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 6, 2025
Ms. Barragan (for herself, Ms. Bonamici, and Ms. Pingree) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and
Commerce, Natural Resources, and Education and Workforce, for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To accelerate the competitiveness of the United States in marine energy
technologies, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Marine Energy Technologies
Acceleration Act''.
SEC. 2. MARINE ENERGY ACCELERATION.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Marine Energy
Acceleration Fund established under subsection (b).
(2) Marine energy.--The term ``marine energy'' has the
meaning given that term in section 632 of the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17211).
(3) National marine energy centers.--The term ``National
Marine Energy Centers'' means the National Marine Energy
Centers referred to in, or established under, section 636 of
the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C.
17215).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
(b) Marine Energy Acceleration Fund.--
(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a fund,
to be known as the ``Marine Energy Acceleration Fund''.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Fund $1,000,000,000, to remain
available until expended.
(c) Marine Energy Demonstration Projects.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct competitive
solicitations for not fewer than twenty marine energy
demonstration projects that export power to microgrids,
community grids, or utility-scale grids.
(2) Coordination.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Secretary may coordinate with the National Marine Energy
Centers and other entities with proven technical expertise to
support marine energy demonstration projects.
(3) Priority.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Secretary shall prioritize--
(A) projects that integrate marine energy
technologies with existing onshore and offshore
transmission infrastructure, nearshore and offshore
marine structures, or projects with all necessary
local, State, and Federal licenses or permits in place;
(B) open water prototype testing;
(C) projects that support energy resilience and
economic opportunities for rural communities, remote
areas, Tribal communities, and low-income communities;
and
(D) projects that power ocean-based scientific
research and education, and support workforce
development, national security, and commercial
activities limited by the availability of existing
energy resources.
(4) Funds.--Of the amounts in the Fund, $600,000,000 shall
be available to the Secretary to carry out this subsection.
(d) Advancement of Marine Energy Technologies.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct competitive
solicitations for--
(A) research and development projects to advance
marine energy technologies; and
(B) upgrades to research and development facilities
that advance marine energy technologies.
(2) Coordination.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Secretary may coordinate with industry, the National Marine
Energy Centers, non-profits, entities with all necessary local,
State, and Federal licenses or permits in place, National
Laboratories, Federal agencies involved in the development of
marine energy technology, other existing marine energy research
and development programs, and other entities with proven
technical expertise to support marine energy research,
development, and demonstration.
(3) Priority.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Secretary shall prioritize research and development projects
that--
(A) rapidly design, fabricate, and test marine
energy systems, subsystems, components, controls,
domestic manufacturing, and materials to improve
efficiency, reduce costs, reduce environmental impacts,
increase power production, and improve reliability at a
variety of technology readiness levels that promote
domestic manufacturing, a domestic supply chain, and
energy independence;
(B) educate the public, policymakers, investors,
educators, and other stakeholders about the potential
for deployment of marine energy technologies, and
identify the needs and concerns of local communities
where marine energy projects may be placed; and
(C) support the development of technologies to
monitor and mitigate impacts to marine and coastal
ecosystems and communities.
(4) Funds.--Of the amounts in the Fund--
(A) $230,000,000 shall be available to the
Secretary for technology research and development
activities under this subsection; and
(B) $20,000,000 shall be available to the Secretary
for providing marine energy and education activities
under this subsection through the National Marine
Energy Centers.
(e) Assessment of Technical Resource Potential.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in coordination with the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management, and other agencies, as appropriate,
shall assess the economic potential of marine energy at not
fewer than 50 sites that previous agency assessments and
modeling have determined to have significant marine energy
potential.
(2) Requirements.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Secretary shall--
(A) develop, with input from interested parties,
in-depth marine energy resource and conditions
characterizations for each site;
(B) deploy environmental monitoring technologies,
tools, and data collection to understand and mitigate
potential environmental risks, characterize potential
conflicts with other users of the local marine
resources, optimize marine energy devices and arrays,
and reduce costs;
(C) ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that
the sites are geographically distributed to assess
marine energy resources and technologies in different
regions of the United States;
(D) where applicable, carry out technical resource
assessments in coordination with Regional Ocean
Partnerships of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Office for Coastal Management; and
(E) use such technical resource assessments to
inform the location of the marine energy demonstration
projects under subsection (c).
(3) Data sharing.--Data collected under this subsection
shall be shared with public data repositories for use among
regional ocean data portals and partnerships.
(4) Funds.--Of the amounts in the Fund, $50,000,000 shall
be available to the Secretary to carry out this subsection.
(f) Improvement of Permitting.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in coordination with the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, the Corps of Engineers, and other agencies as
needed, shall convene a task force with the appropriate Federal
and State agencies to prepare a report that--
(A) describes any barriers under the jurisdiction
of such agencies to the development of marine energy
projects; and
(B) provides recommendations on reducing such
barriers, including identification and determination of
opportunities to improve the regulatory process
associated with the authorities required to deploy and
license marine energy projects, consistent with the
National Environmental Policy Act.
(2) Requirements.--The task force convened under paragraph
(1) shall--
(A) develop recommendations for efficient
permitting processes that reduce the time, cost, and
uncertainty for marine energy projects, consistent with
the National Environmental Policy Act;
(B) determine whether additional staff are required
to be hired and trained at the appropriate Federal
agencies to process permits and conduct environmental
reviews in a timely and efficient manner;
(C) conduct outreach to stakeholders;
(D) facilitate Federal coordination with State
permitting processes for marine energy projects,
including by providing staff training for State and
territory permitting agencies; and
(E) not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, submit to Congress the report
prepared under paragraph (1).
(3) Funds.--Of the amounts in the Fund, to carry out this
subsection--
(A) $5,000,000 shall be available to the Department
of Energy;
(B) $5,000,000 shall be available to the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission; and
(C) $5,000,000 shall be available to the Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management.
(g) Workforce.--
(1) Assessment.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a national
assessment of the prospective marine energy workforce and
hiring needs and the educational pathways and programs that
would address those needs.
(2) Development programs.--The Secretary shall launch
workforce development programs based on the assessment
conducted under paragraph (1), in partnership with the National
Marine Energy Centers, the marine energy industry, institutions
of higher education, labor unions, non-profits, and career and
technical education programs.
(3) Priority.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Secretary shall prioritize workforce development programs in
communities near the location of the marine energy
demonstration projects under subsection (c).
(4) Funds.--Of the amounts in the Fund, $85,000,000 shall
be available to the Secretary to carry out this subsection.
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