§ 167n — Helium Gas Resource Assessment

(a) Not later than 2 years after October 2, 2013, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the United States Geological Survey, shall— (1) in coordination with appropriate heads of State geological surveys— (A) complete a national helium gas assessment that identifies and quantifies the quantity of helium, including the isotope helium-3, in each reservoir, including assessments of the constituent gases found in each helium resource, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and natural gas; and (B) make available the modern seismic and geophysical log data for characterization of the Bush Dome Reservoir; (2) in coordination with appropriate international agencies and the global geology community, complete a global helium gas assessment that identifies and quantifies the quantity of the helium, including the isotope helium-3, in each reservoir; (3) in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration, complete— (A) an assessment of trends in global demand for helium, including the isotope helium-3; (B) a 10-year forecast of domestic demand for helium across all sectors, including scientific and medical research, commercial, manufacturing, space technologies, cryogenics, and national defense; and (C) an inventory of medical, scientific, industrial, commercial, and other uses of helium in the United States, including Federal uses, that identifies the nature of the helium use, the amounts required, the technical and commercial viability of helium recapture and recycling in that use, and the availability of material substitutes wherever possible; and (4) submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report describing the results of the assessments required under this paragraph. (b) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000.