Environmental Technologies Act of 1994

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: General Provisions

Title II: Policy Coordination and Technology Programs

Subtitle A: Policy Coordination and Program Planning

Subtitle B: Environmental Technology Innovation

Initiative

Subtitle C: Other Research Activities

Title III: Performance Measurements

Title IV: Department of Energy Environmental Technology

Development

Title V: Authorization of Appropriations

Title I: General Provisions - Environmental Technologies Act of 1994 - Sets forth congressional findings and purposes.

Title II: Policy Coordination and Technology Programs - Subtitle A: Policy Coordination and Program Planning - Requires the President, acting through the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, to develop an interagency strategy that: (1) ensures the coordinated, interagency promotion of the research, development, and demonstration of environmental technologies; and (2) develops priorities for Federal environmental technology efforts.

(Sec. 202) Requires the Director to coordinate Federal activities and resources that are applied to life-cycle assessment and other design-for-environment resources in order to maximize the contribution of such assessments and resources to the efficient design, development, and use of such technologies and to sustainable economic development.

(Sec. 203) Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to include goals for sustainable economic development within technology innovation programs. Includes such goals in other existing programs under specified Acts.

Subtitle B: Environmental Technology Innovation Initiative - Establishes an Environmental Innovation Initiative, to be administered by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to promote the research, development, and demonstration of technologies that will contribute to sustainable economic development. Includes programs established under this Act in the Initiative. Provides assistance to eligible entities.

(Sec. 211) Requires the Administrator to encourage the participation of socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and entities located in economically depressed areas in carrying out the Initiative.

(Sec. 212) Directs the Administrator to conduct an interagency innovative environmental technology program to develop or demonstrate advanced precommercial environmental technologies. Makes U.S. companies and partnerships eligible for financial assistance for projects, subject to certain conditions. Provides for recoupment of assistance in connection with projects which have led to the development of a marketed product or process.

(Sec. 213) Establishes the President's Total Environmental Quality Award to be awarded periodically to companies and other organizations which have benefited the United States through environmental technologies.

Establishes a National Environmentally Sound Technology Award for individuals who have pioneered the development and use of a highly innovative environmental technology.

(Sec. 214) Directs the Administrator to use existing information network capabilities to provide access to data on environmental technologies developed, tested, verified, or certified by programs under this Act and by other appropriate sources.

(Sec. 215) Requires the Administrator to establish a program to demonstrate the performance of environmental technologies at Federal laboratories and facilities.

(Sec. 216) Directs the Administrator to enter into an agreement with the National Research Council to study the influences on technological innovation in environmental technologies of economic, governmental, and other incentives and barriers.

Subtitle C: Other Research Activities - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support research activities that will advance the integration of engineering practices and environmental protection in the development of advanced technologies.

Title III: Performance Measurements - Requires the Secretary of Commerce, through the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to establish a program that provides for performance measurements for environmental technology products (excluding those primarily intended to improve the environment through pollution control, remediation, and monitoring).

(Sec. 302) Authorizes the Administrator to designate entities to perform environmental technology verification.

(Sec. 303) Requires the President to consider performance measurements for environmental technologies developed pursuant to this title in any program for evaluating and approving Federal purchases of environmental technologies.

Title IV: Department of Energy Environmental Technology Development - Directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct programs of research, development, and demonstration on: (1) new and improved technologies for environmental restoration and waste management; (2) training for environmental technicians, engineers, and scientists; and (3) technologies for reducing worker exposure to radioactivity in association with site remediation.

(Sec. 402) Requires the Secretary to establish a program to demonstrate the technological and economic feasibility of recycling and reusing radioactively uncontaminated and decontaminated metals and equipment and of other waste minimization techniques. Provides for the recycling and reuse of the metals and equipment at a minimum of three national laboratories or former nuclear weapons production facilities.

(Sec. 403) Directs the Secretary to incrementally increase the proportion of the annual budget request for the Environmental Restoration and Waste Management program that is attributable to research and development until such proportion is at least ten percent.

Requires the Secretary to ensure that such increase does not affect other Department of Energy programs. Authorizes appropriations for nondefense research and development activities of the Office of Technology Development.

Title V: Authorization of Appropriations - Authorizes appropriations.