National Energy Research and Development Policy Act

National Energy Research and Development Policy Act - Title I: Coordination and Augmentation of Federal Support for Research and Development of Fuels and Energy - States that the purpose of this Act is the development, within ten years, of the option and the capability for the United States to become energy self-sufficient through the use of domestic energy resources by socially and environmentally acceptable means.

Establishes an Energy Research Management Project headed by a Chairman who shall serve as the Staff Director. States that the Management Project shall review the full range of Federal activities in and financial support for fuels and energy research and development, giving consideration to research and development being conducted by industry and other non-Federal entities, to determine the capability of ongoing research efforts to carry out the policies established by this Act and other relevant Federal policies.

Directs the Chairman, in consultation with the Management Project, to: (1) identify opportunities to accelerate the commercial applications of new energy technologies in energy production by providing plants; and (2) conduct preliminary investigations and to explore potential cooperative agreements which may be entered into with non-Federal entities in order to develop recommendations for Federal participation or assistance in demonstrations of the technical feasibility and economic potential of energy technologies on a prototype or full-scale basis.

States that in developing proposals pursuant to this Act, the Chairman shall consider various forms of Federal assistance and participation which may include but are not limited to: (1) joint Federal-industry corporations; (2) Federal assistance through contractual arrangements with non-Federal participants including corporations, consortia, universities, governmental entities, nonprofit institutions; (3) contracts for the construction and operation of Federally owned facilities; (4) Federal purchases or guaranteed price of the products of demonstration plants or activities; and (5) Federal loans to non-Federal entities conducting demonstrations of new technologies.

Requires the Chairman, within ninety days of enactment of this Act, to promulgate regulations establishing procedures for submitting proposals for the purpose of implementing this Act.

Establishes standards for the joint Federal-industry corporations proposed under this Act and sets forth a formula for determining the Federal share of the cost of each corporation.

States that in evaluating proposed opportunities for particular research and development undertakings pursuant to this Act, the Chairman shall assign priority to those undertakings in which the urgency of public need for the potential results of the research, development, or demonstration effort is high, and it is unlikely that similar results would be achieved in a timely manner in the absence of Federal assistance.

Provides that all research, development, or demonstration contracted for, sponsored, or cosponsored by the Government pursuant to this Act, shall require as a condition of Federal participation that all information resulting from Federally assisted research shall be made available at the earliest practicable date to the general public, including non-governmental United States interests capable of bringing about further development, utilization, and commercial applications of such results.

Authorizes the appropriation of certain specified amounts for the fiscal years 1975 and 1976 to carry out the purposes of this Act.

Title II: Geothermal Energy - Geothermal Energy Act - Declares it to be the policy of the Congress to encourage the commercial development of means to produce energy from geothermal resources and to facilitate such development by authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to guarantee loans for such purposes.

Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to guarantee loans made for the purposes of acquiring rights in geothermal resources and performing exploration, development, and construction and operation of facilities for the commercial production of energy from geothermal resources. Specifies the terms and conditions such loans must meet prior to guarantee.

Authorizes the Secretary to enter into a contract to pay the lender the interest charges which become due and payable on the unpaid balance of any such loan if the Secretary finds that enumerated circumstances occur.

Establishes in the Treasury of the United States, a Geothermal Resources Development Fund.

Authorizes to be appropriated (1) to the fund not to exceed $50,000,000 annually, and (2) such amounts as may be required for the administrative cost of carrying out the provisions of this title.

Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Geological Survey, to: (1) carry out a plan for the orderly exploration of all forms of geothermal resources of the Federal lands; (2) conduct regional surveys that will lead to a national inventory of geothermal resources in the United States; (3) publish and make available maps, reports, and other documents developed from such exploration to facilitate the commercial development of geothermal resources; (4) make such recommendations for legislation; and, (5) participate with the Atomic Energy Commission, the National Aeronuatics and Space Administration, and the National Science Foundation in research.

Enumerates the activities in which the Atomic Energy Commission is directed to participate in furtherance of the purpose of this Act. Directs the Commission to coordinate such activities with the Department of the Interior.

States the conditions precedent to entering into agreements under this Act. Authorizes the Commission to investigate potential agreements for the cooperative development of major facilities to demonstrate the production of energy from geothermal resources and to submit engineering and financial proposals to the Congress for consideration of authorization to proceed with implementation.

Authorizes to be appropriated to carry out the purposes of this title: (1) $10 million for fiscal years 1974, 1975 and 1976 to the Secretary of the Interior; (2) $35 million for fiscal years 1974, 1975 and 1976 to the Atomic Energy Commission; and (3) such amounts as may be required in fiscal years 1974, 1975 and 1976 to NASA.