Coal Gasification Development Corporation Act

Coal Gasification Development Corporation Act - Expresses the findings of Congress and declares that it is the policy of Federal Government to bring technology to commercial development as quickly as possible by establishing a Government-industry program, jointly managed and funded, to demonstrate commercial scale methods of producing substitutes for natural gas.

Establishes the Coal Gasification Development Corporation. Provides for the appointment of the members of the Board of Directors for such Corporation and sets their rates of compensation.

Provides that it is the function of the Corporation to select, on the basis of the best engineering information available, the two or more most technically, environmentally, and economically feasible methods of manufacturing substitute natural gas from coal. Authorizes the Corporation to construct and maintain a demonstration-type facility for each such method selected in order to determine the technical, environmental, and economical feasibility thereof.

Provides that if the method demonstrated is feasible, the Corporation is authorized to construct, a full-scale, commercial-size facility to manufacture substitute natural gas from coal.

Directs the Corporation to make available on a nonexclusive royalty free basis without territorial limitation, the use of any patent obtained by the Corporation. Requires the Corporation to transmit annual reports to the President and the Congress detailing its operations.

Provides for the dissolution of the Corporation on or before the expiration of ten years. Enumerates disposal procedures for physical facilities of the Corporation. Authorizes the Corporation to procure the services of experts and consultants without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service.

Authorizes to be appropriated to the Corporation, for fiscal year 1974, $6,000,000, and for each of the next nine succeeding fiscal years such sums as may be necessary.

Authorizes the Director of the National Science Foundation to fund basic and applied research related to energy in support of the objectives of this Act to support the new energy technologies under development by the joint Federal-industry corporation established by this Act.