42 U.S.C. § 9007 — Technical Panel of Energy Research Advisory Board

(a) Establishment A Technical Panel of the Energy Research Advisory Board must be established to advise the Board on the conduct of the ocean thermal energy conversion program. (b) Membership (1) The Technical Panel must be comprised of that representatives from domestic industry, universities, Government laboratories, financial, environmental and other organizations as the Chairman of the Energy Research Advisory Board deems appropriate based on his assessment of the technical and other qualifications of that representative. (2) Members of the Technical Panel need not be members of the full Energy Research Advisory Board. (c) Compliance with laws and regulations The activities of the Technical Panel must be in compliance with any laws and regulations guiding the activities of technical and fact-finding groups reporting to the Energy Research Advisory Board. (d) Review and recommendations The Technical Panel must review and may make recommendations on the following items, among others: (1) implementation and conduct of the programs established by this chapter; (2) definition of ocean thermal energy conversion system performance requirements for various user applications; and (3) economic, technological, and environmental consequences of the deployment of ocean thermal energy conversion systems. (e) Report The Technical Panel must submit to the Energy Research Advisory Board on at least an annual basis a written report of its findings and recommendations with regard to the program. Such report, must include at a minimum— (1) a summary of the Panel’s activities for the preceding year; (2) an assessment and evaluation of the status of the programs mandated by this chapter; and (3) comments on and recommendations for improvements in the comprehensive program management plan required under section 9002 of this title . (f) Submittal of report to Secretary^* of Energy After consideration of the Technical Panel report, the Energy Research Advisory Board must submit that report, together with any comments that Board deems appropriate, to the Secretary. (g) Cooperation by agency heads The heads of the departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch of the Federal Government must cooperate with the Technical Panel in carrying out the requirements of this section and must furnish to the Technical Panel that information as the Technical Panel deems necessary to carry out this section. (h) Staff, funds, and other support from Secretary of Energy The Secretary must provide sufficient staff, funds, and other support as necessary to enable the Technical Panel to carry out the functions described in this section.