42 U.S.C. § 13457 — Energy efficient environmental program

(a) Program direction. The Secretary, working with the EPA, may continue a 5-year program to improve the energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of pollution prevention technology and processes, including source reduction and waste minimization. The purposes are to (1) apply a systems approach that minimizes industrial production's environmental harm in the most cost-effective and energy-efficient way, and (2) consider the entire materials and energy cycle, aiming to minimize environmental harm. (b) Identification of opportunities. Within 9 months after October 24, 1992, the Secretary, working with the EPA, had to identify opportunities to demonstrate energy-efficient pollution prevention technology and processes. (c) Report. Within 1 year after October 24, 1992, the Secretary had to report to Congress evaluating the opportunities found in part (b). The report had to include: (1) an assessment of technology available to raise productivity while cutting energy and material use and waste; (2) an assessment of how much U.S. industry already uses this technology; (3) the status of technology still being developed, with projected timelines for when it would be commercially available; (4) the energy savings from using it; (5) its environmental benefits; (6) its costs; (7) an evaluation of federal or state rules that discourage using it; and (8) an evaluation of any other barriers to using it. In writing this report, the Secretary had to consult the EPA, any other federal, state, or local officials the Secretary thought necessary, industry representatives, members of environmental or energy-efficiency organizations, and other interested members of the public the Secretary picked. (d) Proposals. Within 1 year after October 24, 1992, the Secretary, working with the EPA, had to ask for proposals for activities under this section. Selected proposals had to demonstrate (1) technical viability and cost-effectiveness, and (2) plans for transferring the technology and reaching out with information during and after the project.