42 U.S.C. § 16361 — Arctic Engineering Research Center

(a) Consulting the Energy Secretary^* and the United States Arctic Research Commission, the Transportation Secretary must give annual grants to a university^* next to the Department of Energy Arctic Energy Office. The university must establish and operate a university research center headquartered in Fairbanks called the “Arctic Engineering Research Center” or “Center.” (b) The Center must research and develop better construction methods and materials for roads, bridges, homes, commercial and industrial structures, and other Arctic infrastructure. It must emphasize techniques for transportation and other infrastructure that withstand Arctic conditions and use limited energy efficiently; technologies and procedures improving safety, reliability, and integrity; new materials and better performance and energy efficiency of existing materials; and recommendations for local, regional, and State^* permits and building codes supporting safety and efficient energy use. (c) The Center must conduct basic and applied research in those subjects whose results peers or other experts judge to advance Arctic road, bridge, rail, and infrastructure engineering, and must continuously transfer usable research results to potential users. (d) For each fiscal year 2006–2011, the Secretary must give the institution a $3,000,000 grant. (e) Congress authorizes $3,000,000 for each of those years.