TASK FORCE AND SI IkoMMII 111 ON ENERGY, 1') 691 



The meeting itself arrived at general agreement that the concept 

 of the geothermal bill would be broadened. 



During the subcommittee markup session, McCormack, Mosher, 

 and Brown all called attention to the need for additional support to 

 train personnel in geothermal technology. McCormack stated: 



The testimony that we have received and the consultation we have received 

 indicates that manpower may well be the limiting factor in developing geothermal 

 energy. (We are) setting out a policy and authorizing and encouraging NSF to under- 

 take a much more aggressive program for training and retraining personnel. 



Brown and Mosher added that because of the declining support NSF 

 was giving to educational programs, it was necessary to beef up this 

 section of the legislation, which was done. 



When the bill reached the House floor on July 10, Brown men- 

 tioned that "we are in a period of relative chaos in the organization 

 of our energy research and development activities, and what this bill 

 proposes is an innovative concept to bridge the interim period until 

 we can resolve this chaos." He added: 



The administration has not been wholeheartedly in support of this legislation, 

 not because it does not agree with the goal but because it has not formulated and put 

 into effect its own program. 



REPUBLICAN SUPPORT FOR GEOTHERMAL ENERGY 



Goldwater, in speaking out for the bill, indicated that it had been 

 reported unanimously "and has the complete support of the Republican 

 members of the committee." He indicated that it was possible for geo- 

 thermal energy to supply as much as 20 percent of the Nation's electric 

 power by the year 2000. Mosher correctly noted that the cosponsors 

 of the legislation "almost read like a list of 'Who's Who' in the House 

 of Representatives." As with the solar energy legislation which came 

 out of the subcommittee, there were paeans of praise from all sections 

 of the country as Member after Member arose to praise the bill. 



Two amendments by Hechler were rejected — one to omit the sec- 

 tion providing for Federal disposal of geothermal projects after the 

 demonstrations had been completed, and the second to confine the loan 

 guarantees to small business. The latter amendment was labeled as 

 "well meaning but mischievous" by Holifield. Goldwater and McCor- 

 mack pointed out that only large utilities and city governments would 

 be capable of undertaking the geothermal demonstration projects. An 

 amendment by Victor Veysey (Republican of California) to encourage 

 a clearinghouse of Federal, State and local rules and regulations as 

 applied to geothermal projects was adopted. The bill itself then passed 

 by the thundering majority of 404 to 3. 



