15 USC 9303 - Agency activities in support of sustainable chemistry

View all text of Chapter 118 [§ 9301 - § 9306]

§ 9303. Agency activities in support of sustainable chemistry

(a) In general

(b) ActivitiesThe activities described in subsection (a) shall—

(1) incorporate sustainable chemistry into existing research, development, demonstration, technology transfer, commercialization, education, and training programs, that the agency determines to be relevant, including consideration of—

(A) merit-based competitive grants to individual investigators and teams of investigators, including, to the extent practicable, early career investigators, for research and development;

(B) grants to fund collaborative research and development partnerships among universities, industry, and nonprofit organizations;

(C) coordination of sustainable chemistry research, development, demonstration, and technology transfer conducted at Federal laboratories and agencies;

(D) incentive prize competitions and challenges in coordination with such existing Federal agency programs; and

(E) grants, loans, and loan guarantees to aid in the technology transfer and commercialization of sustainable chemicals, materials, processes, and products;

(2) collect and disseminate information on sustainable chemistry research, development, technology transfer, and commercialization, including information on accomplishments and best practices;

(3) expand the education and training of students at appropriate levels of education, professional scientists and engineers, and other professionals involved in all aspects of sustainable chemistry and engineering appropriate to that level of education and training, including through—

(A) partnerships with industry as described in section 9304 of this title;

(B) support for the integration of sustainable chemistry principles into chemistry and chemical engineering curriculum and research training, as appropriate to that level of education and training; and

(C) support for integration of sustainable chemistry principles into existing or new professional development opportunities for professionals including teachers, faculty, and individuals involved in laboratory research (product development, materials specification and testing, life cycle analysis, and management);

(4) as relevant to an agency’s programs, examine methods by which the Federal agencies, in collaboration and consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, may facilitate the development or recognition of validated, standardized tools for performing sustainability assessments of chemistry processes or products;

(5) through programs identified by an agency, support, including through technical assistance, participation, financial support, communications tools, awards, or other forms of support, outreach and dissemination of sustainable chemistry advances such as non-Federal symposia, forums, conferences, and publications in collaboration with, as appropriate, industry, academia, scientific and professional societies, and other relevant groups;

(6) provide for public input and outreach to be integrated into the activities described in this section by the convening of public discussions, through mechanisms such as public meetings, consensus conferences, and educational events, as appropriate;

(7) within each agency, develop or adapt metrics to track the outputs and outcomes of the programs supported by that agency; and

(8) incentivize or recognize actions that advance sustainable chemistry products, processes, or initiatives, including through the establishment of a nationally recognized awards program through the Environmental Protection Agency to identify, publicize, and celebrate innovations in sustainable chemistry and chemical technologies.

(1) be available only for pre-competitive activities; and

(2) not be used to promote the sale of a specific product, process, or technology, or to disparage a specific product, process, or technology.

(Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title II, § 263, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3500.)