Helium Stewardship Act of 2013 - Amends the Helium Act to require that all proceeds received by the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) from the sale or disposition of helium on federal land from sale or auction be credited to the Helium Production Fund (established in this Act).
Requires the Secretary to: (1) impose a fee that accurately reflects the economic value of helium storage, withdrawal, or transportation services, (2) publish annually a standardized schedule of fees that will be charged for such services, (3) credit such fees to the Helium Production Fund, (4) allow any person or qualified bidder to which crude helium is sold or auctioned under this Act to store it in the Federal Helium Reserve, and (5) offer crude helium for sale under such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines necessary to implement this Act with minimum market disruption.
Prescribes procedural guidelines for the phased-in sales of crude helium.
Authorizes federal users to purchase refined helium with priority pipeline access from persons who have entered into enforceable contracts to purchase an equivalent quantity of crude helium from the Secretary.
Prescribes: (1) a helium sales auction implementation process, and (2) auction quantities for FY2015 and beyond.
Authorizes federal users to purchase refined helium with priority pipeline access and at the in-kind price from persons who have entered into enforceable contracts to purchase an equivalent quantity of crude helium from the Secretary.
Requires the Secretary to establish annually sale and minimum auction prices using a specified order of priority.
Requires a refiner, as a condition of sale, to make excess refining capacity of helium available to specified persons at commercially reasonable rates.
Instructs the Secretary to offer crude helium for sale to federal users in such quantities, at such times, at not less than the minimum price established under this Act, and under such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines necessary to implement this Act.
Establishes the Helium Production Fund, to be credited with proceeds received under such Act for specified purposes, including capital investments in upgrades and maintenance of the Federal Helium System.
Requires the Secretary to offer for sale or auction maximum quantities of crude helium during each fiscal year.
Repeals the requirement that the Secretary arrange with the National Academy of Sciences to study whether disposal of helium reserves will have a substantial adverse effect on scientific, technical, biomedical, or national security interests.
Directs the Secretary, acting through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to make specified information available on the Internet relating to the Federal Helium System, including an open market and in-kind price. Requires the BLM Director to establish a timely and public reporting process to provide data affecting the helium industry.
Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, to undertake a national helium gas assessment.
Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to support research, development, commercial application, and conservation programs to: (1) expand domestic production of low-Btu gas and helium resources, (2) separate and capture helium from natural gas streams, and (3) reduce venting helium and helium-bearing low-Btu gas during natural gas operations.
Requires the Secretary of Energy to support or carry out directly research programs to develop: (1) advanced membrane technology, (2) helium separation technology, and (3) low-cost technologies and technology systems for recycling, reprocessing, and reusing helium for all medical, scientific, industrial, commercial, aerospace, and other uses of helium in the United States, including federal uses (industrial helium program).
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to cooperate with the Secretary of Energy on any assessment or research regarding extraction and refinement of the isotope helium-3 from crude helium at the Reserve or along the helium pipeline system.
Directs the Secretary to report to Congress: (1) a 20-year federal strategy for securing access to crude helium; and (2) certain assessments for federal users of the consumption of, and projected demand for, crude and refined helium, as well as of the effects of increases in the price of refined helium and methods and policies for mitigating any determined effects.
Repeals the mandate for the sale of all U.S.-owned helium reserves in excess of 600 million cubic feet on a straight-line basis by January 1, 2015.
| Action Date | Type | Text | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-07-29 | Calendars | Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 152. | Senate |
| 2013-07-29 | Committee | Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Wyden with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 113-83. | Senate |
| 2013-06-18 | Committee | Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. | Senate |
| 2013-05-07 | Committee | Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-51. | Senate |
| 2013-04-23 | IntroReferral | Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2898-2901) | Senate |
| 2013-04-23 | IntroReferral | Introduced in Senate | Library of Congress |