PILOT PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO AUTHORIZE USE OF PRIOR YEAR UNOBLIGATED BALANCES FOR ACCELERATED SITE CLEANUP AT ROCKY FLATS ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY SITE, COLORADO.

SEC. 3176. PILOT PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO AUTHORIZE USE OF PRIOR YEAR UNOBLIGATED BALANCES FOR ACCELERATED SITE CLEANUP AT ROCKY FLATS ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY SITE, COLORADO. (a) Authority to Use Amounts.—The Secretary of Energy shall carry out a pilot program under which the Secretary may use prior year unobligated balances in the defense environment management account for the closure project of the Department of Energy at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site, Colorado, for purposes of meeting accelerated cleanup schedule milestones with respect to that closure project. The amount of prior year unobligated balances that are obligated under the pilot program in any fiscal year may not exceed $15,000,000. (b) Notice of Intent to Use Authority.—Not less than 30 days before any obligation of funds under the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall notify the congressional defense committees of the intent of the Secretary to make such obligation. (c) Report on Pilot Program.—Not later than July 31, 2002, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees and the Committee on Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the implementation of the pilot program carried out under subsection (a). The report shall include the following: (1) Any use of the authority under that pilot program. (2) The recommendations of the Secretary as to whether— (A) the termination date in subsection (d) should be extended; and (B) the authority under that pilot program should be applied to additional closure projects of the Department. (d) Termination.—The authority to obligate funds under the pilot program shall cease to be in effect at the close of September 30, 2002.