1. (a) Establishment The Director of the United States Geological Survey (referred to in this section as the “Director”), shall fund, through a cooperative agreement with an academic partner, the design, construction, and tenant build-out of a facility to support energy and minerals research and appurtenant associated structures.
2. (b) Ownership The United States Geological Survey shall retain ownership of the facility and associated structures described in subsection (a).

3. (c) Agreements The Director may enter into agreements with, and to collect and expend funds or in-kind contributions from, academic, Federal, State, or other tenants over the life of the facility described in subsection (a) for the purposes of—

   1. (1) facility planning;
   2. (2) design;
   3. (3) maintenance;
   4. (4) operation; or
   5. (5) facility improvements.
4. (d) Leases The Director may enter into a lease or other agreement with the academic partner with which the Director has entered into a cooperative agreement under subsection (a), at no cost to the Federal Government, to obtain land on which to construct the facility described in that subsection for a term of not less than 99 years.

5. (e) Reports The Director shall submit to Congress annual reports on—

   1. (1) the facility described in subsection (a); and
   2. (2) the authorities used under this section.
6. (f) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out this section $167,000,000 for fiscal year 2022, to remain available until expended.

(Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title II, § 40204, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 960.)