Skip to content
LexBuild

42 USC § 16151 - Purposes

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t42/s16151"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "42 USC § 16151 - Purposes"
title_number: 42
title_name: "THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE"
section_number: "16151"
section_name: "Purposes"
chapter_number: 149
chapter_name: "NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS"
subchapter_number: "VIII"
subchapter_name: "HYDROGEN"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 109–58, title VIII, § 802, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 844.)"
---

# § 16151. Purposes

The purposes of this subchapter are—

**(1)** to enable and promote comprehensive development, demonstration, and commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technology in partnership with industry;

**(2)** to make critical public investments in building strong links to private industry, institutions of higher education, National Laboratories, and research institutions to expand innovation and industrial growth;

**(3)** to build a mature hydrogen economy that creates fuel diversity in the massive transportation sector of the United States;

**(4)** to sharply decrease the dependency of the United States on imported oil, eliminate most emissions from the transportation sector, and greatly enhance our energy security; and

**(5)** to create, strengthen, and protect a sustainable national energy economy.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 109–58, title VIII, § 802, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 844.)

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title

For short title of title VIII of , which enacted this subchapter, as the “Spark M. Matsunaga Hydrogen Act of 2005”, see , set out as a note under .

### Findings; Purpose

> **“(a)** **Findings.—** Congress finds that—
> 
> **“(1)** hydrogen plays a critical part in the comprehensive energy portfolio of the United States;
> 
> **“(2)** the use of the hydrogen resources of the United States—
> 
> **“(A)** promotes energy security and resilience; and
> 
> **“(B)** provides economic value and environmental benefits for diverse applications across multiple sectors of the economy; and
> 
> **“(3)** hydrogen can be produced from a variety of domestically available clean energy sources, including—
> 
> **“(A)** renewable energy resources, including biomass;
> 
> **“(B)** fossil fuels with carbon capture, utilization, and storage; and
> 
> **“(C)** nuclear power.
> 
> **“(b)** **Purpose.—** The purpose of this subtitle [subtitle B (§§ 40311–40315) of title III of div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, see Tables for classification] is to accelerate research, development, demonstration, and deployment of hydrogen from clean energy sources by—
> 
> **“(1)** providing a statutory definition for the term ‘clean hydrogen’;
> 
> **“(2)** establishing a clean hydrogen strategy and roadmap for the United States;
> 
> **“(3)** establishing a clearing house for clean hydrogen program information at the National Energy Technology Laboratory;
> 
> **“(4)** developing a robust clean hydrogen supply chain and workforce by prioritizing clean hydrogen demonstration projects in major shale gas regions;
> 
> **“(5)** establishing regional clean hydrogen hubs; and
> 
> **“(6)** authorizing appropriations to carry out the Department of Energy Hydrogen Program Plan, dated November 2020, developed pursuant to title VIII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16151 et seq.).”

, , , provided that:

[For provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for construction, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of , including authority of Secretary of Labor, see .]