---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 16161b"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "16161b"
heading: "National clean hydrogen strategy and roadmap"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/16161b"
units:
  - "Chapter 149 — National Energy Policy and Programs"
  - "Subchapter VIII — Hydrogen"
---

# §16161b. National clean hydrogen strategy and roadmap

- (a) **Development—**
  - (1) **In general—** In carrying out the programs established under sections [16154](/usc/42/16154.md) and [16161a](/usc/42/16161a.md) of this title, the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4), in consultation with the heads of relevant offices of the [Department](/usc/42/15801.md?p=1), shall develop a technologically and economically feasible national strategy and roadmap to facilitate widescale production, processing, delivery, [storage](/usc/42/16152.md?p=6), and use of [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1).
  - (2) **Inclusions—** The national [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) strategy and roadmap developed under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) shall focus on—
    - (A) establishing a standard of [hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) production that achieves the standard developed under [section 16166(a) of this title](/usc/42/16166.md?p=a), including interim goals towards meeting that standard;
    - (B)
      - (i) [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) production and use from natural gas, coal, renewable energy sources, nuclear energy, and biomass; and
      - (ii) identifying potential barriers, pathways, and opportunities, including Federal policy needs, to transition to a [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) economy;
    - (C) identifying—
      - (i) economic opportunities for the production, processing, transport, [storage](/usc/42/16152.md?p=6), and use of [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) that exist in the major shale natural gas-producing regions of the United States;
      - (ii) economic opportunities for the production, processing, transport, [storage](/usc/42/16152.md?p=6), and use of [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) that exist for merchant nuclear power plants operating in deregulated markets; and
      - (iii) environmental risks associated with potential deployment of [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) technologies in those regions, and ways to mitigate those risks;
    - (D) approaches, including substrategies, that reflect geographic diversity across the country, to advance [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) based on resources, industry sectors, environmental benefits, and economic impacts in regional economies;
    - (E) identifying opportunities to use, and barriers to using, existing [infrastructure](/usc/42/16152.md?p=4), including all components of the natural gas [infrastructure](/usc/42/16152.md?p=4) system, the carbon dioxide pipeline [infrastructure](/usc/42/16152.md?p=4) system, end-use local distribution networks, end-use power generators, LNG terminals, industrial users of natural gas, and residential and commercial consumers of natural gas, for [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) deployment;
    - (F) identifying the needs for and barriers and pathways to developing [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) hubs (including, where appropriate, [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) hubs coupled with carbon capture, utilization, and [storage](/usc/42/16152.md?p=6) hubs) that—
      - (i) are regionally dispersed across the United States and can leverage natural gas to the maximum extent practicable;
      - (ii) can demonstrate the efficient production, processing, delivery, and use of [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1);
      - (iii) include transportation corridors and modes of transportation, including transportation of [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) by pipeline and rail and through ports; and
      - (iv) where appropriate, could serve as joint [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) and carbon capture, utilization, and [storage](/usc/42/16152.md?p=6) hubs;
    - (G) prioritizing activities that improve the ability of the [Department](/usc/42/15801.md?p=1) to develop tools to model, analyze, and optimize single-input, multiple-output integrated hybrid energy systems and multiple-input, multiple-output integrated hybrid energy systems that maximize efficiency in providing [hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1), high-value heat, electricity, and chemical synthesis services;
    - (H) identifying the appropriate points of interaction between and among Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) involved in the production, processing, delivery, [storage](/usc/42/16152.md?p=6), and use of [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) and clarifying the responsibilities of those Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and potential regulatory obstacles and recommendations for modifications, in order to support the deployment of [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1); and
    - (I) identifying geographic zones or regions in which [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) technologies could efficiently and economically be introduced in order to transition existing [infrastructure](/usc/42/16152.md?p=4) to rely on [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1), in support of decarbonizing all relevant sectors of the economy.
- (b) **Reports to Congress—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 180 days after November 15, 2021, the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall submit to Congress the [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) strategy and roadmap developed under [subsection (a)](#a).
  - (2) **Updates—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall submit to Congress updates to the [clean hydrogen](/usc/42/16152.md?p=1) strategy and roadmap under [paragraph (1)](#b-1) not less frequently than once every 3 years after the date on which the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) initially submits the report and roadmap.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–58, title VIII, § 814, as added Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title III, § 40314(2), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1010.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 814 of Pub. L. 109–58 was renumbered section 819 and is classified to section 16163 of this title.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Wage Rate Requirements

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 Pub. L. 117–58, including authority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title.