The Director of the United States Geological Survey (referred to in this section as the “Director”),[1] 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.
The United States Geological Survey shall retain ownership of the facility and associated structures described in subsection (a).
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.