(a) Designation by Secretary of Energy
The Secretary of Energy, after consultation with the National Academy of Engineering, shall designate thirteen institutions of higher education at which university coal research laboratories will be established and operated. Ten such designations shall be made as provided in subsection (e) and the remaining three shall be made in fiscal year 1980.

(b) Criteria
In making designations under this section, the Secretary of Energy shall consider the following criteria:

(1) Those ten institutions of higher education designated as provided in subsection (e) shall be located in a State with abundant coal reserves.

(2) The institution of higher education shall have experience in coal research, expertise in several areas of coal research, and potential or currently active, outstanding programs in coal research.

(3) The institution of higher education has the capacity to establish and operate the coal laboratories to be assisted under this subchapter.

(c) Location of coal laboratories
Not more than one coal laboratory established pursuant to this subchapter shall be located in a single State and at least one coal laboratory shall be established within each of the major coal provinces recognized by the United States Bureau of Mines, including Alaska.

(d) Period for submission of applications for designation; contents
The Secretary of Energy shall establish a period, not in excess of ninety days after August 3, 1977, for the submission of applications for designation under this section. Any institution of higher education desiring to be designated under this subchapter shall submit an application to the Secretary of Energy in such form, at such time, and containing or accompanied by such information as the Secretary of Energy may reasonably require. Each application shall—

(1) describe the facilities to be established for coal energy resources and conversion research and research on related environmental problems including facilities for interdisciplinary academic research projects by the combined efforts of specialists such as mining engineers, mineral engineers, geochemists, mineralogists, mineral economists, fuel scientists, combustion engineers, mineral preparation engineers, coal petrographers, geologists, chemical engineers, civil engineers, mechanical engineers, and ecologists;

(2) set forth a program for the establishment of a test laboratory for coal characterization which, in addition, may be used as a site for the exchange of coal research activities by representatives of private industry engaged in coal research and characterization;

(3) set forth a program for providing research and development activities for students engaged in advanced study in any discipline which is related to the development of adequate energy supplies in the United States. The research laboratory shall be associated with an ongoing educational and research program on extraction and utilization of coal.

(e) Time limit
The Secretary of Energy shall designate the ten institutions of higher education under this section not later than ninety days after the date on which such applications are to be submitted.