In this paper we present status and plans for the 20- MeV R&D energy recovery linac (ERL), which is under construction at Collider Accelerator Department at BNL. The facility is based on high current (up to 0.5 A of average current) super-conducting 2.5 MeV RF gun,single-mode super-conducting 5-cell RF linac and about 20-m long return loop with very flexible lattice. The R&D ERL, which is planned for commissioning in early 2009, aims to address many outstanding questions relevant for high current, high brightness energy-recovery linacs.