(1) At any time after the date of the enactment of this section [June 30, 1980], the President may, subject to paragraph (2), invoke the authorities provided under this section upon making all the following determinations and transmitting a report to the Congress regarding such determinations:
(A) a national energy supply shortage has resulted or is likely to result in a shortfall of petroleum supplies in the United States, and such shortage is expected to persist for a period of time sufficient to seriously threaten the adequacy of defense fuel supplies essential to direct defense and direct defense industrial base programs;
(B) the continued adequacy of such supplies cannot be assured and requires expedited production of synthetic fuel to provide such defense fuel supplies;
(C) the expedited production of synthetic fuel to provide such defense fuel supplies will not be accomplished in a timely manner by the United States Synthetic Fuels Corporation; and
(D) the exercise of the authorities provided under subsection (c) is necessary to provide for the expedited production of synthetic fuel to provide such defense fuel supplies.
(2)(A) Any transmittal under paragraph (1) shall contain a determination by the President regarding the extent of the anticipated shortage of petroleum supplies. If the President determines that such shortage is greater than 25 percent, the authorities invoked by the President under this section shall be effective on the date on which the report required under paragraph (1) is transmitted to the Congress.
(B) If the President determines that such shortage is less than 25 percent, the transmittal under paragraph (1) shall be made in accordance with section 307 1 [section 2097 of this Appendix] and the authorities under this section shall be effective only as provided under such section. For purposes of section 307 1 [section 2097 of this Appendix], any determination to invoke authorities under this section, notice of which is transmitted to the Congress under this subsection, shall be considered to be a synthetic fuel action.
(3) No court shall have the authority to review any determination made by the President under this subsection.
(1)(A) Subject to the requirements of subsection (a), in order to encourage and expedite the development of synthetic fuel for use for national defense purposes, the President, utilizing the provisions of this Act [sections 2061 to 2171 of this Appendix] (other than sections 101(a), 101(b), 301, 302, 303, and 305 [sections 2071(a), 2071(b), 2091, 2092, 2093, and 2095 of this Appendix]), and any other applicable provision of law, shall take immediate action to achieve production of synthetic fuel to meet national defense needs.
(B) The President shall exercise the authority granted by this section—
(i) in consultation with the Secretary of Energy; and
(ii) through the Department of Defense and any other Federal department or agency designated by the President.
(2) This section shall not affect the authority of the United States Synthetic Fuels Corporation.
(1)(A) To assist in carrying out the objectives of this section, the President, subject to subsections (d) and (e), shall—
(i) contract for purchases of or commitments to purchase synthetic fuel for Government use for defense needs;
(ii) subject to paragraph (4), issue guarantees in accordance with the provisions of section 301 [section 2091 of this Appendix], except that the provisions of section 301(e)(1)(B) [section 2091(e)(1)(B) of this Appendix] shall not apply with respect to such guarantees;
(iii) subject to paragraph (4), make loans in accordance with the provisions of section 302 [section 2092 of this Appendix], except that the provisions of section 302(2) [section 2092(2) of this Appendix] shall not apply with respect to such loans;
(iv) have the authority to require fuel suppliers to provide synthetic fuel in any case in which the President deems it practicable and necessary to meet the national defense needs of the United States. Nothing in this paragraph shall be intended to provide authority for the President to require fuel suppliers to produce synthetic fuel if such suppliers are not already producing synthetic fuel or do not intend to produce synthetic fuel;
(v) have the authority to install additional equipment, facilities, processes, or improvements to plants, factories, and other industrial facilities owned by the Government, and to install Government-owned equipment in plants, factories, and other industrial facilities owned by private persons; and
(vi) have the authority to undertake Government synthetic fuel projects in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (2).
(B)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), assistance authorized under this subsection may be provided only to persons who are participating in a synthetic fuel project.
(ii) For purposes of fabrication or manufacture of any component of a synthetic fuel project, assistance authorized under paragraph (1)(A)(ii) and paragraph (1)(A)(iii) may be provided to any fabricator or manufacturer of such component.
(2)(A) The Government, acting through the President, is authorized to own Government synthetic fuel projects. In any case in which the Government owns a Government synthetic fuel project, the Government shall contract for the construction and operation of such project.
(B) The authority of the Government pursuant to subparagraph (A) to own and contract for the construction and operation of any Government synthetic fuel project shall include, among other things, the authority to—
(i) subject to subparagraph (C), take delivery of synthetic fuel from such project; and
(ii) transport and store and have processed and refined such synthetic fuel.
(C) Any synthetic fuel which the Government takes delivery of from a Government synthetic fuel project shall be disposed of in accordance with subsection (g).
(D) To the maximum extent feasible, the President shall utilize the private sector for the activities associated with this paragraph.
(3)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), any contract for the construction or operation of a Government synthetic fuel project shall be made by solicitation of sealed competitive bids.
(B) In any case in which no such bids are submitted to the President or the President determines that no such bids have been submitted which are acceptable to the President, the President may negotiate contracts for such construction and operation.
(4) The President may not utilize the authority under paragraph (1) to provide any loan or guarantee in accordance with the provisions of section 301 [section 2091 of this Appendix] or section 302 [section 2092 of this Appendix] in amounts which exceed the limitations established in such sections unless the President submits to the Congress notification of the proposed loan or guarantee in the manner specified under section 307 2 [section 2097 of this Appendix] and such proposed action is either approved or not disapproved by the Congress under such section. For purposes of section 307 2 [section 2097 of this Appendix], any proposal pertaining to a proposed loan or guarantee, notice of which is transmitted to the Congress under this paragraph, shall be considered to be a synthetic fuel action.
(5) Before the President may utilize any specific authority described under paragraph (1), the President shall transmit to the Congress a statement containing a certification that the determinations made by the President in the transmittal to the Congress under subsection (a)(1) are still valid at the time of the transmittal of such certification.
(6)(A) No authority contained in paragraphs (1)(A)(i) through (1)(A)(iv) may be utilized by the President unless the use of such authority has been authorized by the Congress in an Act hereinafter enacted by the Congress.
(B) The President may not utilize any authority under paragraph (1)(A)(v) or paragraph (1)(A)(vi) unless the proposed exercise of authority has been specifically authorized on a project-by-project basis in an Act hereinafter enacted by the Congress and funds have been specifically appropriated by the Congress for purposes of exercising such authority.
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), purchases and commitments to purchase under subsection (c) may be made—
(A) without regard to the limitations of existing law (other than those limitations contained in this Act [sections 2061 to 2171 of this Appendix]) regarding the procurement of goods or services by the Government; and
(B) subject to section 717(a) [section 2166(a) of this Appendix], for such quantities, on such terms and conditions (including advance payments subject to paragraph (3)), and for such periods as the President deems necessary.
(2) Purchases or commitments to purchase under subsection (c) involving higher than established ceiling prices (or if there are no established ceiling prices, currently prevailing market prices as determined by the Secretary of Energy) shall not be made unless it is determined that supplies of synthetic fuel could not be effectively increased at lower prices or on terms more favorable to the Government, or that such commitments or purchases are necessary to assure the availability to the United States of supplies overseas for use for national defense purposes.
(3) Advance payments may not be made under this section unless construction has begun on the synthetic fuel project involved or the President determines that all conditions precedent to construction have been met.
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), any purchase or commitment to purchase synthetic fuel under subsection (c) shall be made by solicitation of sealed competitive bids.
(2) In any case in which no such bids are submitted to the President or the President determines that no such bids which have been submitted to the President are acceptable, the President may negotiate contracts for such purchases and commitments to purchase.
(3) Any contract for such purchases or commitments to purchase shall provide that the President has the right to refuse delivery of the synthetic fuel involved and to pay the person involved an amount equal to the amount by which the price for such synthetic fuel, as specified in the contract involved, exceeds the market price, as determined by the Secretary of Energy, for such synthetic fuel on the delivery date specified in such contract.
(4)(A) With respect to any person, including any other person who is substantially controlled by such person (as determined by the Secretary of Energy), the President, subject to subparagraph (B), may not award contracts for the purchase of or commitment to purchase more than 100,000 barrels per day crude oil equivalent of synthetic fuel.
(B) With respect to any person, including any other person who is substantially controlled by such person (as determined by the Secretary of Energy), the President may not award any contract for the purchase of or commitment to purchase more than 75,000 barrels per day crude oil equivalent of synthetic fuel unless the President submits to the Congress notification of such proposed contract or commitment in the manner specified under section 307 3 [section 2097 of this Appendix] and such proposed action is either approved or not disapproved by the Congress under such section. For purposes of section 307 3 [section 2097 of this Appendix], any proposal pertaining to such a proposed contract or commitment, notice of which is transmitted to the Congress under this subparagraph, shall be considered to be a synthetic fuel action.
(5) A contract for the purchase of or commitment to purchase synthetic fuel may be entered into only for synthetic fuel which is produced in a synthetic fuel project which is located in the United States.
(6) Each contract entered into under this section for the purchase of or commitment to purchase synthetic fuel shall provide that all parties to such contract agree to review and to possibly renegotiate such contract within 10 years after the date of the initial production at the synthetic fuel project involved. At the time of such review, the President shall determine the need for continued financial assistance pursuant to such contract.
(7) In any case in which the President, under the provisions of this section, accepts delivery of any synthetic fuel, such synthetic fuel may be used by an appropriate Federal agency. Such Federal agency shall pay for such synthetic fuel the prevailing market price for the product which such synthetic fuel is replacing, as determined by the Secretary of Energy, from sums appropriated to such Federal agency for the purchase of fuel, and the President shall pay, from sums appropriated for such purpose, an amount equal to the amount by which the contract price for such synthetic fuel as specified in the contract involved exceeds such prevailing market price.
(8) In considering any proposed contract under this section, the President shall take into account the socioeconomic impacts on communities which would be affected by any new or expanded facilities required for the production of the synthetic fuel under such contract.
The procurement power granted to the President under this section shall include the power to transport and store and have processed and refined any product procured under this section.
(1) No authority contained in this section may be exercised to acquire any amount of synthetic fuel unless the President determines that such synthetic fuel is needed to meet national defense needs and that it is not anticipated that such synthetic fuel will be resold by the Government.
(2) In any case in which synthetic fuel is acquired by the Government under this section, such synthetic fuel is no longer needed to meet national defense needs, and such synthetic fuel is not accepted by a Federal agency pursuant to subsection (e)(7), the President shall offer such synthetic fuel to the Secretary of Energy for purposes of meeting the storage requirements of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
(3) Any synthetic fuel which is acquired by the Government under this section and which is not used by the Government or accepted by the Secretary of Energy pursuant to paragraph (2), shall be sold in accordance with applicable Federal law.
(1) Any contract under this section, including any amendment or other modification of such contract, shall, subject to the availability of unencumbered appropriations in advance, specify in dollars the maximum liability of the Federal Government under such contract as determined in accordance with paragraph (2).
(2) For the purpose of determining the maximum liability under any contract under paragraph (1)—
(A) loans shall be valued at the initial face value of the loan;
(B) guarantees shall be valued at the initial face value of such guarantee (including any amount of interest which is guaranteed under such guarantee);
(C) purchase agreements shall be valued as of the date of each such contract based upon the President's estimate of the maximum liability under such contract;
(D) contracts for activities under subsection (c)(1)(A)(v) shall be valued at the initial face value of such contract;
(E) Government synthetic fuel projects pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(A)(vi) shall be valued at the current estimated cost to the Government, as determined annually by the President; and
(F) any increase in the liability of the Government pursuant to any amendment or other modification to a contract for a loan, guarantee, purchase agreement, contract for activities under subsection (c)(1)(A)(v), or Government synthetic fuel project pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(A)(vi) shall be valued in accordance with the applicable preceding subparagraph.
(3) If more than one form of assistance is provided under this section to any synthetic fuel project then the maximum liability under such contract for purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be valued at the maximum potential exposure on such project at any time during the life of such project.
(4) Any such contract shall be accompanied by a certification by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget that the necessary appropriations have been made for the purpose of such contract and are available. The remaining available and unencumbered appropriations shall equal the total aggregate appropriations less the aggregate maximum liability of the Federal Government under all contracts pursuant to this section.
(5) Any commitment made under this section which is nullified or voided for any reason shall not be considered in the aggregate maximum liability for the purposes of paragraph (4).
For purposes of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), no action in providing any loan, guarantee, or purchase agreement under this section, shall be deemed to be a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.
All laborers and mechanics employed for the construction, repair, or alteration of any synthetic fuel project funded, in whole or in part, by a guarantee or loan entered into pursuant to this section shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on projects of a similar character in the locality as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code. Guaranteeing agencies shall not extend guarantees and the President shall not make loans for the construction, repair or alteration of any synthetic fuel project unless a certification is provided to the agency or the President, as the case may be, prior to the commencement of construction or at the time of filing an application for a loan or guarantee, if construction has already commenced, that these labor standards will be maintained at the synthetic fuel project. With respect to the labor standards specified in this subsection, the Secretary of Labor shall have the authority and functions set forth in Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950.
(1) Nothing in this section shall—
(A) affect the jurisdiction of the States and the United States over waters of any stream or over any ground water resource;
(B) alter, amend, repeal, interpret, modify, or be in conflict with any interstate compact made by any States; or
(C) confer upon any non-Federal entity the ability to exercise any Federal right to the waters of any stream or to any ground water resource.
(2) No synthetic fuel project constructed pursuant to the authorities of this section shall be considered to be a Federal project for purposes of the application for or assignment of water rights.
Renewals and extensions of contracts entered into under this section shall be made only to the extent that Congress has specifically appropriated funds for such renewals and extensions, unless the President certifies that the determinations under section 306(a)(1) [subsec. (a)(1) of this section] remain in effect for purposes of the use of such authority.
(Sept. 8, 1950, ch. 932, title III, §306, as added Pub. L. 96–294, title I, §104(e), June 30, 1980, 94 Stat. 623; amended Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title X, §1062(o)(3), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2653.)
Section 307, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2)(B), (c)(4), and (e)(4)(B), is classified to section 2097 of this Appendix and was amended by Pub. L. 102–558, title I, §151, Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 4218, and as so amended, provisions relating to congressional approval of synthetic fuel action by the President were struck out.
Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950, referred to in subsec. (j), is set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
2002—Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 107–314, §1062(o)(3)(B), struck out “and section 276(c) of title 40” before period at end.
Pub. L. 107–314, §1062(o)(3)(A), substituted “subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code” for “the Act entitled ‘An Act relating to the rate of wages for laborers and mechanics employed on public buildings of the United States and the District of Columbia by contractors and subcontractors and for other purposes’, approved March 3, 1931 (40 U.S.C. 276a et seq.) and commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act”.
Section effective June 30, 1980, see section 107 of Pub. L. 96–294, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 2062 of this Appendix.
Termination of section, see section 2166(a) of this Appendix.
United States Synthetic Fuels Corporation terminated by Pub. L. 99–272, title VII, §7403(b), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 144, set out as a note under section 8791 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
1 See References in Text note below.