Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§13554 Tar sands

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 134— - ENERGY POLICY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER XII— - MISCELLANEOUS › Part Part B— - Other Miscellaneous Provisions › § 13554

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The United States must promote developing and producing tar sands using sound engineering, economic, and environmental practices. "Tar sands" means rock (not coal, oil shale, or gilsonite) that either contains very thick hydrocarbons (gas-free viscosity over 10,000 centipoise at original reservoir temperature) or contains hydrocarbons and is produced by mining or quarrying. This does not change other federal definitions. Within one year after October 24, 1992, the Secretary, consulting the Secretary of the Interior, must give the House of Representatives and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources a study that evaluates U.S. tar sand sources, extraction methods (including waste tailings), environmental benefits, and the potential to co-produce minerals and metals. Funds may be appropriated as needed for fiscal years 1993 and 1994 to carry out this work.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §13554

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)It is the policy of the United States to promote the development and production, by all means consistent with sound engineering, economic, and environmental practices, of deposits of tar sands.

(b)(1)For purposes of this section, the term “tar sands” means any consolidated or unconsolidated rock (other than coal, oil shale, or gilsonite) that either—

(A)contains a hydrocarbonaceous material with a gas-free viscosity, at original reservoir temperature, greater than 10,000 centipoise; or

(B)contains a hydrocarbonaceous material and is produced by mining or quarrying.

(2)Nothing in this section is intended or shall be construed to affect in any way the definition of the term tar sands under any other provision of Federal law.

(c)The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall submit a study to the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate within one year after October 24, 1992. Such study shall identify and evaluate the development potential of sources of tar sands in the United States. The study shall also identify and evaluate processes for extracting oil from the identified tar sand sources, including existing tar sands waste tailings, and evaluate the environmental benefits of, and the potential for co-production of minerals and metals from, such processes.

(d)There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1993 and 1994 to carry out this section.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 13554

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73