§6273 Minor Construction Projects

Summary

The Secretary of Energy may use operation and maintenance funds or facilities and infrastructure funds approved under a DOE national security authorization to carry out minor construction projects. The Secretary must notify the congressional defense committees before starting any such project with an estimated cost over $5,000,000 and wait 15 days after the committees get the notice before beginning. Each year the Secretary must send the congressional defense committees a short report on every minor construction project done the year before. Each report must give a brief description of each project and show the original cost and original completion date, how much of the work is finished (percentage), and the current cost and current completion date. If a project’s estimated cost is changed and the new estimate goes above the minor construction threshold, the Secretary must immediately report to the committees and explain why the cost changed. Defined term: minor construction project — a plant project not specifically authorized by law whose approved total estimated cost does not exceed the minor construction threshold.