§6273 Minor Construction Projects

Summary

The Secretary of Energy may use operation-and-maintenance or facilities-and-infrastructure funds to do small construction projects that support DOE national security. Once a year the Secretary must send the congressional defense committees a report about each project done the previous fiscal year. Each report must give a short description and, for each project, the original estimated cost and completion date, the percent finished, and the current estimated cost and new completion date. If a project’s estimated cost rises above the minor construction threshold during work, the Secretary must immediately tell the congressional defense committees and explain why. The Secretary may not start any project estimated to cost more than $5,000,000 until the committees are told and 15 days have passed after they receive the notice. Definitions: “minor construction project” — a plant project not separately approved by law whose approved estimated cost does not exceed the minor construction threshold.