§2841 Study by Secretary of Energy

Summary

The Secretary of Energy must study how much producers, refiners, and other suppliers use profits from other parts of their business to subsidize selling motor fuel at wholesale or retail. The Secretary must consult the Federal Trade Commission chair, the Attorney General, and other agencies as needed. The study will cover five main topics: the role of vertical integration in enabling subsidies, whether the subsidies are predatory and hurt competition, profitability in different parts of the petroleum industry, how banning subsidies would affect competition, consumer prices, and industry health, and any other related matters the Secretary finds important. The Secretary must give notice and let interested people submit written and oral information and views. The Secretary must report the study results, with recommendations and data, to Congress no later than 18 months after June 19, 1978. If the President decides temporary measures are needed while Congress reviews the report, he may issue rules under the procedures in section 6393(a) of Title 42. No interim measure may be proposed after January 1, 1980. If Congress approves an interim measure, its effect cannot last more than 18 months after that approval. Such measures only take effect if both Houses approve them under the contingency-plan approval process in section 6422 of Title 42, and the usual 60-day review period for that process is extended to 90 days. Money may be appropriated as needed to carry out the study.