§792 — Title 15 Commerce and Trade | U.S. Code

Summary

The Federal Energy Administrator can order a powerplant to stop using petroleum or natural gas and switch to coal, and can also order other large fuel-burning plants to do the same. Before making such an order, the Administrator must find three things: switching to coal is practical and fits the law’s goals; coal and transport will be available while the order lasts; and for powerplants, the switch will not harm the area’s electricity reliability. Orders must be changed or ended if those findings stop being true. For orders that end on or before June 30, 1975, the Administrator must give public notice, allow written comments, and consult the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Those orders cannot start until the EPA says when the plant can meet air pollution rules. For orders covering times after June 30, 1975, the Administrator must allow oral and written hearings, and the order cannot start until the EPA says the plant can burn coal and meet air rules on or after July 1, 1975, or until the EPA sets the earliest date it can comply. Orders do not take effect during any periods the EPA certifies the plant cannot meet pollution rules. The Administrator may also require new plants in early planning (except combustion gas turbines or combined-cycle units) to be built so they can use coal, unless that would harm reliability or a reliable coal supply is not expected. The Administrator must consider existing contracts and whether owners can recover added costs. The Administrator may allocate coal to plants under these orders or to others as needed. Powerplant means a fossil-fuel electric unit that produces power for sale or exchange. Coal includes coal derivatives. The authority to issue orders or rules ended at midnight, December 31, 1978, though such rules could take effect any time before January 1, 1985. The authority to change, cancel, or enforce those rules ended at midnight, December 31, 1984, but legal or administrative cases about acts before January 1, 1985 can continue.

Title 15, §792

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Federal Energy Administrator—

(1)shall, by order, prohibit any powerplant, and

(2)may, by order, prohibit any major fuel burning installation, other than a powerplant,

(b)The requirements referred to in subsection (a) are as follows:

(1)An order under subsection (a) may not be issued with respect to a powerplant or installation unless the Federal Energy Administrator finds (A) that the burning of coal by such plant or installation, in lieu of petroleum products or natural gas, is practicable and consistent with the purposes of this chapter, (B) that coal and coal transportation facilities will be available during the period the order is in effect, and (C) in the case of a powerplant, that the prohibition under subsection (a) will not impair the reliability of service in the area served by such plant. Such an order shall be rescinded or modified to the extent the Federal Energy Administrator determines that any requirement described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of this paragraph is no longer met; and such an order may at any time be modified if the Federal Energy Administrator determines that such order, as modified, complies with the requirements of this section.

(2)(A)Before issuing an order under subsection (a) which is applicable to a powerplant or installation for a period ending on or before June 30, 1975, the Federal Energy Administrator (i) shall give notice to the public and afford interested persons an opportunity for written presentations of data, views, and arguments, (ii) shall consult with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and (iii) shall take into account the likelihood that the powerplant or installation will be permitted to burn coal after June 30, 1975.

(B)An order described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not become effective until the date which the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency certifies pursuant to section 1857c–10(d)(1)(A) 11 See References in Text note below. of title 42 is the earliest date that such plant or installation will be able to comply with the air pollution requirements which will be applicable to it. Such order shall not be effective for any period certified by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to section 1857c–10(d)(3)(B) 1 of title 42.

(3)(A)Before issuing an order under subsection (a) which is applicable to a powerplant or installation after June 30, 1975 (or modifying an order to which paragraph (2) applies, so as to apply such order to a powerplant or installation after such date), the Federal Energy Administrator shall give notice to the public and afford interested persons an opportunity for oral and written presentations of data, views, and arguments.

(B)An order (or modification thereof) described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not become effective until (i) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency notifies the Federal Energy Administrator under section 1857c–10(d)(1)(B) 1 of title 42 that such plant or installation will be able on and after July 1, 1975, to burn coal and to comply with all applicable air pollution requirements without a compliance date extension under section 1857c–10(c) 1 of title 42, or (ii) if such notification is not given, the date which the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency certifies pursuant to section 1857c–10(d)(1)(B) 1 of title 42 is the earliest date that such plant or installation will be able to comply with all applicable requirements of such 1857c–10 1 of title 42. Such order (or modification) shall not be effective during any period certified by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under section 1857c–10(d)(3)(B) 1 of title 42.

(c)The Federal Energy Administrator may require that any powerplant or other major fuel burning installation in the early planning process (other than a combustion gas turbine or combined cycle unit) be designed and constructed so as to be capable of using coal as its primary energy source. No powerplant or other major fuel burning installation may be required under this subsection to be so designed and constructed, if the Administrator determines that (1) in the case of a powerplant to do so is likely to result in an impairment of reliability or adequacy of service, or (2) an adequate and reliable supply of coal is not expected to be available. In considering whether to impose a design and construction requirement under this subsection, the Federal Energy Administrator shall consider the existence and effects of any contractual commitment for the construction of such facilities and the capability of the owner to recover any capital investment made as a result of any requirement imposed under this subsection.

(d)The Federal Energy Administrator may, by rule or order, allocate coal (1) to any powerplant or major fuel-burning installation to which an order under subsection (a) has been issued, or (2) to any other person to the extent necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

(e)For purposes of this section:

(1)The term “powerplant” means a fossil-fuel fired electric generating unit which produces electric power for purposes of sale or exchange.

(2)The term “coal” includes coal derivatives.

(f)(1)Authority to issue orders or rules under subsections (a) through (d) of this section shall expire at midnight, December 31, 1978. Such a rule or order may take effect at any time before January 1, 1985.

(2)Authority to amend, repeal, rescind, modify, or enforce such rules or orders shall expire at midnight, December 31, 1984; but the expiration of such authority shall not affect any administrative or judicial proceeding which relates to any act or omission which occurred prior to January 1, 1985.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b)(1) and (d), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 93–319. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 791 of this title and Tables. Section 1857c–10 of title 42, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(B), (3)(B), was in the original a reference to section 119 of the Clean Air Act, and was repealed by Pub. L. 95–95, § 112(b), which provided in part that references in this section to section 1857c–10 shall be construed to refer to section 7413(d) of title 42 and to paragraph (5) thereof in particular. Subsequently, section 7413 of title 42 was amended generally by Pub. L. 101–549, title VII, § 701, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2672, and, as so amended, subsec. (d) no longer relates to final compliance orders. See section 7413(a) of title 42 for provisions relating generally to compliance orders. For further details, see Compliance Orders note set out below.

Amendments

1977—Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 95–70 substituted “shall expire at midnight,

December 31, 1978” for “shall expire at midnight,

June 30, 1977”. 1975—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–163, § 101(b), authorized the Administrator to prohibit any powerplant or other fuel burning installation from burning natural gas or petroleum products as its primary energy source if such powerplant or other installation is required to meet a design or

Construction

requirement under subsec. (c) of this section. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–163, § 101(c), inserted “or other major fuel burning installation” after “powerplant” wherever appearing and inserted “in the case of a powerplant” after “if the Administrator determines that (1)”. Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 94–163, § 101(a)(1), substituted “

June 30, 1977” for “

June 30, 1975” and “

January 1, 1985” for “

January 1, 1979”. Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 94–163, § 101(a)(2), substituted “

December 31, 1984” for “

December 31, 1978” and “

January 1, 1985” for “

January 1, 1979”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

Federal Energy Administration terminated and functions vested by law in Administrator thereof transferred to Secretary of Energy (unless otherwise specifically provided) by section 7151(a) and 7293 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Compliance Orders Pub. L. 95–95, title I, § 112(b), Aug. 7, 1977, 91 Stat. 709, repealed section 119 of the Clean Air Act, which was classified to section 1857c–10 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and which related to the Administrator’s authority to deal with the energy shortage. section 112(b) of Pub. L. 95–95 provided that: “(1) section 119 of such Act [section 1857c–10 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare] is hereby repealed. All references to such section 119 [section 1857c–10 of Title 42] or subsections thereof in section 2 of the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974 (Public Law 93–319) [this section] or any amendment thereto, or any subsequent enactment which supersedes such Act [Pub. L. 93–319, June 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 246], shall be construed to refer to section 113(d) of the Clean Air Act [section 7413(d) of Title 42] and to paragraph (5) thereof in particular. Any certification or notification required to be given by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under section 2 of the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974 [this section] or any amendment thereto, or any subsequent enactment which supersedes such Act, shall be given only when the Governor of the State in which is located the source to which the proposed order under section 113(d)(5) of the Clean Air Act [section 7413(d)(5) of Title 42] is to be issued gives his prior written concurrence. “(2) In the case of any major stationary source to which any requirement is applicable under section 113(d)(5)(B) of the Clean Air Act [section 7413(d)(5)(B) of Title 42] and for which certification is required under section 2 of the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974 [this section] or any amendment thereto, or any subsequent enactment which supersedes such Act [Pub. L. 93–319], the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall certify the date which he determines is the earliest date that such source will be able to comply with all such requirements. In the case of any plant or installation which the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency determines (after consultation with the State) will not be subject to an order under section 113(d) of the Clean Air Act [section 7413(d) of Title 42] and for which certification is required under section 2 of the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974 [this section] or any amendment thereto, or any subsequent enactment which supersedes such Act [Pub. L. 93–319], the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall certify the date which he determines is the earliest date that such plant or installation will be able to burn coal in compliance with all applicable emission limitations under the implementation plan. “(3) Any certification required under section 2 of the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974 [this section] or any amendment thereto, or any subsequent enactment which supersedes such Act [Pub. L. 93–319], or under this subsection may be provided in an order under section 113(d) of the Clean Air Act [section 7413(d) of Title 42].”

§792 Coal Conversion and Allocation