§13412 Oil Shale

Summary

The Secretary must run a five-year program to study and improve how oil is taken from and made from oil shale in both eastern and western areas. The program’s goals include developing cost-effective and environmentally safe ways to make liquid fuels from oil shale, improving waste disposal methods, learning more about the chemistry and timing of retorting, solving engineering and mining design problems, and working with universities and private companies. For eastern shale, the program will fund applied research with universities and industry and may include groups that were doing eastern shale research as of October 24, 1992; costs should be shared as much as possible. For western shale, the program may set up at least one field test center, favoring sites with existing mining or processing facilities, and the Secretary must give Congress a report 60 days before opening any center. Funding authorized: $5,250,000 for fiscal year 1993 and $6,000,000 for fiscal year 1994.