Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§13554 Tar Sands

Title 42 › CHAPTER 134 — ENERGY POLICY › SUBCHAPTER XII — MISCELLANEOUS › Part B — Other Miscellaneous Provisions › § 13554

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The United States will promote development and production of tar sands using sound engineering, economic, and environmental practices. Tar sands are rock (not coal, oil shale, or gilsonite) that either contain hydrocarbon material with a gas-free viscosity greater than 10,000 centipoise at reservoir temperature, or contain hydrocarbon material and are produced by mining or quarrying. Within one year after October 24, 1992, the Secretary, with the Secretary of the Interior, must submit a study to the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate evaluating U.S. tar sand sources, extraction methods (including waste tailings), environmental benefits, and potential co-production of minerals and metals. Money may be appropriated as needed for fiscal years 1993 and 1994.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §13554

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Policy

It is the policy of the United States to promote the development and production, by all means consistent with sound engineering, economic, and environmental practices, of deposits of tar sands.

(b)“Tar sands” defined

(1)For purposes of this section, the term “tar sands” means any consolidated or unconsolidated rock (other than coal, oil shale, or gilsonite) that either—

(A)contains a hydrocarbonaceous material with a gas-free viscosity, at original reservoir temperature, greater than 10,000 centipoise; or

(B)contains a hydrocarbonaceous material and is produced by mining or quarrying.

(2)Nothing in this section is intended or shall be construed to affect in any way the definition of the term tar sands under any other provision of Federal law.

(c)Study

The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall submit a study to the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate within one year after October 24, 1992. Such study shall identify and evaluate the development potential of sources of tar sands in the United States. The study shall also identify and evaluate processes for extracting oil from the identified tar sand sources, including existing tar sands waste tailings, and evaluate the environmental benefits of, and the potential for co-production of minerals and metals from, such processes.

(d)Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1993 and 1994 to carry out this section.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 13554

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110