§5812 Officers of Administration

Summary

The agency must be led by an Administrator of Energy Research and Development. The President appoints the Administrator and the Deputy Administrator, and the Senate must confirm both. The Administrator must be a civilian and cannot be appointed within two years after leaving active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of the Armed Forces. Both leaders must have the right background and experience to run energy research programs. There must be six Assistant Administrators, each in charge of one area (fossil energy; nuclear energy; environment and safety; conservation; solar, geothermal, and advanced energy systems; and national security). The President appoints them and the Senate confirms them. The Administrator names a General Counsel and up to eight other officers (those eight are career positions and follow section 2201(d)). A Director of Military Application, an active commissioned officer in general or flag rank, is appointed and removed by the Administrator and has the same duties, qualifications, and pay as under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. Officers do the tasks the Administrator assigns. The Administrator must pick one officer to handle international cooperation in energy and related environmental research. If the Administrator is absent or the job is vacant, the Deputy acts in charge; if the Deputy is unavailable, an Assistant Administrator, the General Counsel, or another official named in the Administrator’s order will act.