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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-102

§7270a Guards for Strategic Petroleum Reserve Facilities

Title 42 › CHAPTER 84 — DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › SUBCHAPTER VI — ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › Part C — General Administrative Provisions › § 7270a

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

DOE employees and any contractors protecting the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, its storage or related facilities, or people there may carry firearms under rules approved by the Secretary and the Attorney General if they are designated and trained. They may arrest someone without a warrant for federal crimes: for a felony if they reasonably believe the person committed or is committing it and is in or fleeing the area, or for a felony or misdemeanor if it happens in their presence.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §7270a

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

Under guidelines prescribed by the Secretary and concurred with by the Attorney General, employees of the Department of Energy and employees of contractors and subcontractors (at any tier) of the Department of Energy, while discharging their official duties of protecting the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (established under part B of title I of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act [42 U.S.C. 6231 et seq.]) or its storage or related facilities or of protecting persons upon the Strategic Petroleum Reserve or its storage or related facilities, may—
(1)carry firearms, if designated by the Secretary and qualified for the use of firearms under the guidelines; and
(2)arrest without warrant any person for an offense against the United States—
(A)in the case of a felony, if the employee has reasonable grounds to believe that the person—
(i)has committed or is committing a felony; and
(ii)is in or is fleeing from the immediate area of the felony; and
(B)in the case of a felony or misdemeanor, if the violation is committed in the presence of the employee.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 94–163, Dec. 22, 1975, 89 Stat. 871. Part B of title I of the Act is classified generally to part B (§ 6231 et seq.) of subchapter I of chapter 77 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 6201 of this title and Tables.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 7270a

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102