Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-102
§8311 Coal Capability of New Electric Powerplants; Certification of Compliance
Title 42 › CHAPTER 92 — POWERPLANT AND INDUSTRIAL FUEL USE › SUBCHAPTER II — NEW FACILITIES › Part A — Prohibitions › § 8311
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Title 42, §8311
The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Except to such extent as may be authorized under part B, no new electric powerplant may be constructed or operated as a base load powerplant without the capability to use coal or another alternate fuel as a primary energy source.
(b)An electric powerplant has the capability to use coal or another alternate fuel for purposes of this section if such electric powerplant—
(1)has sufficient inherent design characteristics to permit the addition of equipment (including all necessary pollution devices) necessary to render such electric powerplant capable of using coal or another alternate fuel as its primary energy source; and
(2)is not physically, structurally, or technologically precluded from using coal or another alternate fuel as its primary energy source.
(c)(1)This section shall apply only to base load powerplants, and shall not apply to peakload powerplants or intermediate load powerplants.
(2)For the purposes of this section, hours of electrical generation pursuant to emergency situations, as defined by the Secretary and reported to the Secretary, shall not be included in a determination of whether a powerplant is being operated as a base load powerplant.
(d)(1)In order to meet the requirement of subsection (a), the owner or operator of any new electric powerplant to be operated as a base load powerplant proposing to use natural gas or petroleum as its primary energy source shall certify to the Secretary prior to construction, or prior to operation as a base load powerplant in the case of a new electric powerplant operated as a peakload powerplant or intermediate load powerplant, that such powerplant has capability to use coal or another alternate fuel, within the meaning of subsection (b). Such certification shall be effective to establish compliance with the requirement of subsection (a) as of the date it is filed with the Secretary. Within 15 days after receipt of a certification submitted pursuant to this paragraph, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a notice reciting that the certification has been filed.
(2)The Secretary, within 60 days after the filing of a certification under paragraph (1), may require the owner or operator of such powerplant to provide such supporting documents as may be necessary to verify the certification.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1987—Pub. L. 100–42 substituted “Coal capability of new electric powerplants; certification of compliance” for “New electric powerplants” in section catchline and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Except to such extent as may be authorized under part B— “(1) natural gas or petroleum shall not be used as a primary energy source in any new electric powerplant; and “(2) no new electric powerplant may be constructed without the capability to use coal or any other alternate fuel as a primary energy source.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 8311
Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102