Department of Energy Civilian Programs 1980 Authorization Act

Department of Energy Civilian Programs 1980 Authorization Act - Title I: Research and Development - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1980 for the following programs: (1) fossil energy coal, oil and gas programs; (2) specified conservation programs; (3) solar technology and applications programs; (4) biomass research and development programs; (5) nuclear fission energy and fusion programs; (6) geothermal energy research and development programs; (7) low head hydroelectric development programs; (8) electric energy systems programs; (9) energy storage systems programs; (10) basic energy sciences programs; (11) supply research and development; (12) high energy physics programs; (13) nuclear physics programs; (14) uranium enrichment process development programs; (15) environmental research and development programs; and (16) energy research and development. Directs the Secretary of Energy to carry out a high-level liquid nuclear waste management demonstration project at the Western New York Service Center in West Valley, New York. Specifies the nature of the activities to be carried out at such project and authorizes appropriations to the Secretary for fiscal year 1980 to carry out such activities. Prohibits funds authorized and appropriated in subsequent fiscal years for such project from being used by the Secretary until the Secretary, the State of New York, and other appropriate persons enter contracts and other agreements for the transfer of title to such waste, the utilization by the Secretary of Center facilities and property, the sharing of project costs, and other matters relevant to the conduct of such project. Requires the Secretary to consult with specified Federal and State agencies and the commercial operator of the Center in carrying out such project. Directs the Secretary to submit annual reports to specified congressional committees on activities conducted in connection with such project. Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1980 for supply research and development plant and capital equipment for specified projects. Stipulates that the Federal share of each plant and capital equipment construction project, with respect to Department of Energy civilian research and development programs, shall be funded exclusively from an account separate from operating expenses. Allows operating expenses to be used for: (1) any construction project having a total estimated Federal cost of $500,000 or less; (2) the conceptual design of any project; (3) the procurement and installation of individual components fabricated for research and development or testing; (4) experimental test equipment to conduct specific investigations; and (5) solar heating and cooling demonstrations. Requires that the Department notify the appropriate committees of each of the Houses 60 days in advance of commencing construction for major projects where it is in the national interest to initiate construction in advance of the next annual budget cycle. Prohibits any appropriated funds authorized by this Act from being obligated for expenditure or expended for long lead procurement, land acquisition, or construction for specified plant and capital equipment projects where the estimated total Federal cost of the project is greater than $50,000,000 unless the Congress is notified and a 60-day waiting period expires. Prohibits monies to be used to place, bury, or store in any subsurface geologic repository any irradiated nuclear fuel assembly from any nuclear reactor unless the geologic repository is designated so that all fuel assemblies can be easily and economically retrieved. Title II: Regulatory and Related Functions - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1980 for expenses to the Economic Regulatory Administration, the Office of Hearings and Appeals, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Energy Information Administration, and for Strategic Petroleum Reserve Plan functions. Title III: Commercialization and Related Activities - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1980 for expenses for specified renewable resources and conservation activities. Title IV: Power Marketing, Federal Leasing and Other Activities - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1980 for the Alaska Power Administration, the Southeastern Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, and the Western Area Power Administration. Authorizes the Bonneville Power Administration to make expenditures from the Bonneville Power Administration Fund to provide for energy conservation and the use of renewable energy sources. Authorizes appropriations for specified Federal leasing and fuel data gathering and analysis programs. Title V: Nuclear Assessments, Spent Fuel Disposition, Operations, and Decontamination and Decommissioning - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1980 for uranium resource assessment operating expenses, capital investment, construction, fuel disposition functions, and decontamination and decommissioning functions. Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1980 for the Secretary of Energy to conduct studies and to select temporary sites for the interim storage of spent fuel for nuclear power reactors licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and, consistent with existing law, foreign commercial reactors. Requires that the Secretary submit a report to the Congress and the President concerning the construction of any away-from-reactor facility. Stipulates that the views and comments of the Governor of any State in which there is located a spent fuel storage facility site are to be included in such report. Directs the Secretary to investigate whether it is appropriate to fund 90 percent of the cost of cleanup of the uranium mill tailing site at Edgemont, South Dakota (which is under the control of the Tennessee Valley Authority) under the provisions of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978. Requires that a report on the appropriate legislative recommendations and the views and recommendations of the Tennessee Valley Authority be submitted to the Congress. Directs the Secretary to arrange for the removal of spent nuclear fuel of domestic origin from countries potentially ineligible for additional nuclear exports pursuant to specified provisions of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. Authorizes appropriations for such activities. Title VI: Other Renewable Resources and Conservation Activities - Authorizes appropriations for other renewable resources and conservation activities involving: (1) analysis and technology transfer functions regarding buildings and community systems; (2) energy extension services; (3) appropriate technology; (4) urban waste energy conservation; (5) fossil energy; (6) solar applications; and (7) industrial energy conservation. Title VII: Other Departmental Activities - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1980 for: (1) operating expenses and capital investment for specified uranium enrichment programs and projects; (2) commercial waste management operating expenses; and (3) Departmental administrative activities operating expenses, construction, and capital equipment acquisition and fabrication not related to construction. Directs the Secretary, in consultation with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, State utility commissions, and the public, to develop a civilian nuclear reactor operator training program. Directs the Secretary to conduct research on critical aspects of man-machine interactions in the operations of such reactors. Directs the Secretary to submit to the President and specified congressional committees a report on the national program for management of commercial high level waste and spent fuel, including identification of the sites being considered for license as permanent repositories for such waste or spent fuel. Directs the Secretary to use the Department's domestic energy research, development, and demonstration activities in support of its international energy program and to coordinate such international program with programs of the Department of State, the Agency for International Development, and other agencies responsible for international energy activities. Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1980 for such international program, part of which is to be allocated to the design of an international program concentrating on the problems of less developed countries and part of which is to be used to implement high priority projects identified in such international program. Requires that such international activities be performed within the framework of the Development Coordination Committee and in cooperation with the Agency for International Development. Title VIII: Provisions Regarding Use of Funds - Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for any program in excess of the amount actually authorized for that program under this Act and any reprogramming that decreases certain authorizations by more than five percent, or $10,000,000, whichever is less, unless the Congress is notified and a 30-day waiting period expires. Sets forth limitations on the use of amounts appropriated pursuant to this Act regarding management support services and unexpended balances. Amends the Department of Energy Organization Act to allow the Department to use certain revenues received from uranium enrichment services, when permitted in an annual appropriation Act. Limits the use of such revenues to the payment of the cost incurred in providing such services. Requires that all monies, other than enrichment revenues and certain other receipts, collected by the Department and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in fiscal year 1980 and thereafter shall be deposited into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts. Requires that the Secretary submit to the Congress an annual report concerning enrichment service revenues. Limits the Department's use of operating funds for research, development and demonstration projects and authorizes the Department to transfer funds to other agencies to perform work for the Department. Allows authorizations in this Act for construction line item projects to remain effective without fiscal year limitation through fiscal year 1982. Authorizes appropriations to pay for automatic pay increases. Limits the Department's travel expenses. Prohibits the Department from using funds appropriated under this Act for renovation, furnishing, or repair of facilities to provide temporary or permanent space for personnel relocated as a result of the establishment of the Department. Limits the use of funds available for direct and indirect purchases of gasoline in amounts in excess of 80 percent of the amount purchased by the Department in fiscal year 1979. Exempts from the provisions of this Act any authorization for appropriations in any other law for fiscal year 1980 for any military application of nuclear energy, for research and development in support of the armed forces, or for the common defense and security of the United States.

Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on July 16, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.

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