42 U.S.C. § 8301 : US Code - Section 8301: Findings; statement of purposes

Search 42 U.S.C. § 8301 : US Code - Section 8301: Findings; statement of purposes

(a) Findings
The Congress finds that -
(1) the protection of public health and welfare, the
preservation of national security, and the regulation of
interstate commerce require the establishment of a program for
the expended (!1) use, consistent with applicable environmental
requirements, of coal and other alternate fuels as primary energy
sources for existing and new electric powerplants; and
(2) the purposes of this chapter are furthered in cases in
which coal or other alternate fuels are used by electric
powerplants, consistent with applicable environmental
requirements, as primary energy sources in lieu of natural gas or
petroleum.
(b) Statement of purposes
The purpose (!2) of this chapter, which shall be carried out in a
manner consistent with applicable environmental requirements, are -

(1) to reduce the importation of petroleum and increase the
Nation's capability to use indigenous energy resources of the
United States to the extent such reduction and use further the
goal of national energy self-sufficiency and otherwise are in the
best interests of the United States;
(2) to encourage and foster the greater use of coal and other
alternate fuels, in lieu of natural gas and petroleum, as a
primary energy source;
(3) to the extent permitted by this chapter, to encourage the
use of synthetic gas derived from coal or other alternate fuels;
(4) to encourage the rehabilitation and upgrading of railroad
service and equipment necessary to transport coal to regions or
States which can use coal in greater quantities;
(5) to encourage the modernization or replacement of existing
and new electric powerplants which utilize natural gas or
petroleum as a primary energy source and which cannot utilize
coal or other alternate fuels where to do so furthers the
conservation of natural gas and petroleum;
(6) to require that existing and new electric powerplants which
utilize natural gas, petroleum, or coal or other alternate fuels
pursuant to this chapter comply with applicable environmental
requirements;
(7) to insure that all Federal agencies utilize their
authorities fully in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter
by carrying out programs designed to prohibit or discourage the
use of natural gas and petroleum as a primary energy source and
by taking such actions as lie within their authorities to
maximize the efficient use of energy and conserve natural gas and
petroleum in programs funded or carried out by such agencies;
(8) to insure that adequate supplies of natural gas are
available for essential agricultural uses (including crop drying,
seed drying, irrigation, fertilizer production, and production of
essential fertilizer ingredients for such uses);
(9) to reduce the vulnerability of the United States to energy
supply interruptions; and
(10) to regulate interstate commerce.