SUBCHAPTER III—STUDIES

§8531. Study and report

(a) Study of commercial and industrial storage of fuel

Not later than 180 days after November 5, 1979, the Secretary shall conduct a study and report to the Congress regarding the commercial and industrial storage of gasoline and middle distillates (other than storage in facilities which have capacities of less than 500 gallons or storage used exclusively and directly for agricultural, residential, petroleum refining, or pipeline transportation purposes).

(b) Contents of report

Such report shall—

(1) indicate to what extent storage activities have increased since November 1, 1978, and what business establishments (including utilities) have been involved;

(2) the estimated amount of gasoline and middle distillates (in the aggregate and by type and region) which are in storage within the United States at the time of the study, the amounts which were in storage at the same time during the calendar year preceding the study, and the purposes for which such storage is maintained; and

(3) contain such findings and recommendations for legislation and administrative action as the Secretary considers appropriate, including recommendations for improving the availability and quality of data concerning such storage.

(Pub. L. 96–102, title II, §241, Nov. 5, 1979, 93 Stat. 768.)

§8532. Middle distillate monitoring program

(a) Monitoring program

(1) Not later than 60 days after November 5, 1979, the Secretary shall establish and maintain a data collection program for monitoring, at the refining, wholesale, and retail levels, the supply and demand levels of middle distillates on a periodic basis in each State.

(2) The program to be established under paragraph (1) shall provide for—

(A) the prompt collection of relevant demand and supply data under the authority available to the Secretary under other law; and

(B) the submission to Congress of periodic reports each containing a concise narrative analysis of the most recent data which the Secretary determines are accurate, and a discussion on a State-by-State basis of trends in such data which the Secretary determines are significant.

(3) All data and information collected under this program shall be available to the Congress and committees of the Congress, and, in accordance with otherwise applicable law, to appropriate State and Federal agencies and the public.

(4) Nothing in this subsection authorizes the direct or indirect regulation of the price of any middle distillate.

(5) For purposes of this section, the term "middle distillate" has the same meaning as given that term in section 211.51 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on November 5, 1979.

(b) Report

Before December 31, 1979, the President shall submit a report to Congress in which the President shall examine the middle distillate situation, summarizing the data, information, and analyses described in subsection (a) and discussing in detail matters required to be addressed in findings made pursuant to section 760a(d)(1) ¹ of title 15.

(Pub. L. 96–102, title II, §242, Nov. 5, 1979, 93 Stat. 768.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 760a of title 15, referred to in subsec. (b), was omitted from the Code pursuant to section 760g of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, which provided for the expiration of the President's authority under that section on Sept. 30, 1981.

¹ See References in Text note below.