View all text of Part C [§ 6249 - § 6249c]
§ 6249. Contracting for petroleum product and facilities
(a) In generalSubject to the other provisions of this part, the Secretary may contract—
(1) for storage, in otherwise unused Strategic Petroleum Reserve facilities, of petroleum product not owned by the United States; and
(2) for storage, in storage facilities other than those of the Reserve, of petroleum product either owned or not owned by the United States.
(b) Conditions
(1) Petroleum product stored pursuant to such a contract shall, until the expiration, termination, or other conclusion of the contract, be a part of the Reserve and subject to the Secretary’s authority under part B.
(2) The Secretary may enter into a contract for storage of petroleum product under subsection (a) only if—
(A) the Secretary determines (i) that entering into one or more contracts under such subsection would achieve benefits comparable to the acquisition of an equivalent amount of petroleum product, or an equivalent volume of storage capacity, for the Reserve under part B, and (ii) that, because of budgetary constraints, the acquisition of an equivalent amount of petroleum product or volume of storage space for the Reserve cannot be accomplished under part B; and
(B) the Secretary notifies each House of the Congress of the determination and identifies in the notification the location, type, and ownership of storage and related facilities proposed to be included, or the volume, type, and ownership of petroleum products proposed to be stored, in the Reserve, and an estimate of the proposed benefits.
(3) A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall not limit the discretion of the President or the Secretary to conduct a drawdown and sale of petroleum products from the Reserve.
(4) A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall include a provision that the obligation of the United States to make payments under the contract in any fiscal year is subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) Charge for storage
(d) Duration
(e) Binding arbitration
(f) Availability of funds
(Pub. L. 94–163, title I, § 171, as added Pub. L. 101–383, § 6(a)(4), Sept. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 729; amended Pub. L. 102–486, title XIV, § 1403, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2994; Pub. L. 106–469, title I, § 103(20), Nov. 9, 2000, 114 Stat. 2033.)