§4. Investigation of lignite coal and peat

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to make experiments and investigations, through the United States Bureau of Mines, of lignite coals and peat, to determine the commercial and economic practicability of their utilization in producing fuel oil, gasoline substitutes, ammonia, tar, solid fuels, gas for power, and other purposes. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed subject to applicable regulations under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949,¹ as amended, to sell or otherwise dispose of any property, plant, or machinery purchased or acquired under the provisions of this section, as soon as the experiments and investigations authorized have been concluded, and report the results of such experiments and investigations to Congress.

(Feb. 25, 1919, ch. 23, §§1, 2, 40 Stat. 1154 ; Ex. Ord. No. 4239, June 4, 1925; Ex. Ord. No. 6611, Feb. 22, 1934; Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 654, §2(18), 65 Stat. 707 ; Pub. L. 102–285, §10(b), May 18, 1992, 106 Stat. 172 .)

References in Text

The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, referred to in text, is act June 30, 1949, ch. 288, 63 Stat. 377 , as amended. Except for title III of the Act, which is classified generally to subchapter IV (§251 et seq.) of chapter 4 of Title 41, Public Contracts, the Act was repealed and reenacted by Pub. L. 107–217, §§1, 6(b), Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1062 , 1304, as chapters 1 to 11 of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works.

Codification

First sentence of this section is from first clause of section 1 of act Feb. 25, 1919. Second sentence is from section 2 of said act.

Amendments

1951-Act Oct. 31, 1951, inserted reference to applicable regulations of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended.

Change of Name

"United States Bureau of Mines" substituted in text for "Bureau of Mines" pursuant to section 10(b) of Pub. L. 102–285, set out as a note under section 1 of this title. For provisions relating to closure and transfer of functions of the United States Bureau of Mines, see Transfer of Functions note set out under section 1 of this title.

¹ See References in Text note below.