---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 7112"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "7112"
heading: "Congressional declaration of purpose"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/7112"
units:
  - "Chapter 84 — Department of Energy"
  - "Subchapter I — Declaration of Findings and Purposes"
---

# §7112. Congressional declaration of purpose


The Congress therefore declares that the establishment of a Department of [Energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) is in the public interest and will promote the general welfare by assuring coordinated and effective administration of Federal [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) policy and [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4). It is the purpose of this chapter:

- (1) To establish a Department of [Energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) in the executive branch.
- (2) To achieve, through the Department, effective management of [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) functions of the Federal Government, including consultation with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies in order to encourage them to establish and observe policies consistent with a coordinated [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) policy, and to promote maximum possible [energy conservation measures](/usc/42/8262.md?p=5) in connection with the activities within their respective jurisdictions.
- (3) To provide for a mechanism through which a coordinated national [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) policy can be formulated and implemented to deal with the short-, mid- and long-term [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) problems of the Nation; and to develop plans and [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for dealing with domestic [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) production and [import](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) shortages.
- (4) To create and implement a comprehensive [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) conservation strategy that will receive the highest priority in the national [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4).
- (5) To carry out the planning, coordination, support, and management of a balanced and comprehensive [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) research and development [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), including—
  - (A) assessing the requirements for [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) research and development;
  - (B) developing priorities necessary to meet those requirements;
  - (C) undertaking [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for the optimal development of the various forms of [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) production and conservation; and
  - (D) disseminating information resulting from such [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), including disseminating information on the commercial feasibility and use of [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) from fossil, nuclear, solar, geothermal, and other [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) technologies.
- (6) To place major emphasis on the development and commercial use of solar, geothermal, recycling and other technologies utilizing [renewable energy](/usc/42/15852.md?p=b-2) resources.
- (7) To continue and improve the effectiveness and objectivity of a central [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) data collection and analysis [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) within the Department.
- (8) To facilitate establishment of an effective strategy for distributing and allocating fuels in periods of short supply and to provide for the administration of a national [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) supply reserve.
- (9) To promote the interests of consumers through the provision of an adequate and reliable supply of [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) at the lowest reasonable cost.
- (10) To establish and implement through the Department, in coordination with the Secretaries of State, Treasury, and Defense, policies regarding international [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) issues that have a direct impact on research, development, utilization, supply, and conservation of [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) in the [United States](/usc/42/403.md?p=k) and to undertake activities involving the integration of domestic and foreign policy relating to [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7), including provision of independent technical advice to the President on international negotiations involving [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) resources, [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) technologies, or nuclear weapons issues, except that the Secretary of State shall continue to exercise primary authority for the conduct of foreign policy relating to [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) and nuclear nonproliferation, pursuant to policy guidelines established by the President.
- (11) To provide for the cooperation of Federal, [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), and [local governments](/usc/42/8401a.md) in the development and implementation of national [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) policies and [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4).
- (12) To foster and assure competition among parties engaged in the supply of [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) and fuels.
- (13) To assure incorporation of national environmental protection goals in the formulation and implementation of [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), and to advance the goals of restoring, protecting, and enhancing environmental quality, and assuring public health and safety.
- (14) To assure, to the maximum extent practicable, that the productive capacity of private enterprise shall be utilized in the development and achievement of the policies and purposes of this chapter.
- (15) To provide for, encourage, and assist public participation in the development and enforcement of national [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4).
- (16) To create an awareness of, and responsibility for, the fuel and [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) needs of rural and urban residents as such needs pertain to home heating and cooling, transportation, agricultural production, electrical generation, conservation, and research and development.
- (17) To foster insofar as possible the continued good health of the Nation’s small business firms, public utility districts, municipal utilities, and private cooperatives involved in [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) production, transportation, research, development, demonstration, marketing, and merchandising.
- (18) To provide for the administration of the functions of the [Energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) Research and Development Administration related to nuclear weapons and national security which are transferred to the Department by this chapter.
- (19) To ensure that the Department can continue current support of mathematics, science, and engineering education [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) by using the personnel, [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4), equipment, and resources of its [laboratories](/usc/42/300jj.md?p=10) and by working with [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and local education agencies, institutions of higher education, and business and industry. The Department’s involvement in mathematics, science, and engineering education should be consistent with its main mission and should be coordinated with all Federal efforts in mathematics, science, and engineering education, especially with the Department of Education and the National Science [Foundation](/usc/42/17351.md?p=3) (which have the primary Federal responsibility for mathematics, science, and engineering education).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 95–91, title I, § 102, Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 567; Pub. L. 101–510, div. C, title XXXI, § 3163, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1841.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in introductory provisions and pars. (14) and (18), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 95–91, Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 565, known as the Department of Energy Organization Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 7101 of this title and Tables.

### Amendments

1990—Pub. L. 101–510 substituted “chapter:” for “chapter—” in introductory provisions, capitalized the first letter of the first word in each of pars. (1) to (18), substituted a period for last semicolon in each of pars. (1) to (17), struck out “and” at end of par. (17), and added par. (19).