Definitions
In this chapter:
Cliffside Field
Federal Helium Pipeline
Federal Helium Reserve
Federal Helium System
The term “Federal Helium System” means—
the Federal Helium Reserve;
the Cliffside Field;
the Federal Helium Pipeline; and
all other infrastructure owned, leased, or managed under contract by the Secretary for the storage, transportation, withdrawal, enrichment, purification, or management of helium.
Federal user
Low-Btu gas
Person
Priority pipeline access
Qualified bidder
In general
Exclusion
Qualifying domestic helium transaction
Refiner
Secretary
Source
(Mar. 3, 1925, ch. 426, § 2, as added Pub. L. 86–777, § 2,Notes
Prior Provisions
Amendments
Effective Date of 1960 Amendment
Short Title of 2013 Amendment
Short Title of 1996 Amendment
Short Title of 1960 Amendment
Short Title
Regulations
Separability
Existing Agreements
In General.—
This Act [see Tables for classification] and the amendments made by this Act shall not affect or diminish the rights and obligations of the Secretary of the Interior and private parties under agreements in existence on the date of enactment of this Act [
Delivery.—
No agreement described in subsection (a) shall affect or diminish the right of any party that purchases helium after the date of enactment of this Act in accordance with section 6 of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167d) (as amended by section 5) to receive delivery of the helium in accordance with section 5(e)(2) of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167c(e)(2)) (as amended by section 4).”
Severance Package for Helium Operations Employees
Employees of Helium Operations, Bureau of Land Management, entitled to severance pay under 5 U.S.C. 5595, may apply for, and the Secretary of the Interior may pay, the total amount of the severance pay to the employee in a lump sum. Employees paid severance pay in a lump sum and subsequently reemployed by the Federal Government shall be subject to the repayment provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5595(i)(2) and (3), except that any repayment shall be made to the Helium Fund.
Helium Operations employees who elect to continue health benefits after separation shall be liable for not more than the required employee contribution under 5 U.S.C. 8905a(d)(1)(A). The Helium Fund shall pay for 18 months the remaining portion of required contributions.
The Secretary of the Interior may provide for training to assist Helium Operations employees in the transition to other Federal or private sector jobs during the facility shut-down and disposition process and for up to 12 months following separation from Federal employment, including retraining and relocation incentives on the same terms and conditions as authorized for employees of the Department of Defense in section 348 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 [Pub. L. 103–337, 10 U.S.C. 1597 note].
For purposes of the annual leave restoration provisions of 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(1)(B), the cessation of helium production and sales, and other related Helium Program activities shall be deemed to create an exigency of public business under, and annual leave that is lost during leave years 1997 through 2001 because of 5 U.S.C. 6304 (regardless of whether such leave was scheduled in advance) shall be restored to the employee and shall be credited and available in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(2). Annual leave so restored and remaining unused upon the transfer of a Helium Program employee to a position of the executive branch outside of the Helium Program shall be liquidated by payment to the employee of a lump sum from the Helium Fund for such leave.
Benefits under this section shall be paid from the Helium Fund in accordance with section 4(c)(4) of the Helium Privatization Act of 1996 [probably means the Helium Act, which is classified to section 167b(c)(4) of this title]. Funds may be made available to Helium Program employees who are or will be separated before
This section shall remain in effect through fiscal year 2002.”