(a) General. There is established in the Treasury of the United States the Fishermen's Contingency Fund. The Fund is available without fiscal year limitation as a revolving fund to carry out the purposes of title IV of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act Amendments of 1978, as amended.
(b) Payments into the fund. Each Holder of an exploration permit, lease, easement, or rights-of-way for the construction of a pipeline, or a prelease exploration drilling permit issued or maintained under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, in effect on or after June 30, 1982, shall pay assessments to the Fund. All pipeline right-of-way and easements are to be included for assessment except those constructed and operated lines within the confines of a single lease or group of contiguous leases under unitized operation or single operator. Payments will not be required for geological or geophysical permits, other than prelease exploratory drilling permits issued under section 11 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1340).
(1) Assessments to maintain the fund. When the total amount in the Fund is less than the Chief, FSD, determines is needed to pay Fund claims and expenses, the Chief, FSD, will notify the Secretary of the Interior that additional assessments are needed.
(2) Billing and collections. The Secretary of the Interior will calculate the amounts to be paid by each Holder and shall notify each Holder of the dollar amount and the time and place for all payments. Each assessment shall be paid to the Secretary of the Interior no later than 45 days after the Secretary of the Interior sends notice of the assessment.
(3) Annual assessment limits. No Holder shall be required to pay in excess of $5,000 for any lease, permit, easement or right-of-way in any calendar year.
(c) Moneys recovered through subrogation. Any moneys recovered by the Secretary through the subrogation of a claimant's rights shall be deposited into the Fund.
(d) Investments of the fund. Excess sums in the Fund will be invested in obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States. Revenue from such investments shall be deposited in the Fund.
(e) Litigation. The Fund may sue and be sued in its own name.