In this chapter:
The term "Cliffside Field" means the helium storage reservoir in which the Federal Helium Reserve is stored.
The term "Federal Helium Pipeline" means the federally owned pipeline system through which helium for the Federal Helium Reserve may be transported.
The term "Federal Helium Reserve" means helium reserves owned by the United States.
The term "Federal Helium System" means-
(A) the Federal Helium Reserve;
(B) the Cliffside Field;
(C) the Federal Helium Pipeline; and
(D) all other infrastructure owned, leased, or managed under contract by the Secretary for the storage, transportation, withdrawal, enrichment, purification, or management of helium.
The term "Federal user" means a Federal agency or extramural holder of one or more Federal research grants using helium.
The term "low-Btu gas" means a fuel gas with a heating value of less than 250 Btu per standard cubic foot measured as the higher heating value resulting from the inclusion of noncombustible gases, including nitrogen, helium, argon, and carbon dioxide.
The term "person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, firm, association, trust, estate, public or private institution, or State or political subdivision.
The term "priority pipeline access" means the first priority of delivery of crude helium under which the Secretary schedules and ensures the delivery of crude helium to a helium refinery through the Federal Helium System.
The term "qualified bidder" means a person the Secretary determines is seeking to purchase helium for their own use, refining, or redelivery to users.
The term "qualified bidder" does not include a person who was previously determined to be a qualified bidder if the Secretary determines that the person did not meet the requirements of a qualified bidder under this chapter.
The term "qualifying domestic helium transaction" means any agreement entered into or renegotiated agreement during the preceding 1-year period in the United States for the purchase or sale of at least 15,000,000 standard cubic feet of crude or pure helium to which any holder of a contract with the Secretary for the acceptance, storage, delivery, or redelivery of crude helium from the Federal Helium System is a party.
The term "refiner" means a person with the ability to take delivery of crude helium from the Federal Helium Pipeline and refine the crude helium into pure helium.
The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Interior.
(Mar. 3, 1925, ch. 426, §2, as added
A prior section 2 of act Mar. 3, 1925, authorized Bureau of Mines to produce helium gas and was classified to section 163 of this title, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by
2013-
Section 1 of act Mar. 3, 1925, as added by
Act Mar. 3, 1925, ch. 426, §20, formerly §17, as added
"(a)
"(b)
"(a) 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.
"(b) 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.
"(c) 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 [
"(d) 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.
"(e) 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 October 1, 2002 because of the cessation of helium production and sales and other related activities. Retraining benefits, including retraining and relocation incentives, may be paid for retraining commencing on or before September 30, 2002.
"(f) This section shall remain in effect through fiscal year 2002."
Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation acts: