81 



able low sulfur fuel will be distributed on a priority 

 basis to those areas of the United States designated 

 by the Administrator of the Environmental Protec- 

 tion Agency as requiring low sulfur fuel to avoid or 

 minimize adverse impact on public health. 



(b) Study of chronic effects of sulfur oxide emissions 

 among exposed populations. 



In order to determine the health effects of emis- 

 sions of sulfur oxides to the air resulting from any 

 conversations to burning coal to which section 

 1857C-10 of Title 42 applies, the Department of 

 Health. Education, and Welfare shall, through the 

 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 

 and in cooperation with the Environmental Protec- 

 tion Agency, conduct a study of chronic effects 

 among exposed populations. The sum of $3,500,000 Is 

 authorized to be appropriated for such a study. In 

 order to assure that long-term studies can be con- 

 ducted without interruption, such sums as are ap- 

 propriated shall be available until expended. 



(c) Major Federal actions significantly affecting the 

 quality of the human environment. 



(1) No action talcen under the Clean Air Act shall 

 be deemed a major Federal action significantly af- 

 fecting the quality of the human environment within 

 the meaning of the National Environmental Policy 

 Act of 1969. 



(2) No action under section 792 of this title for a 

 period of one year after initiation of such action 

 shall be deemed a major Federal action significantly 

 affecting the quality of the human environment 

 within the meaning of the National Environmental 

 Policy Act of 1969. However, before any action un- 

 der section 792 of this title that has a significant 

 impact on the environment is taken, if practicable, 

 or In any event within sixty days after such action 

 Is taken, an environmental evaluation with analysis 

 equivalent to that required under section 4332(2) (C) 

 of Title 42, to the greatest extent practicable within 

 this time constraint, shall be prepared and circu- 

 lated to appropriate Federal, State, and local gov- 

 ernment agencies and to the public for a thirty-day 

 comment period after which a public hearing shall 

 be held upon request to review outstanding environ- 

 mental issues. Such an evaluation shall not be re- 

 quired where the action in question has been pre- 

 ceded by compliance with the National Environmen- 

 tal Policy Act by the appropriate Federal agency. 

 Any action taken under section 792 of this title 

 which will be in effect for more than a one-year pe- 

 riod or any action to extend an action taken under 

 section 792 of this title to a total period of more than 

 one year shall be subject to the full provisions of the 

 National Environmental Policy Act, notwithstanding 

 any other provision of this chapter. 



(d) Importation of hydroelectric energy. 



In order to expedite the prompt construction of 

 facilities for the importation of hydroelectric en- 

 ergy thereby helping to reduce the shortage of petro- 

 leum products in the United States, the Federal 

 Power Commission is hereby authorized and di- 

 rected to issue a Presidential permit pursuant to 

 Executive Order 10485 of September 3, 1953, for the 

 construction, operation, maintenance, and connec- 

 tion of facilities for the transmission of electric en- 



ergy at the borders of the United States without pre- 

 paring an environmental impact statement pursu-' 

 ant to section 4332 of Title 42 for facilities for the 

 transmission of electric energy between Canada and 

 the United States in the vicinity of Fort Covington, 

 New York. (Pub. L. 93-319, § 7. June 22, 1974, 88 

 Stat. 259.) 



§ 794. Energy conservation study. 



(a) The Federal Energy Administrator shall con- 

 duct a study on potential methods of energy con- 

 servation and, not later than six months after 

 June 22, 1974, shall submit to Congress a report on 

 the results of such study. The study shall Include, 

 but not be limited to, the following: 



(1) the energy conservation potential of re- 

 stricting exports of fuels or energy-intensive prod- 

 ucts, or goods, including an analysis of balance- 

 of-payments and foreign relations implications of 

 any such restrictions; 



(2) alternative requirements, incentives, or dis- 

 incentives for increasing industrial recycling and 

 resource recovery In order to reduce energy de- 

 mand, including the economic costs and fuel con- 

 sumption tradeoff which may be associated with 

 such recycling and resource recovery in lieu of 

 transportation and use of virgin materials; and 



(3) means for incentives or disincentives to In- 

 crease efficiency of industrial use of energy. 



(b) Within ninety days of June 22, 1974, the Sec- 

 retary of Transportation, after consultation with the 

 Federal Energy Administrator, shall submit to the 

 Congress for appropriate action an "Emergency 

 Mass Transportation Assistance Plan" for the pur- 

 pose of conserving energy by expanding and im- 

 proving public mass transportation systems and en- 

 couraging increased ridership as alternatives to 

 automobile travel. 



(c» Such plan shall include, but shall not be 

 limited to — 



(1) recommendations for emergency temporary 

 grants to assist States and local public bodies and 

 agencies thereof in the payment of operating ex- 

 penses incurred in connection with the provision 

 of expanded mass transportation service In urban 

 areas; 



(2) recommendations for additional emergency 

 assistance for the purchase of buses and rolling 

 stock for fixed rail, including the feasibility of ac- 

 celerating the timetable for such assistance under 

 section 142(a)(2) of Title 23 for the purpose of 

 providing additional capacity for and encouraging 

 increased use of public mass transportation 

 systems; 



(3) recommendations for a program of demon- 

 stration projects to determine the feasibility of 

 fare-free and low-fare urban mass transportation 

 systems, including reduced rates for elderly and 

 handicapped persons during nonpeak hours of 

 transportation ; 



(4) recommendations for additional emergency 

 assistance for the construction of fringe and trans- 

 portation corridor parking facilities to serve bus 

 and other mass transportation passengers; 



(5) recommendations on the feasibility of pro- 



