Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 110 Part 5.djvu/242

 110 STAT. 3316 PUBLIC LAW 104-273—OCT. 9, 1996 "(7) PRIOR AGREEMENTS.— Th is subsection shall not in any manner affect or diminish the rights and obligations of the Secretary and private parties under agreements to dispose of helium produced from Federal lands in existence on the date of enactment of the Helium Privatization Act of 1996 except to the extent that such agreements are renewed or extended after that date. "(b) STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION, AND SALE. —The Secretary may store, transport, and sell helium only in accordance with this Act. "SEC. 4. STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION, AND WITHDRAWAL OF CRUDE HELIUM. "(a) STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION, AND WITHDRAWAL.— The Secretary may store, transport, and withdraw crude helium and maintain and operate crude helium storage facilities, in existence on the date of enactment of the Helium Privatization Act of 1996 at the Bureau of Mines Cliffside Field, and related helium transportation and withdrawal facilities. " (b) CESSATION OF PRODUCTION, REFINING, AND MARKETING.— Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of the Helium Privatization Act of 1996, the Secretary shall cease producing, refining, and marketing refined helium and shall cease carrying out all other activities relating to helium which the Secretary was authorized to carry out under this Act before the date of enactment of the Helium Privatization Act of 1996, except activities described in subsection (a). "(c) DISPOSAL OF FACILITIES. — "(1) IN GENERAL.— Subject to paragraph (5), not later than 24 months after the cessation of activities referred to in subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall designate as excess property and dispose of all facilities, equipment, and other real and personal property, and all interests therein, held by the United States for the purpose of producing, refining and marketing refined helium. "(2) APPLICABLE LAW.— The disposal of such property shall be in accordance with the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949. "(3) PROCEEDS.— All proceeds accruing to the United States by reason of the sale or other disposal of such property shall be treated as moneys received under this chapter for purposes of section 6(f). "(4) COSTS.— Al l costs associated with such sale and disposal (including costs associated with termination of personnel) and with the cessation of activities under subsection (b) shall be paid from amounts available in the helium production fund established under section 6(f). "(5) EXCEPTION. — Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any facilities, equipment, or other real or personal property, or any interest therein, necessary for the storage, transportation, and withdrawal of crude helium or any equipment, facilities, or other real or personal property, required to maintain the purity, quality control, and quality assurance of crude helium in the Bureau of Mines Cliffside Field. " (d) EXISTING CONTRACTS. — "(1) IN GENERAL.—All contracts that were entered into by any person with the Secretary for the purchase by the person from the Secretary of refined helium and that are in effect

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