15 U.S.C. § 720k — Alaska pipeline construction training pro-

Page 1227 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 720k (2) any recommendations of the Secretary (including proposals for legislation to imple- ment the recommendations). (Pub. L. 108–324, div. C, § 109, Oct. 13, 2004, 118 Stat. 1262.) § 720h. Clarification of ANGTA status and au- thorities (a) Savings clause Nothing in this chapter affects— (1) any decision, certificate, permit, right-of- way, lease, or other authorization issued under section 9 of the Alaska Natural Gas Transpor- tation Act of 1976 (15 U.S.C. 719g); or (2) any Presidential finding or waiver issued in accordance with that Act [15 U.S.C. 719 et seq.]. (b) Clarification of authority to amend terms and conditions to meet current project require- ments Any Federal agency responsible for granting or issuing any certificate, permit, right-of-way, lease, or other authorization under section 9 of the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Act of 1976 (15 U.S.C. 719g) may add to, amend, or re- scind any term or condition included in the cer- tificate, permit, right-of-way, lease, or other au- thorization to meet current project require- ments (including the physical design, facilities, and tariff specifications), if the addition, amend- ment, or rescission— (1) would not compel any change in the basic nature and general route of the Alaska natural gas transportation system as designated and described in section 2 of the President’s deci- sion; or (2) would not otherwise prevent or impair in any significant respect the expeditious con- struction and initial operation of the Alaska natural gas transportation system. (c) Updated environmental reviews The Secretary shall require the sponsor of the Alaska natural gas transportation system to submit such updated environmental data, re- ports, permits, and impact analyses as the Sec- retary determines are necessary to develop de- tailed terms, conditions, and compliance plans required by section 5 of the President’s decision. (Pub. L. 108–324, div. C, § 110, Oct. 13, 2004, 118 Stat. 1262.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original ‘‘this division’’, meaning division C of Pub. L. 108–324, Oct. 13, 2004, 118 Stat. 1255, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of division C to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 720 of this title and Tables. The Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Act of 1976, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is Pub. L. 94–586, Oct. 22, 1976, 90 Stat. 2903, which is classified generally to chap- ter 15C (§ 719 et seq.) of this title. For complete classi- fication of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 719 of this title and Tables. § 720i. Sense of Congress concerning use of steel manufactured in North America and negotia- tion of a project labor agreement It is the sense of Congress that— (1) an Alaska natural gas transportation project would provide significant economic benefits to the United States and Canada; and (2) to maximize those benefits, the sponsors of the Alaska natural gas transportation project should make every effort to— (A) use steel that is manufactured in North America; and (B) negotiate a project labor agreement to expedite construction of the pipeline. (Pub. L. 108–324, div. C, § 111, Oct. 13, 2004, 118 Stat. 1263.) § 720j. Sense of Congress concerning participa- tion by small business concerns (a) Definition of small business concern In this section, the term ‘‘small business con- cern’’ has the meaning given the term in section 632(a) of this title. (b) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) an Alaska natural gas transportation project would provide significant economic benefits to the United States and Canada; and (2) to maximize those benefits, the sponsors of the Alaska natural gas transportation project should maximize the participation of small business concerns in contracts and sub- contracts awarded in carrying out the project. (Pub. L. 108–324, div. C, § 112, Oct. 13, 2004, 118 Stat. 1263; Pub. L. 111–68, div. A, title I, § 1501(b), Oct. 1, 2009, 123 Stat. 2041.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2009—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–68 struck out subsec. (c) which related to study to determine extent to which small business concerns participate in construction of oil and gas pipelines in the United States. § 720k. Alaska pipeline construction training pro- gram (a) Program (1) Establishment The Secretary of Labor (in this section re- ferred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall make grants to the Alaska Workforce Investment Board— (A) to recruit and train adult and dis- located workers in Alaska, including Alaska Natives, in the skills required to construct and operate an Alaska gas pipeline system; and (B) for the design and construction of a training facility to be located in Fairbanks, Alaska, to support an Alaska gas pipeline training program. (2) Coordination with existing programs The training program established with the grants authorized under paragraph (1) shall be consistent with the vision and goals set forth in the State of Alaska unified plan or com- bined plan, as appropriate, as developed pursu- ant to section 3112 or 3113, as appropriate, of title 29. (b) Requirements for grants The Secretary shall make a grant under sub- section (a) only if— Page 1228 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 720l (1) the Governor of the State of Alaska re- quests the grant funds and certifies in writing to the Secretary that there is a reasonable ex- pectation that the construction of the Alaska natural gas pipeline system will commence by the date that is 2 years after the date of the certification; and (2) the Secretary of Energy concurs in writ- ing to the Secretary with the certification made under paragraph (1) after considering— (A) the status of necessary Federal and State permits; (B) the availability of financing for the Alaska natural gas pipeline project; and (C) other relevant factors. (c) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $20,000,000. Not more than 15 percent of the funds may be used for the facility described in subsection (a)(1)(B). (Pub. L. 108–324, div. C, § 113, Oct. 13, 2004, 118 Stat. 1264; Pub. L. 113–128, title V, § 512(c), July 22, 2014, 128 Stat. 1706.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2014—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 113–128 substituted ‘‘con- sistent with the vision and goals set forth in the State of Alaska unified plan or combined plan, as appro- priate, as developed pursuant to section 3112 or 3113, as appropriate, of title 29’’ for ‘‘consistent with the vision and goals set forth in the State of Alaska Unified Plan, as developed pursuant to the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.)’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2014 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 113–128 effective on the first day of the first full program year after July 22, 2014 (July 1, 2015), see section 506 of Pub. L. 113–128, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3101 of Title 29, Labor. § 720l. Sense of Congress concerning natural gas demand It is the sense of Congress that— (1) North American demand for natural gas will increase dramatically over the course of the next several decades; (2) both the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline and the Mackenzie Delta Natural Gas project in Canada will be necessary to help meet the in- creased demand for natural gas in North America; (3) Federal and State officials should work together with officials in Canada to ensure both projects can move forward in a mutually beneficial fashion; (4) Federal and State officials should ac- knowledge that the smaller scope, fewer per- mitting requirements, and lower cost of the Mackenzie Delta project means it will most likely be completed before the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline; (5) natural gas production in the 48 contig- uous States and Canada will not be able to meet all domestic demand in the coming dec- ades; and (6) as a result, natural gas delivered from Alaskan North Slope will not displace or re- duce the commercial viability of Canadian natural gas produced from the Mackenzie Delta or production from the 48 contiguous States. (Pub. L. 108–324, div. C, § 114, Oct. 13, 2004, 118 Stat. 1264.) § 720m. Sense of Congress concerning Alaskan ownership It is the sense of Congress that— (1) Alaska Native Regional Corporations, companies owned and operated by Alaskans, and individual Alaskans should have the op- portunity to own shares of the Alaska natural gas pipeline in a way that promotes economic development for the State; and (2) to facilitate economic development in the State, all project sponsors should negotiate in good faith with any willing Alaskan person that desires to be involved in the project. (Pub. L. 108–324, div. C, § 115, Oct. 13, 2004, 118 Stat. 1265.) § 720n. Loan guarantees (a) Authority (1) The Secretary may enter into agreements with 1 or more holders of a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued under section 720a(b) of this title or section 719g of this title or with an entity the Secretary determines is qualified to construct and operate a liquefied natural gas project to transport liquefied nat- ural gas from Southcentral Alaska, to issue Fed- eral guarantee instruments with respect to loans and other debt obligations for a qualified infrastructure project. (2) Subject to the requirements of this section, the Secretary may also enter into agreements with 1 or more owners of the Canadian portion of a qualified infrastructure project to issue Federal guarantee instruments with respect to loans and other debt obligations for a qualified infrastructure project as though such owner were a holder described in paragraph (1). (3) The authority of the Secretary to issue Federal guarantee instruments under this sec- tion for a qualified infrastructure project shall expire on the date that is 2 years after the date on which the final certificate of public conven- ience and necessity (including any Canadian cer- tificates of public convenience and necessity) is issued for the project. A final certificate shall be considered to have been issued when all certifi- cates of public convenience and necessity have been issued that are required for the initial transportation of commercially economic quan- tities of natural gas from Alaska. (b) Conditions (1) The Secretary may issue a Federal guar- antee instrument for a qualified infrastructure project only after a certificate of public conven- ience and necessity under section 720a(b) of this title or an amended certificate under section 719g of this title has been issued for the project, or after the Secretary certifies there exists a qualified entity to construct and operate a liq-