producer to such gas for purposes of establishing any price for propane, and (b) prices for propane shall be based on the prices for propane in effect on May 15, 1973. The Administrator shall not allow costs attributable to changes in ownership and movement of propane gas where, in the opinion of the Administrator, such changes in ownership and movement occur primarily for the purpose of establishing a higher price; and

(12) perform such other functions as may be prescribed by law. (c) (1) The Administrator shall not exercise the discretion delegated to him by the President, pursuant to section 5 (b) of the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973, to submit to the Congress as one energy action any amendment to the regulation under section 4(a) of such Act, pursuant to section 12 of such Act, which amendment exempts any oil, refined petroleum product, or refined product category from both the allocation and pricing provisions of the regulation under section 4 of such Act.

(2) Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the Administrator from concurrently submitting an energy action relating to price together with an energy action relating to allocation of the same oil, refined petroleum product, or refined product category.

TRANSFERS

SEC. 6. (a) There are hereby transferred to and vested in the Administrator all functions of the Secretary of the Interior, the Department of the Interior, and officers and components of that Department(1) as relate to or are utilized by the Office of Petroleum Allocation;

(2) as relate to or are utilized by the Office of Energy Conservation;

(3) as relate to or are utilized by the Office of Energy Data and Analysis; and

(4) as relate to or are utilized by the Office of Oil and Gas. (b) There are hereby transferred to and vested in the Administrator all functions of the Chairman of the Cost of Living Council, the Executive Director of the Cost of Living Council, and the Cost of Living Council, and officers and components thereof, as relate to or are utilized by the Energy Division of the Cost of Living Council.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

SEC. 7. (a) The Administrator may promulgate such rules, regulations, and procedures as may be necessary to carry out the functions vested in him: Provided, That:

(1) The Administrator shall, before promulgating proposed rules, regulations, or policies affecting the quality of the environment, provide a period of not less than five working days during which the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency may provide written comments concerning the impact of such rules, regulations, or policies on the quality of the environment. Such comments shall be published together with publication of notice of the proposed action.

(2) The review required by paragraph (1) of this subsection may be waived for a period of fourteen days if there is an emergency situation which, in the judgment of the Administrator, requires making effective the action proposed to be taken at a date earlier than would permit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency the five working days opportunity for prior comment required by paragraph (1). Notice of any such waiver shall be given to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and filed with the Federal Register with the publication of notice of proposed or final agency action and shall include an explanation of the reasons for such waiver, together with supporting data and a description of the factual situation in such detail as the Administrator determines will apprise such agency and the public of the reasons for such waiver.

The review required by paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection may be waived for a period of fourteen days if there is an emergency situation which, in the judgment of the Administrator, requires immediate action.

(b) Any officer or agency authorized to issue any rule or regulation, or any order having the applicability and effect of a rule as defined in section 551 (4) of title 5, United States Code, pursuant to this Act shall provide for the making of such adjustments, consistent with the other purposes of this Act, as may be necessary to prevent special hardship, inequity, or unfair distribution of burdens and shall, by rule, establish procedures which are available to any person for the purpose of seeking an interpretation, modification, rescission of, exception to, or exemption from, such rules, regulations, and orders. Such officer or agency shall, within ninety days after the date of the enactment of the Federal Energy Administration Act Amendments of 1976, establish criteria and guidelines by which such special hardship, inequity, or unfair distribution of burdens shall be evaluated. Such officer or agency shall additionally insure that each decision on any application or petition requesting an adjustment shall specify the standards of hardship, inequity, or unfair distribution of burden by which any disposition was made, and the specific application of such standards to the facts contained in any such application or petition. If any person is aggrieved or adversely affected by a denial of a request for adjustment under the preceding sentences, he may request a review of such denial by the agency and may obtain judicial review in accordance with subsection (c) when such a denial becomes final. The agency shall, by rule, establish appropriate procedures, including a hearing when requested, for review of a denial, and where deemed advisable by the agency, for considering other requests for action under this paragraph, except that no review of a denial under this subparagraph shall be controlled by the same officer denying the adjustment pursuant to this subparagraph.

(c) Judicial review of administrative rulemaking of general and national applicability done under this Act, except that done pursuant to the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973, may be obtained only by filing a petition for review in the United States Court of Ap peals for the District of Columbia within thirty days from the date of promulgation of any such rule, regulation, or order, and judicial re

⠀ view of administrative rulemaking of general, but less than national, applicability done under this Act, except that done pursuant to the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973, may be obtained only by filing a petition for review in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit within thirty days from the date of promulgation of any such rule, regulation, or order, the appropriate circuit being defined as the circuit which contains the area or the greater part of the area within which the rule, regulation, or order is to have effect. (1) Effective beginning July 1, 1977, amounts authorized to be appropriated under this Act or any other Act shall not be available for the payment of salaries and other expenses with respect to any office of regional counsel of the Administration unless such office is under the direct supervision and control of the General Counsel of the Administration.

TRANSITIONAL AND SAVINGS PROVISIONS

SEC. 8. (a) All orders, determinations, rules, regulations, permits, contracts, certificates, licenses, and privileges—

(1) which have been issued, made, granted, or allowed to become effective by the President, by any Federal department or agency or official thereof, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, in the performance of functions which are transferred under this Act, and

(2) which are in effect at the time this Act takes effect, shall continue in effect according to their terms until modified, terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked by the President, the Administrator, other authorized officials, a court of competent jurisdiction, or by operation of law.

(b) This Act shall not affect any proceeding pending, at the time this Act takes effect, before any department or agency (or component thereof) regarding functions which are transferred by this Act; but such proceedings, to the extent that they relate to functions so transferred, shall be continued. Orders shall be issued in such proceedings, appeals (except as provided in section 7(i) (2) of this Act) shall be taken therefrom, and payments shall be made pursuant to such orders, as if this Act had not been enacted; and orders issued in any such proceedings shall continue in effect until modified, terminated, superseded, or revoked by a duly authorized official, by a court of competent jurisdiction, or by operation of law. Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to prohibit the discontinuance or modification of any such proceeding under the same terms and conditions, and to the same extent, that such proceeding could have been discontinued if this Act had not been enacted.

(c) Except as provided in subsection (e)

(1) the provisions of this Act shall not affect suits commenced prior to the date this Act takes effect, and

(2) in all such suits proceedings shall be had, appeals taken, and judgments rendered, in the same manner and effect, as if this Act had not been enacted.

(d) No suit, action, or other proceeding commenced by or against any officer in his official capacity as an officer of any department or

agency, functions of which are transferred by this Act, shall abate by reason of the enactment of this Act. No cause of action by or against any department or agency, functions of which are transferred by this Act, or by or against any officer thereof in his official capacity shall abate by reason of the enactment of this Act. Causes of actions, suits, actions, or other proceedings may be asserted by or against the United States or such official as may be appropriate and, in any litigation pending when this Act takes effect, the court may at any time, on its own motion or that of any party, enter any order which will give effect to the provisions of this section.

(e) If, before the date on which this Act takes effect, any department or agency, or officer thereof in his official capacity, is a party to a suit, and under this Act any function of such department, agency, or officer is transferred to the Administrator, or any other official, then such suit shall be continued as if this Act had not been enacted, with the Administrator, or other official as the case may be, substituted.

(f) Final orders and actions, of any official or component in the performance of functions transferred by this Act shall be subject to judicial review to the same extent and in the same manner as if such orders or actions had been made or taken by the officer, department, agency, or instrumentality in the performance of such functions immediately preceding the effective date of this Act. Any statutory requirements relating to notices, hearings, action upon the record, or administrative review that apply to any function transferred or delegated by this Act shall apply to the performance of those functions by the Administrator, or any officer or component of the Administration. In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of this subsection and section 7, the provisions of section 7 shall govern.

(g) With respect to any function transferred by this Act and performed after the effective date of this Act, reference in any other law to any department or agency, or any officer or office, the functions of which are so transferred, shall be deemed to refer to the Administration, Administrator, or other office or officers in which this Act vests such functions.

(h) Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to limit, curtail, abolish, or terminate any function of the President which he had immediately before the effective date of this Act; or to limit, curtail, abolish, or terminate his authority to perform such function; or to limit, curtail, abolish, or terminate his authority to delegate, redelegate, or terminate any delegations of functions.

(i) Any reference in this Act to any provision of law shall be deemed to include, as appropriate, references thereto as now or hereafter amended or supplemented.

DEFINITIONS

SEC. 10. As used in this Act

(1) any reference to "function" or "functions" shall be deemed to include references to duty, obligation, power, authority, respon sibility, right, privilege, and activity, or the plural thereof, as the case may be; and

(2) any reference to "perform" or "performance", when used in relation to functions, shall be deemed to include the exercise of power, authority, rights, and privileges.

APPOINTMENTS

SEC. 11. (a) Funds available to any department or agency (or any official or component thereof), and lawfully authorized for any of the specific functions which are transferred to the Administrator by this Act, may, with the approval of the President, be used to pay the compensation and expenses of any officer appointed pursuant to this Act until such times as funds for that purpose are otherwise available.

(b) In the event that any officer required by this Act to be appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate shall not have entered upon office on the effective date of this Act, the President may designate any officer, whose appointment was required to be made by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and who was such an officer immediately prior to the effective date of this Act, or any officer who was performing essentially the same functions immediately prior to the effective date of this Act, to act in such office until the office is filled as provided in this Act: Provided, 'That any officer acting pursuant to the provisions of this subsection may act no longer than a period of thirty days unless during such period his appointment as such an officer is submitted to the Senate for its advice and consent.

(c) Transfer of nontemporary personnel pursuant to this Act shall not cause any such employee to be separated or reduced in grade or compensation, except for cause, for one year after such transfer.

(d) Any person who, on the effective date of this Act, held a position compensated in accordance with the Executive Schedule prescribed in chapter 53 of title 5 of the United States Code, and who, without a break in service, is appointed in the Administration to a position having duties comparable to those performed immediately preceding his appointment, shall continue to be compensated in his new position at not less than the rate provided for his previous position.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION BY THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL

SEC. 12. (a) For the duration of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall monitor and evaluate the operations of the Administration including its reporting activities. The Comptroller General shall (1) conduct studies of existing statutes and regulations governing the Administration's programs; (2) review the policies and practices of the Administration; (3) review and evaluate the procedures followed by the Administrator in gathering, analyzing, and interpreting energy statistics, data, and information related to the management and conservation of energy, including but not limited to data related to energy costs, supply, demand, industry structure, and environmental impacts; and (4) evaluate particular projects or programs. The Comptroller General shall have access to such data within the possession or control of the Administration from any public or private source whatever, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, as are necessary to carry out his responsibilities under this Act and shall report to the Congress at such times as he deems appropriate with respect to the Administration's programs. including his recommendations for modifications in existing laws, regulations, procedures, and practices.