A bill to authorize appropriations to the Department of Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission pursuant to section 660 of the Department of Energy Organization Act, and for other purposes; divided and referred as follows: Titles I and II, to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce; title II, to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs; title IV, concurrently to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce; title V, concurrently to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce and the Committee on Science and Technology; title VI, concurrently to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce and the Committee on Science and Technology; titles VII and VIII, concurrently to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, the Committee on International Relations, the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce and the Committee on Science and Technology, and title VIII, additionally to the Committee on Armed Services.

(Reported to House from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce with amendment, H. Rept. 95-1166 (pt. II))

Department of Energy Civilian Programs Authorization Act - =Title I: Energy Use, Application, Conservation, and Regulation= - Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for fiscal year 1979. Declares that nothing in this title shall be construed to authorize funds for research and development purposes or for the testing or production of atomic weapons or other nuclear weapons activity.

Authorizes funds to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for gas regulation functions, hydroelectric regulation functions, and electric utility regulation functions.

Authorizes funds to the Economic Regulatory Administration for coal utilization functions, conservation, regulation, emergency preparedness, policy and management functions, and oil pricing and allocation compliance and review functions.

Authorizes funds for the Energy Information Administration.

Authorizes funds for specified conservation and solar applications.

Authorizes funds for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Plan, multiresource alternative fuels demonstration program, and for policy and management function concerning resource applications.

Authorizes funds for environmental overview and assessment functions and consumer affairs and competition.

Prohibits the use of any funds appropriated to the Department of Energy for the 1978 fiscal year for the purchase or lease of vehicles for use in vanpooling arrangements unless such use is specifically permitted by statute. Limits the reprogramming of funds, the use of funds for middle distillate or motor gasoline monitoring, and the use of funds in administering specified regulations.

=Title II: Amendments to Energy Conservation and Production Act and Certain Other Energy-Related Acts= - Amends the Energy Conservation and Production Act to establish an Office of Competition and Consumer Affairs within the Department of Energy.

Amends the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974 to extend to December 31, 1979, the authority to issue orders and rules as specified under this Act.

Amends the Department of Energy Organization Act to permit the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to exercise certain functions without the express assignment of such functions to the Commission by the Department of Energy. Limits the authority of the Chairman of the Commission to make appointments of hearing examiners.

Amends the Interstate Commerce Act by requiring that a notice be filed with the Commission 60 days prior to a change of rates or charges for the transportation of oil by pipeline.

Sets forth procedure for the issuance of any new form by any officer, employee, or component of the Department of Energy.

=Title III: Power Marketing Administrations; Resource Development= - Authorizes the appropriation of funds to implement the authority over specified programs transferred to the Deaprtment of Energy concerning flood control, naval petroleum reserves, and other programs.

Authorizes the appropriation of funds for the Alaska Power Administration. Authorizes funds for the Western Area Power Administration to be used for electric power transmission and marketing, unusual or emergency conditions, and the Upper Colorado River Storage project.

Authorizes funds for the Southwestern Power Administration and the Southeastern Power Administration.

Authorizes funds to the Department of Energy for resource development and management of naval petroleum and oil shale reserves.

Delineates specified procedures for the reprogramming of funds.

=Title IV: Uranium Management and Use of Nuclear Energy= - Authorizes funds for specified programs concerning the use, transmission in interstate commerce, and regulation of power and related facilities, and the management, assessment, and use of uranium.

Requires the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study regarding the storage at away-from-reactor spent fuel sites of spent nuclear fuel. Directs the Secretary to publish a summary of the report and submit a copy to the President, the Congress, and the Governor of any affected State, and to initiate preparation of an environmental impact statement.

=Title V: Charge for Uranium Enrichment Services= - Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to specify that the prices charged by the government for uranium enrichment services shall assure the recovery of the government's costs over a reasonable time. Requires further that prices shall result in revenues sufficient to cover normal business expenses, taxes and return on equity which would otherwise be reflected in prices charged by a commercial organization for such services. Stipulates that the Secretary transmit to the President and the appropriate committees of the Congress a report on the results of the study on changes in prices for enrichment services required pursuant to this Title, and recommendations for legislation.

=Title VI: Amendments to Title V of the National Energy Extension Service Act= - Deletes from the formula used to compute the allocations for individual States, the requirement that the latest decennial census be used.

Directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study of: (1) the prices established by the Secretary for enrichment services; and (2) the need for increasing such prices, including the need for increasing such prices to recover, in addition to all of the Governemnt's costs, the costs of such services, such as ordinary business expenses, taxes, and return on equity, which would normally be included in a commercial organization's charge for such services.

=Title VII: Program Direction= - Authorizes the appropriation of funds for specified administrative, management, and support functions of the Department of Energy.

Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Energy for fiscal year 1979 to carry out coal-based alternate fuel commercializaiton projects be administered by the Assistant Secretary for Resource Applications.

Stipulates that of these appropriated funds: (1) not more than 60 percent can be provided as the Federal share of any one project; (2) none may be used for construction or procurement except under specified circumstances; and (3) none are available for high Btu gas projects nor for price supports or loan guarantees for syn fuel projects.

=Title VIII: General Provisions= - Establishes within the Department of Energy an Office of Administration.

Authorizes appropriations for salaries, pay, retirement, or other benefits for Federal employees, and for official entertainment, reception, and representation expenses.

Permits any moneys received in any fiscal year by the Department from uranium enrichment and other reimbursable programs to be retained and used by the Department.

Requires receipts, including any payment received because of overcharges, of the Secretary or the Commission to be deposited in the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts.

Limits the use of funds appropriated for the renovation, furnishing, or repair of facilities of the Department of Energy.

Limits the authority, under this Act, to enter into contracts obligating the United States to those outlays that are provided for in advance in appropriation acts.

Provides that this title shall not apply to any authorization for appropriations for any military application of nuclear energy, for research and development in support of the armed forces, or for the common defense and security of the United States.

Stipulates that contracts between $5,000,000 and $25,000,000 must be approved by a Presidential appointee, except contracts for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Provides that contracts in excess of $25,000,000 must be approved by the Secretary of Energy or the Deputy or Under Secretary of Energy.

Provides that this Act shall cease to have effect after December 31, 1982.