Energy, environment and natural resources

Executive Order 12929: Delegation of Authority Regarding the Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves

President: Bill Clinton

Delegated specified presidential naval-reserve approval functions to the Energy Secretary; later legislation sold or transferred major properties.

Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 12929 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 12929 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 12929 do?

EO 12929 delegated to the Energy Secretary the President’s approval and consultation functions under former 10 U.S.C. §§ 7427 and 7428 for exploration, development and production plans affecting Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves. DOE has continued to cite the order in internal delegations. Congress later directed sale of Elk Hills, transferred other properties and changed the statutory provisions. DOE now chiefly manages remaining interests and environmental remediation, so the delegation survives in a much narrower practical setting.

Administration position: The order moved presidential approval functions to DOE. It did not itself sell a reserve or authorize activity beyond the governing statute.
SignedSeptember 29, 1994
DelegateSecretary of Energy
Original statutesFormer 10 U.S.C. §§ 7427–7428

Before and after

Before the order

Specified reserve plans required presidential approval and consultation.

After the order

The Energy Secretary could exercise those functions, subject to law and presidential oversight.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Energy SecretaryApprove covered exploration, development and production plansWithin current statutory scope
Energy DepartmentAdminister or redelegate reserve functionsSubject to law

What happened next

EO 12929 made the delegation.