Ch. 391                                           LAWS OF MARYLAND

[(a) The Maryland Energy Office shall establish a program
for the storage of heating and other middle distillate oil for
State use.

(b)  (1) The Office, upon approval of the Board of Public
Works and as provided in the State budget, shall lease storage
space in oil tank farms.

(2) The Office shall consider the most economical and
efficient alternative available.

(c)  The Office may sublease excess storage capacity, not
set aside for State use.

(d)  State agencies shall meet their heating oil
requirements, to the fullest extent possible, through these
facilities.]

THE OFFICE SHALL ASSIST THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES
IN CONSIDERING THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND EFFICIENT ALTERNATIVE FOR
MEETING THE ANNUAL HEATING OIL REQUIREMENTS OF STATE AGENCIES.

4-704.

THE MARYLAND ENERGY OFFICE SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING
ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES CONCERNING THE STATE'S
PREPAREDNESS FOR, AND MANAGEMENT OF, GENERAL ENERGY EMERGENCIES
AND SHORTFALLS:

(1)  TO PREPARE CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR MITIGATING THE
IMPACT OF ANY SEVERE SHORTAGE OF FUEL RESOURCES, INCLUDING MIDDLE
DISTILLATE OIL, MOTOR GASOLINE, RESIDUAL FUEL OIL, AND PROPANE
GAS, ON VARIOUS CLASSES OF CONSUMERS;

(2)  TO WORK WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY IN PREPARING AND TRAINING FOR AN ENERGY EMERGENCY
RESPONSE;

(3)  TO MAINTAIN COMMUNICATIONS, INCLUDING
COMPUTERIZED ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION, WITH THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND WITH NEIGHBORING STATES FOR THE PURPOSE
OF OBTAINING AND SHARING ENERGY DATA PERTAINING TO ENERGY
EMERGENCIES; AND

(4)  TO COLLECT, ANALYZE, EVALUATE, AND MAINTAIN ON A
PROPRIETARY BASIS SO AS TO PRESERVE THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF ITS
SOURCE, DATA RELATED TO MANAGING ANY ENERGY EMERGENCY OR
SHORTFALL.

Title 7. [Maryland Energy Office] ENERGY OVERCHARGE
RESTITUTION TRUST FUND

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