A bill to authorize appropriations to the Energy Research and Development Administration in accordance with section 261 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, section 305 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, and section 16 of the Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 1974, and for other purposes.

(House receded from its disagreement to Senate amendment and concurred with an amendment)

=Title I: Authorization of Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1976= - Authorizes appropriations to the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) for operating expenses and plant and capital equipment, including funds for projects for fossil energy development, solar, geothermal, and advanced energy systems, nuclear energy development, national security, and environmental and safety research.

Directs the Administrator of the Administration to select, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, an appropriate tract of public lands in accordance with the Mineral Lands Leasing Act for the demonstration of production of oil from shale by in situ methods.

Directs him to establish, by regulation, procedures for review of, and comment on, the proposed demonstration by States and local political subdivisions which may be impacted by such facility and the general public.

Provides that the Administrator shall not select such tract if the Governor of the State in which the proposed tract would be located recommends against such selection, unless the Administrator finds that there is an overriding national interest in selecting such tract. States that if the Administrator decides to select a tract despite a Governor's recommendation not to take such action, he shall communicate, in writing, to the Governor his reasons for not concurring with such recommendation, and that the Administrator's decision shall be final unless determined upon judicial review to be arbitrary and capricious.

States that upon selection of such tract, the Administrator, pursuant to the authority of the Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 1974, shall invite proposals from potential non-Federal participants to enter into a cooperative arrangement for the demonstration of in situ production of oil from shale wherein the Federal share of costs of such demonstration shall include the value of the right to lease the tract selected without payment of royalties or other consideration during the demonstration periods.

Directs the Secretary, after such cooperative agreement is executed to issue a lease for such tract to such non-Federal entity pursuant to the Mineral Lands Leasing Act, except that such lease shall not require payment of bonus, rent, or royalty during the demonstration period. Provides that the lease shall (1) require diligent development and production immediately after the demonstration period; (2) provide for the termination of the lease if the Secretary of the Interior determines that the lessee is not acting diligently; and (3) contain such adequate provisions for environmental protection as the Secretary shall determine to be necessary in the public interest.

Grants the Science and Technology Committee of the Senate and The Interior and Insular Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives a right of review and disapproval of any cooperative arrangement before it is finalized.

Increases authorizations for specified projects under prior Acts.

Authorizes the Energy Research and Development Adminstration (ERDA) to enter into cooperative arrangements with reactor manufacturers and others for participation in the research and development, design, construction, and operation of a Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor powerplant, in accordance with criteria approved by the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy.

Authorizes appropriations for such purposes through September 1976. Requires ERDA, before entering any such arrangement, to submit the basis to the Joint Committee.

=Title II: Authorization of Appropriations for the Period July 1, 1976, Through September 30, 1976= - Authorizes appropriations to ERDA for operating expenses and plant and capital equipment, including funds for projects for fossil energy development, solar, geothermal, and advanced energy systems, and nuclear energy development.

=Title III: General Provisions= - Authorizes the Administrator to perform construction design services for any Administration construction project whenever such construction project has been included in a proposed authorization bill transmitted to the Congress by the Administrator, and the Administrator determines that the project is of such urgency that construction of the project should be initiated promptly upon enactment of legislation appropriating funds for its construction.

Provides that, with specified exceptions, no amount appropriated pursuant to this Act may be used for any nonnuclear program in excess of the amount actually authorized for that particular program by this Act; and no amount appropriated pursuant to this Act may be used for any nonnuclear program which has not been presented to, or requested of, the Congress, unless 30 days have passed since receipt by the Committee on Science and Technology of the Senate and the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives of a statement of proposed action. Requires a report to such committees on specified allocations under this Act. Requires an annual report to such committees on the extent to which small business and nonprofit organizations are being funded by the nonnuclear research, development, and demonstration programs of the Administrator, and the extent to which small business involvement is being encouraged by the Administrator.

Requires, as soon as practicable and consistent with design, economic, and feasibility studies, the Administrator to include in an annual authorization proposal a recommendation on construction of at least one demonstration offshore wind-electric generating facility.

Directs the Administrator to promptly establish, develop, acquire, and maintain a central source of information on all energy resources and technology in furtherance of the Administrator's research, development, and demonstration mission carried out directly or indirectly under this Act.

Permits funds appropriated pursuant to this Act for "Operating expenses" for fossil energy purposes to be used for any facilities which may be required at locations, other than installations of the Administration, for the performance of research and development contracts, and grants to any organization for purchase or construction of research facilities.

Disallows use of more than three per cent of all funds appropriated pursuant to this Act for "Operating expenses" for fossil energy purposes by the Administrator to construct, expand, or modify laboratories and other facilities, including the acquisition of land at any location under the control of the Administrator.

Directs the Administrator to conduct an environmental and safety research, development, and demonstration program related to fossil fuels.

=Title IV: Oak Ridge Holifield National Laboratory= - Renames the Holifield National Laboratory at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Renames the Heavy Ion Research Facility under construction on Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the Holifield Heavy Ion Research Facility.

=Title V: Air Transportation of Plutonium= - Prohibits the shipment by ERDA of plutonium by aircraft, with designated exceptions, until ERDA certifies to the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy of the Congress that a safe container has been developed and tested which will not rupture under crash and blast testing equivalent to the crash and explosion of a high-flying aircraft.

=Title VI: Assistance Payments Amendments= - Makes ERDA responsible for specified payments, for which the Atomic Energy Commission was formerly responsible, to communities containing atomic energy research and development facilities.