50 U.S.C. § 167a: Authority of Secretary

The Secretary may enter into agreements with private parties for the recovery and disposal of helium on Federal lands upon such terms and conditions as the Secretary deems fair, reasonable, and necessary. The Secretary may grant leasehold rights to any such helium. The Secretary may not enter into any agreement by which the Secretary sells such helium other than to a private party with whom the Secretary has an agreement for recovery and disposal of helium. Agreements under paragraph (1) may be subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary. An agreement under paragraph (1) shall be subject to any rights of any affected Federal oil and gas lessee that may be in existence prior to the date of the agreement. An agreement under paragraph (1) (and any extension or renewal of an agreement) shall contain such terms and conditions as the Secretary may consider appropriate. This subsection shall not in any manner affect or diminish the rights and obligations of the Secretary and private parties under agreements to dispose of helium produced from Federal lands in existence on October 9, 1996 , except to the extent that such agreements are renewed or extended after October 9, 1996 . The Secretary may store, transport, and sell helium only in accordance with this chapter. All amounts received by the Secretary from the sale or disposition of helium on Federal land shall be credited to the Helium Production Fund established under section 167d(e) of this title .