---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 7270a"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "7270a"
heading: "Guards for Strategic Petroleum Reserve facilities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/7270a"
units:
  - "Chapter 84 — Department of Energy"
  - "Subchapter VI — Administrative Provisions"
  - "Part C — General Administrative Provisions"
---

# §7270a. Guards for Strategic Petroleum Reserve facilities


Under guidelines prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) and concurred with by the Attorney General, employees of the Department of Energy and employees of contractors and subcontractors (at any tier) of the Department of Energy, while discharging their official duties of protecting the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (established under part B of title I of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act [[42 U.S.C. 6231](/usc/42/6231.md) et seq.]) or its storage or related facilities or of protecting persons upon the Strategic Petroleum Reserve or its storage or related facilities, may—

- (1) carry firearms, if designated by the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) and qualified for the use of firearms under the guidelines; and
- (2) arrest without warrant any person for an offense against the United States—
  - (A) in the case of a felony, if the employee has reasonable grounds to believe that the person—
    - (i) has committed or is committing a felony; and
    - (ii) is in or is fleeing from the immediate area of the felony; and
  - (B) in the case of a felony or misdemeanor, if the [violation](/usc/42/2000e–16a.md?p=c) is committed in the presence of the employee.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 95–91, title VI, § 661, as added Pub. L. 100–531, § 1(a), Oct. 25, 1988, 102 Stat. 2652.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 94–163, Dec. 22, 1975, 89 Stat. 871. Part B of title I of the Act is classified generally to part B (§ 6231 et seq.) of subchapter I of chapter 77 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 6201 of this title and Tables.