To provide a comprehensive assessment of the scientific and technical research on the implications of the use of mid-level ethanol blends, and for other purposes.

Summary: Requires the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), prior to the implementation of any waiver, partial waiver, or decision pursuant to current law and no later than 45 days after this Act's enactment, to enter into an agreement with the National Academies to provide a comprehensive assessment of research on the implications of the use of mid-level ethanol blends (defined as an ethanol-gasoline blend containing 15% or 20% ethanol by volume that is intended to be used in any conventional gasoline-powered motor vehicle or nonroad vehicle or engine). Recommends that the assessment compare mid-level ethanol blends to gasoline blends containing 10% and 0% ethanol.

Requires such assessment to: (1) evaluate the environmental, safety, durability, and performance effects of the introduction of mid-level blends on onroad, nonroad, and marine engines, onroad and nonroad vehicles, and related equipment; and (2) identify research and development necessary to permit existing motor fuels infrastructure to handle mid-level ethanol blends while preventing or mitigating against adverse impacts such as corrosion of materials used in pipes or storage tanks, ensuring fuel fungiblity, and protecting against misfueling by users at various points in the distribution and supply chain.

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) while blends of up to 10 percent ethanol are currently 
        required in the American motor fuels market as the result of 
        renewable fuels mandates and incentives for ethanol production 
        and use, significant environmental and energy research, 
        development, and demonstration is needed on the effects of 
        higher percentage ethanol blends before permitting widespread 
        use in the United States;
            (2) government and industry testing suggests significant 
        negative environmental, safety, durability, health, and 
        performance effects for onroad and nonroad vehicles and 
        infrastructure resulting from use of mid-level ethanol blends 
        containing up to 15 percent ethanol; and
            (3) the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to 
        allow the use of mid-level ethanol blends in model year 2001 
        and newer motor vehicles--
                    (A) failed to consider the full spectrum of 
                available government and industry scientific and 
                technical research on such effects; and
                    (B) relied on the results of a single study thereby 
                violating the Environmental Protection Agency's 
                scientific integrity principles.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) Mid-level ethanol blend.--The term ``mid-level ethanol 
        blend'' means an ethanol-gasoline blend containing 15 or 20 
        percent ethanol by volume that is intended to be used in any 
        conventional gasoline-powered motor vehicle or nonroad vehicle 
        or engine.

SEC. 3. EVALUATION.

    (a) In General.--Prior to the implementation of any waiver, partial 
waiver, or decision pursuant to current law and not later than 45 days 
after enactment of this Act, the Administrator, acting through the 
Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development at 
the Environmental Protection Agency, shall enter into an agreement with 
the National Academies to provide a comprehensive assessment of the 
scientific and technical research on the implications of the use of 
mid-level ethanol blends. This assessment should compare mid-level 
ethanol blends to gasoline blends containing 10 and zero percent 
ethanol.
    (b) Contents.--The assessment performed under subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) evaluate the short-term and long-term environmental, 
        safety, durability, and performance effects of the introduction 
        of mid-level ethanol blends on onroad, nonroad and marine 
        engines, onroad and nonroad vehicles, and related equipment. 
        Such evaluation shall include a review of all available 
        scientific evidence, including all relevant government and 
        industry data and testing, including that relied upon by the 
        Administrator and published at 75 Fed. Reg. 68094 (November 4, 
        2010) and 76 Fed. Reg. 4662 (January 26, 2011), gaps in 
        understanding, and research needs related to--
                    (A) tailpipe emissions;
                    (B) evaporative emissions;
                    (C) engine and fuel system durability;
                    (D) on-board diagnostics;
                    (E) emissions inventory and other modeling effects;
                    (F) materials compatibility;
                    (G) operability and drivability;
                    (H) fuel efficiency;
                    (I) catalyst durability; and
                    (J) durability of storage tanks, piping and 
                dispensers for retail; and
            (2) identify research and development, including testing, 
        necessary to permit existing motor fuels (distribution and 
        supply) infrastructure to handle mid-level ethanol blends while 
        preventing or mitigating against adverse impacts such as 
        corrosion of metal, plastic, rubber, or any other materials 
        used in pipes or storage tanks, ensuring fuel fungiblity, and 
        protecting against intentional and unintentional misfueling by 
        users at various points in the distribution and supply chain, 
        including--
                    (A) bulk storage;
                    (B) retail storage and distribution configurations; 
                and
                    (C) standardization of a label consistent with 
                applicable technical standards and recommendations of 
                the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the 
                American National Standards Institute, and the 
                International Organization for Standardization.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the enactment of this 
Act, the National Academies shall submit to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology a report on the results of such assessment, 
including necessary research and development.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    In order to carry out this Act, the Administrator shall utilize up 
to $900,000 from the funds made available for research and development 
under Public Law 96-569.