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

SECTION 1. 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 greater than 
        10 and up to and including 20 percent ethanol by volume that is 
        intended to be used in any conventional gasoline-powered 
        onroad, nonroad, or marine engine, or onroad or nonroad 
        vehicle.

SEC. 2. EVALUATION.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator, acting through the Assistant 
Administrator of the Office of Research and Development at the 
Environmental Protection Agency, shall--
            (1) not later than 45 days after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, enter into an agreement with the National Academy of 
        Sciences to provide, within 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, a comprehensive assessment of the 
        scientific and technical research on the implications of the 
        use of mid-level ethanol blends, comparing mid-level ethanol 
        blends to gasoline blends containing 10 percent or zero percent 
        ethanol; and
            (2) not later than 30 days after receiving the results of 
        the assessment under paragraph (1), submit a report to the 
        Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public 
        Works of the Senate on the findings of the assessment, together 
        with the agreement or disagreement of the Administrator with 
        each of its findings.
    (b) Waivers.--Prior to the submission of the report under 
subsection (a)(2), any waiver granted under section 211(f)(4) of the 
Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(f)(4)) before the date of enactment of 
this Act that allows the introduction into commerce of mid-level 
ethanol blends for use in motor vehicles shall have no force or effect. 
The Administrator shall grant no new waivers under such section 
211(f)(4) until after the submission of the report described under 
subsection (a)(2).
    (c) Contents.--The assessment performed under subsection (a)(1) 
shall include the following:
            (1) An evaluation of 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 consider the impacts 
        of qualifying mid-level ethanol blends or blends with higher 
        ethanol concentrations as a certification fuel, and shall 
        consider the effect mid-level ethanol blends have on carbon 
        emissions, taking into account carbon emissions from their 
        life-cycle production, as compared to gasoline blends 
        containing 10 percent or zero percent ethanol. 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 et seq. (November 4, 2010), 76 
        Fed. Reg. 4662 et seq. (January 26, 2011), and 76 Fed. Reg. 
        44406 et seq. (July 25, 2011), and identify gaps in 
        understanding and research needs related to--
                    (A) tailpipe emissions;
                    (B) evaporative emissions;
                    (C) engine and fuel system durability;
                    (D) onboard diagnostics;
                    (E) emissions inventory and other modeling effects;
                    (F) materials compatibility;
                    (G) operability and drivability;
                    (H) fuel efficiency;
                    (I) fuel economy;
                    (J) consumer education and satisfaction;
                    (K) cost-effectiveness for the consumer;
                    (L) catalyst durability; and
                    (M) durability of storage tanks, piping, and 
                dispensers for retail.
            (2) An identification of areas of research, development, 
        and testing necessary to--
                    (A) ensure that existing motor fuel infrastructure 
                is not adversely impacted by mid-level ethanol blends, 
                including an examination of potential impacts of mid-
                level ethanol blends on metal, plastic, rubber, or any 
                other materials used in pipes or storage tanks; and
                    (B) reduce the risk of misfueling by users at 
                various points in the distribution and supply chain, 
                including at bulk storage, retail storage, and 
                distribution configurations by--
                            (i) assessing the best methods and 
                        practices to prevent misfueling;
                            (ii) examining misfueling mitigation 
                        strategies for blender pumps, including 
                        volumetric purchase requirements and labeling 
                        requirements;
                            (iii) assessing the adequacy of misfueling 
                        mitigation plans approved by the Environmental 
                        Protection Agency; and
                            (iv) examining the technical standards and 
                        recommendations of the National Institute of 
                        Standards and Technology, the American National 
                        Standards Institute, and the International 
                        Organization for Standardization regarding fuel 
                        pump labeling.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    In order to carry out this Act, the Administrator shall utilize up 
to $900,000 from the funds made available for science and technology, 
including research and development activities, at the Environmental 
Protection Agency.
                                                 

Summary: Requires the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to make a comprehensive assessment of research on the implications of using mid-level ethanol blends, comparing mid-level ethanol blends to gasoline blends containing 10 and 0 ethanol. And report on assessment findings and whether the EPA Administrator agrees or disagrees with each of them. Defines a mid-level ethanol blend as an ethanol-gasoline blend containing greater than 10 and up to and including 20 ethanol by volume that is intended to be used in any conventional gasoline-powered onroad, nonroad, or marine engine, or onroad or nonroad vehicle. Nullifies waivers granted under the Clean Air Act before the enactment of this Act that allow the introduction into commerce of mid-level ethanol blends for use in motor vehicles, and prohibits the Administrator from granting any new waivers until after the report is submitted. Requires the assessment to include: (1) an evaluation of 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) an identification of areas of research, development, and testing necessary to ensure that existing motor fuel infrastructure is not adversely impacted by mid-level ethanol blends and to reduce the risk of misfueling by users at various points in the distribution and supply chain. Requires the evaluation to review all available scientific evidence and identify gaps in understanding and research needs related to tailpipe emissions, evaporative emissions, engine and fuel system durability, onboard diagnostics, emissions inventory and other modeling effects, materials compatibility, operability and drivability, fuel efficiency, fuel economy, consumer education and satisfaction, cost-effectiveness for the consumer, catalyst durability, and durability of storage tanks, piping, and dispensers for retail. Directs the Administrator to use certain funds made available to the EPA for science and technology, including research and development activities, to carry out this Act.