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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2234 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2234

To enhance the energy security of the United States, reduce dependence 
 on imported oil, improve the energy efficiency of the transportation 
 sector, and reduce emissions through the expansion of grid supported 
                            transportation.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 4, 2009

Mr. Engel (for himself and Mr. Bartlett) introduced the following bill; 
  which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
addition to the Committees on Science and Technology and Transportation 
 and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To enhance the energy security of the United States, reduce dependence 
 on imported oil, improve the energy efficiency of the transportation 
 sector, and reduce emissions through the expansion of grid supported 
                            transportation.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Electric Transportation Advancement 
Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are to enhance the energy security of the 
United States, reduce dependence on imported oil, improve the energy 
efficiency of the transportation sector, and reduce emissions through 
the expansion of grid supported transportation, through programs to--
            (1) develop, with industry, research institutions, National 
        Laboratories, and institutions of higher education, projects to 
        foster--
                    (A) the commercialization of plug-in electric drive 
                vehicle technology for various sizes and applications 
                of vehicles; and
                    (B) growth in employment in the United States in 
                electric drive design and manufacturing of components 
                and vehicles; and
            (2) optimize the availability of the existing electric 
        infrastructure for use in fueling light duty transportation and 
        other on-road and nonroad vehicles to minimize the use of 
        vehicles and equipment that use petroleum.

SEC. 3. NEAR-TERM ELECTRIC TRANSPORTATION.

    (a) In General.--Paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of section 131 of 
the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 
17011(c)(1)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Act'' and inserting ``paragraph'';
            (2) by striking ``establish a program to provide grants'' 
        and inserting ``establish or maintain a competitive grant and 
        revolving loan program to provide grants and make loans''; and
            (3) by adding the following new subparagraphs at the end 
        thereof:
                    ``(A) Grant and loan selection.--The Secretary 
                shall select grant and loan recipients based on the 
                overall cost-effectiveness of a proposed qualified 
                electric transportation project in reducing emissions 
                of criteria pollutants, emissions of greenhouse gases, 
                and petroleum usage.
                    ``(B) Revolving loans.--
                            ``(i) Criteria.--The Secretary shall 
                        establish criteria for the provision of loans 
                        under this subsection.
                            ``(ii) Funding.--Of amounts made available 
                        to carry out this subsection, the Secretary 
                        shall use amounts not used to provide grants to 
                        make loans under this subsection.''.
    (b) Priority.--Paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of section 131 of 
the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 
17011(c)(2)) is amended by striking ``grants under'' and inserting 
``grants and loans under''.

SEC. 4. ELECTRIC TRANSPORTATION INVENTORY.

    Section 131 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
U.S.C. 17011) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(e) Market Assessment Program.--The Secretary, in consultation 
with the Administrator and private industry, shall carry out a 
program--
            ``(1) to inventory and analyze existing electric 
        transportation technologies and hybrid transportation 
        technologies and markets; and
            ``(2) to identify and implement methods of promoting 
        existing and emerging applications of electric transportation 
        technologies and hybrid transportation technologies.''.

SEC. 5. ELECTRICITY USAGE PROGRAM AND CERTIFICATION.

    Section 131 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
U.S.C. 17011), as amended by section 4 of this Act, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsections:
    ``(f) Electricity Usage Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
        Administrator and private industry, shall carry out a program--
                    ``(A) to work with utilities to develop low-cost, 
                simple methods of--
                            ``(i) using off-peak electricity; or
                            ``(ii) managing on-peak electricity use;
                    ``(B) to develop systems and processes--
                            ``(i) to enable plug-in electric drive 
                        vehicles to enhance the availability of 
                        emergency back-up power for consumers; and
                            ``(ii) to work with utilities and other 
                        interested stakeholders to study and 
                        demonstrate the implications of the 
                        introduction of plug-in electric drive vehicles 
                        and other types of electric transportation 
                        technology on the production of electricity 
                        from renewable resources; and
                    ``(C) to study and demonstrate the potential value 
                to the electric grid to use the energy stored in on-
                board storage systems of plug-in electric drive 
                vehicles to improve the efficiency and reliability of 
                the grid generation system.
    ``(g) Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle and Electric Transportation 
Technology Certification.--
            ``(1) In general.--For the purpose of enabling the 
        introduction of plug-in hybrid electric drive vehicles and 
        electric transportation technology into commercial use, the 
        Administrator shall develop, in consultation with industry, the 
        Secretary, and the National Laboratories, a program to 
        certify--
                    ``(A) the emissions of criteria pollutants, fuel 
                economy, and petroleum usage of plug-in hybrid electric 
                drive vehicles; and
                    ``(B) the emissions reductions, fuel economy 
                improvements, and petroleum usage reductions from other 
                forms of electric transportation technology.
            ``(2) Certification.--The certifications made pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) shall include consideration of--
                    ``(A) the entire vehicle propulsion system, not 
                just the engine;
                    ``(B) nightly off-board charging; and
                    ``(C) different engine turn-on control strategies.
            ``(3) Task force.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
        of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall 
        establish a task force representing auto manufacturers, truck 
        manufacturers, National Laboratories, public agencies, 
        utilities, and other interested stakeholders to recommend 
        certification protocols for certifying--
                    ``(A) the emissions, fuel economy, and petroleum 
                usage of a wide variety of plug-in hybrid electric 
                drive vehicles; and
                    ``(B) the emissions reductions, fuel economy 
                improvements, and petroleum usage reductions from other 
                forms of electric transportation technology.
            ``(4) Public comment.--Not later than 2 years after the 
        date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall 
        publish the certification protocols recommended pursuant to 
        paragraph (3) for public comment.
            ``(5) Final protocols.--Not later than 3 years after the 
        date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall 
        adopt and publish final certification protocols for 
        certifying--
                    ``(A) the emissions, fuel economy, and petroleum 
                usage of a wide variety of plug-in hybrid electric 
                drive vehicles; and
                    ``(B) the emissions reductions, fuel economy 
                improvements, and petroleum usage reductions from other 
                forms of electric transportation technology.
            ``(6) Evaluation and modification of electric 
        transportation technology protocols.--
                    ``(A) Evaluation.--Not later than 2 years after the 
                adoption of the certification protocols pursuant to 
                paragraph (5), and every 2 years thereafter, the 
                Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary, 
                appropriate Federal agencies, and interested 
                stakeholders shall evaluate and modify, as necessary, 
                such certification protocols to ensure that--
                            ``(i) for plug-in hybrid electric drive 
                        vehicles, such protocols accurately measure 
                        emissions, fuel economy, and petroleum usage of 
                        such vehicles; and
                            ``(ii) for other forms of electric 
                        transportation technology, such protocols 
                        accurately measure emissions reductions, fuel 
                        economy improvements, and petroleum usage 
                        reductions from such technology.
                    ``(B) Modification.--The Administrator shall modify 
                such certification protocols for such plug-in hybrid 
                electric drive vehicles and electric transportation 
                technologies to realize the full potential of the 
                benefits of such vehicles and technologies, in terms of 
                reduction of emissions of criteria pollutants, 
                reduction of energy use, and reduction of petroleum 
                use. In modifying such certification protocols, the 
                Administrator shall consider--
                            ``(i) the entire vehicle propulsion system, 
                        not just the engine;
                            ``(ii) nightly off-board charging, as 
                        applicable; and
                            ``(iii) different engine turn-on control 
                        strategies.
            ``(7) Plug-in hybrid electric drive vehicle.--For purposes 
        of this subsection, the term `plug-in hybrid electric drive 
        vehicle' means a light-duty, medium-duty, or heavy-duty on-road 
        or nonroad vehicle that is propelled by any combination of--
                    ``(A) an electric motor and on-board, rechargeable 
                energy storage system capable of operating the vehicle 
                in intermittent or continuous all-electric mode and 
                that is rechargeable using an off-board source of 
                electricity; and
                    ``(B) an internal combustion engine or heat engine 
                using any combustible fuel.''.

SEC. 6. CITY CARS.

    Section 131 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
U.S.C. 17011), as amended by sections 4 and 5 of this Act, is further 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(h) City Cars.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of Transportation 
        in consultation with the Secretary, appropriate Federal 
        agencies, and interested stakeholders in the public, private, 
        and non-profit sectors, shall study, and submit a report to 
        Congress on the benefits, including the petroleum savings of, 
        and barriers to, the widespread deployment of a potential new 
        class of vehicles known as City Cars with performance 
        capability that exceeds that of low speed vehicles but is less 
        than that of passenger vehicles, and that may be battery 
        electric, fuel cell electric, or plug-in hybrid electric drive 
        vehicles. Such study shall examine, and such report shall 
        recommend, appropriate safety requirements for such vehicles 
        based on patterns of usage. Such study shall examine the 
        benefits and issues associated with limiting City Cars to a 
        maximum speed of 35 mph, 45 mph, 55 mph, or any other maximum 
        speed, and such report shall make a recommendation regarding 
        the maximum speed of such City Cars.
            ``(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to 
        carry out this subsection.''.

SEC. 7. TRANSITION TO FUEL NEUTRAL EPA REGULATIONS.

    Section 131 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
U.S.C. 17011), as amended by sections 4, 5, and 6 of this Act, is 
further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(i) Transition to Fuel and Technology Neutral Regulations.--
            ``(1) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
                    ``(A) In light of advances in automotive engine 
                technologies since the passage of the Clean Air Act (42 
                U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), it is necessary to modify the 
                control of mobile source emissions pursuant to such Act 
                to establish fuel and technology neutral mobile source 
                emissions control programs.
                    ``(B) Replacement of current emissions control 
                requirements with a new fuel and technology neutral 
                program that encourages use of the most fuel efficient 
                and environmentally benign vehicles could include all 
                vehicle technologies, including vehicles with spark-
                ignited engines, compression-ignited engines, and other 
                engine types, dual fueled vehicles, flexible fuel 
                vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, battery electric 
                vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, corded 
                electric vehicle equipment, and other electric 
                propulsion technologies.
            ``(2) Reports.--
                    ``(A) Not later than 1 year after the date of 
                enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall 
                submit a report to Congress describing all of the fuel 
                definitions and technology definitions specific to 
                vehicles in Federal law and regulation and recommend 
                how such definitions may be changed to be fuel and 
                technology neutral.
                    ``(B) Not later than 18 months after the date of 
                enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall 
                submit a report to Congress describing how petroleum 
                reductions, emissions reductions, and reductions in 
                full fuel cycle criteria pollutants may be incorporated 
                into the fuel and technology neutral emissions 
                reduction program required under paragraph (3), 
                including any changes needed to existing law to achieve 
                the purposes of the Electric Transportation Advancement 
                Act of 2009.
            ``(3) Rulemaking.--Not later than 2 years after the 
        submission of the report required under paragraph (2)(B), the 
        Administrator shall adopt final rules to implement a fuel and 
        technology neutral program to reduce tailpipe and evaporative 
        emissions of criteria pollutants from mobile sources. Such 
        program shall take effect not later than 10 years after the 
        date of enactment of this subsection.
            ``(4) Fuel and technology neutral mobile source emission 
        control program.--In this subsection, the term `fuel and 
        technology neutral mobile source emissions control program' 
        means a fuel and technology neutral program described under 
        paragraph (1)(B) that contains emissions controls for criteria 
        pollutants from mobile sources and a credit-based compliance 
        mechanism for manufacturers of mobile source technologies that 
        is at least as protective of public health as the previous 
        applicable emissions control program.
            ``(5) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to 
        carry out this subsection.''.

SEC. 8. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DIVERSIFICATION.

    Subsection (m) of section 641 of the Energy Independence and 
Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17231(m)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new sentence: ``Of amounts made available to carry 
out the programs established under subsections (i), (j), and (k), not 
more than 30 percent shall be awarded to the National Laboratories.''.
                                 <all>
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