Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2017

To require compliant flame mitigation devices to be used on portable fuel containers for flammable liquid fuels, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2017 2. Performance Standards to Protect Against Portable Fuel Container Explosions Near Open Flames or other ignition sources (a) Rule on safety performance standards required Not later than 30 months after the date of enactment of this section, the Consumer Product Safety Commission shall promulgate a final rule for flame mitigation devices in portable fuel containers that impedes the propagation of flame into the container, except as provided in subsection (c). (b) Rulemaking; consumer product safety standard A rule under subsection (a)— (1) shall be promulgated in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code; and (2) shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act ( 15 U.S.C. 2058 (c) Exception (1) Voluntary standard Subsection (a) shall not apply if the Commission determines that— (A) there is a voluntary standard for flame mitigation devices in portable fuel containers that impedes the propagation of flame into the container; (B) the voluntary standard is or will be in effect not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act; and (C) the voluntary standard is developed by Subcommittee F15 of ASTM International or such other standard development organization that the Commission determines to have met the intent of this Act. (2) Determination required to be published in the Federal Register Any determination made by the Commission under this subsection shall be published in the Federal Register. (d) Treatment of voluntary standard for purpose of enforcement If the Commission determines that a voluntary standard meets the conditions described in subsection (c), the requirements of such voluntary standard shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act beginning on the date which is the later of— (1) 180 days after publication of the Commission’s determination under subsection (c); or (2) the effective date contained in the voluntary standard. (e) Revision of voluntary standard (1) Notice to Commission If the requirements of a voluntary standard that meet the conditions of subsection (c) are subsequently revised, the organization that revised the standard shall notify the Commission not later than 60 days after the final approval of the revision. (2) Effective date of revision Not later than 180 days after the Commission is notified of a revised voluntary standard described in paragraph (1) (or such later date as the Commission determines appropriate), such revised voluntary standard shall become enforceable as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act, in place of the prior version, unless within 90 days after receiving the notice the Commission determines that the revised voluntary standard does not meet the requirements described in subsection (c). (f) Future rulemaking The Commission, at any time after publication of the consumer product safety rule required by subsection (a), a voluntary standard is treated as a consumer product safety rule under subsection (d), or a revision is enforceable as a consumer product safety rule under subsection (e) may initiate a rulemaking in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, to modify the requirements or to include any additional provision that the Commission determines is reasonably necessary to protect public health or safety. Any rule promulgated under this subsection shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act. (g) Action required (1) Education campaign Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall undertake a campaign to educate consumers about the dangers associated with using or storing portable fuel containers for flammable liquids near an open flame or any other source of ignition. (2) Summary of actions Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress a summary of actions taken by the Commission in such campaign. (h) Portable fuel container defined In this section, the term portable fuel container (1) intended for flammable liquid fuels, including gasoline, kerosene, diesel, ethanol, methanol, denatured alcohol, biofuels, or liquids with a flash point less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit; (2) that is a consumer product with a capacity of 5 gallons or less; and (3) that the manufacturer knows or reasonably should know is used by consumers for receiving, transporting, storing, and dispensing flammable liquid fuels. (i) Rule of construction This section may not be interpreted to conflict with the Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act ( Public Law 110–278 3. Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act (a) Amendment Section 2(c) of the Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act ( 15 U.S.C. 2056 Public Law 110–278 for use by consumers and any receptacle for gasoline, kerosene, or diesel fuel, including any spout, retrofit spout, cap, and other closure mechanism and component of such receptacle, produced or distributed for sale to or use by consumers for transport of, or refueling of internal combustion engines with, gasoline, kerosene, or diesel fuel (b) Applicability The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect 6 months after the date of enactment of this section.

Summary: Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2017 This bill requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to promulgate a final rule for flame mitigation devices in portable flammable liquid fuel containers that impede the propagation of flame into the container, unless the CPSC publishes a determination that a voluntary standard developed by a standard development organization meets the intent of this bill. Either the promulgated standard or the voluntary standard shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule. If a standard development organization subsequently revises a voluntary standard, the organization must notify the CPSC and the revision becomes enforceable unless, within 90 days after receiving notice, the CPSC determines that the revised standard does not meet this bill's requirements. The CPSC must undertake a campaign to educate consumers about dangers associated with portable fuel containers near an open flame or other source of ignition. The bill amends the Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act to extend child-resistance requirements for closures on portable gasoline containers to receptacles for gasoline, kerosene, or diesel fuel (including any spout, retrofit spout, cap, and other closure mechanism and component) produced or distributed for sale to, or use by, consumers for transport of, or for refueling of internal combustion engines with, gasoline, kerosene, or diesel fuel.