(2) MID-LEVEL ETHANOL BLEND.—The term 
‘‘mid-level ethanol blend’’ means an ethanol-gasoline 
blend containing greater than 10 and up to and in-
cluding 20 percent ethanol by volume that is in-
tended to be used in any conventional gasoline-pow-
ered motor vehicle or nonroad vehicle or engine. 
SEC. 2. EVALUATION. 
(a) 
IN
GENERAL.—The 
Administrator, 
acting 
through the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Re-
search and Development at the Environmental Protection 
Agency, shall— 
(1) not later than 45 days after the date of en-
actment 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 eth-
anol blends to gasoline blends containing 10 percent 
or 0 percent ethanol; and 
(2) not later than 30 days after receiving the 
results of the assessment under paragraph (1), sub-
mit a report to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Environment and Public Works of 
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the Senate on the findings of the assessment, to-
gether with the agreement or disagreement of the 
Administrator with each of its findings. 
(b) 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 perform-
ance 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 quali-
fying mid-level ethanol blends or blends with higher 
ethanol concentrations as a certification fuel. Such 
evaluation shall include a review of all available sci-
entific evidence, 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 under-
standing and research needs related to— 
(A) tailpipe emissions; 
(B) evaporative emissions; 
(C) engine and fuel system durability; 
(D) onboard diagnostics; 
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(E) emissions inventory and other mod-
eling effects; 
(F) materials compatibility; 
(G) operability and drivability; 
(H) fuel efficiency; 
(I) fuel economy; 
(J) knock resistance; 
(K) consumer education and satisfaction; 
(L) cost effectiveness for the consumer; 
(M) catalyst durability; and 
(N) durability of storage tanks, piping, 
and dispensers for retail. 
(2) An identification of areas of research, devel-
opment, and testing necessary to— 
(A) ensure that existing motor fuel infra-
structure is not adversely impacted by mid-level 
ethanol blends, including an examination of po-
tential 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— 
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(i) assessing the best methods and 
practices to prevent misfueling; 
(ii) examining misfueling mitigation 
strategies for blender pumps, including vol-
umetric purchase requirements and label-
ing requirements; 
(iii) assessing the adequacy of and 
ability for misfueling mitigation plans ap-
proved by the Environmental Protection 
Agency; and 
(iv) soliciting and considering rec-
ommendations of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, the American 
National Standards Institute, the Inter-
national Organization for Standardization, 
and the National Conference on Weights 
and Measures regarding fuel pump label-
ing. 
(c) 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)) be-
fore the date of enactment of this Act that allows the in-
troduction 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 sec-
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tion 211(f)(4) until after the submission of the report de-
scribed under subsection (a)(2). 
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 develop-
ment activities, at the Environmental Protection Agency. 
Æ 
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