To repeal certain amendments to the Clean Air Act relating to the expansion of the renewable fuel program, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Leave Ethanol Volumes at Existing 
Levels Act'' or the ``LEVEL Act''.

SEC. 2. REPEAL OF EXPANSION OF RENEWABLE FUEL PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 211(o)(1) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 
7545(o)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this section:
                    ``(A) Cellulosic biomass ethanol.--The term 
                `cellulosic biomass ethanol' means ethanol derived from 
                any lignocellulosic or hemicellulosic matter that is 
                available on a renewable or recurring basis, 
                including--
                            ``(i) dedicated energy crops and trees;
                            ``(ii) wood and wood residues;
                            ``(iii) plants;
                            ``(iv) grasses;
                            ``(v) agricultural residues;
                            ``(vi) fibers;
                            ``(vii) animal wastes and other waste 
                        materials; and
                            ``(viii) municipal solid waste.
                The term also includes any ethanol produced in 
                facilities where animal wastes or other waste materials 
                are digested or otherwise used to displace 90 percent 
                or more of the fossil fuel normally used in the 
                production of ethanol.
                    ``(B) Waste derived ethanol.--The term `waste 
                derived ethanol' means ethanol derived from--
                            ``(i) animal wastes, including poultry fats 
                        and poultry wastes, and other waste materials; 
                        or
                            ``(ii) municipal solid waste.
                    ``(C) Renewable fuel.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The term `renewable 
                        fuel' means motor vehicle fuel that--
                                    ``(I)(aa) is produced from grain, 
                                starch, oilseeds, vegetable, animal, or 
                                fish materials including fats, greases, 
                                and oils, sugarcane, sugar beets, sugar 
                                components, tobacco, potatoes, or other 
                                biomass; or
                                    ``(bb) is natural gas produced from 
                                a biogas source, including a landfill, 
                                sewage waste treatment plant, feedlot, 
                                or other place where decaying organic 
                                material is found; and
                                    ``(II) is used to replace or reduce 
                                the quantity of fossil fuel present in 
                                a fuel mixture used to operate a motor 
                                vehicle.
                            ``(ii) Inclusion.--The term renewable fuel 
                        includes--
                                    ``(I) cellulosic biomass ethanol 
                                and waste derived ethanol; and
                                    ``(II) biodiesel (as defined in 
                                section 312(f) of the Energy Policy Act 
                                of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 13220(f))) and any 
                                blending components derived from 
                                renewable fuel (provided that only the 
                                renewable fuel portion of any such 
                                blending component shall be considered 
                                part of the applicable volume under the 
                                renewable fuel program established by 
                                this subsection).
                    ``(D) Small refinery.--The term `small refinery' 
                means a refinery for which the average aggregate daily 
                crude oil throughput for a calendar year (as determined 
                by dividing the aggregate throughput for the calendar 
                year by the number of days in the calendar year) does 
                not exceed 75,000 barrels.''.
    (b) Renewable Fuel Program.--Paragraph (2) of section 211(o) of the 
Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)(2)) is amended as follows:
            (1) Regulations.--Clause (i) of subparagraph (A) is amended 
        by striking the last sentence.
            (2) Applicable volumes of renewable fuel.--Subparagraph (B) 
        is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(B) Applicable volume.--For the purpose of 
                subparagraph (A), the applicable volume for any of 
                calendar years 2006 through 2012 shall be determined in 
                accordance with the following table:


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 ``Calendar year:                  Applicable volume of renewable fuel (in billions of gallons):
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2006                                               4.0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007                                               4.7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008                                               5.4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009                                               6.1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2010                                               6.8
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011                                               7.4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012                                               7.5''.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (c) Applicable Percentages.--Paragraph (3) of section 211(o) of the 
Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)(3)) is amended as follows:
            (1) In subparagraph (A), by striking ``2021'' and inserting 
        ``2011''.
            (2) In subparagraph (A), by striking ``transportation fuel, 
        biomass-based diesel, and cellulosic biofuel'' and inserting 
        ``gasoline''.
            (3) In subparagraph (B), by striking ``2021'' and inserting 
        ``2012'' in clause (i).
            (4) In subparagraph (B), by striking ``transportation 
        fuel'' and inserting ``gasoline'' in clause (ii)(II).
    (d) Cellulosic Biomass Ethanol or Waste Derived Ethanol.--Paragraph 
(4) of section 211(o) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)(4)) is 
amended to read as follows:
            ``(4) Cellulosic biomass ethanol or waste derived 
        ethanol.--For the purpose of paragraph (2), 1 gallon of 
        cellulosic biomass ethanol or waste derived ethanol shall be 
        considered to be the equivalent of 2.5 gallons of renewable 
        fuel.''.
    (e) Credit Program.--Paragraph (5) of section 211(o) of the Clean 
Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)(5)) is amended by striking subparagraph (E).
    (f) Waivers.--
            (1) In general.--Paragraph (7) of section 211(o) of the 
        Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)(7)) is amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``, by any 
                person subject to the requirements of this subsection, 
                or by the Administrator on his own motion''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``State'' before ``petition for a 
                waiver'' in subparagraph (B).
            (2) Cellulosic biofuel.--Paragraph (7) of section 211(o) of 
        the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)(7)) is amended by striking 
        subparagraph (D).
            (3) Biomass-based diesel.--Paragraph (7) of section 211(o) 
        of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)(7)) is amended by 
        striking subparagraphs (E) and (F).
    (g) Periodic Reviews.--Section 211(o) of the Clean Air Act (42 
U.S.C. 7545(o)) is amended by striking paragraph (11).
    (h) Savings Clause.--Section 211(o) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 
7545(o)) is amended by striking paragraph (12).
    (i) Regulations.--Section 211 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545) 
is amended by striking paragraph (2) of subsection (v).
    (j) Other Provisions.--
            (1) Environmental and resource conservation impacts.--
        Section 204(b) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 
        2007 (Public Law 110-140) is repealed.
            (2) Effective date, savings provision, and transition 
        rules.--Section 210 of the Energy Independence and Security Act 
        of 2007 (Public Law 110-140) is repealed.

SEC. 3. HIGHER ETHANOL BLENDS.

    (a) Prohibition of Authorization of Higher Ethanol Blends.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency may not permit or authorize (including 
by granting a wavier through the fuels and fuel additives waiver 
process under section 211(f)(4) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 
7545(f)(4)) the introduction into commerce of an ethanol-gasoline blend 
containing greater than 10 percent ethanol by volume that is intended 
for general use in conventional gasoline-powered onroad or nonroad 
vehicles or engines.
    (b) Study.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency 
shall conduct, and submit to Congress the results of, a comprehensive 
study on--
            (1) the effects of the introduction into commerce of an 
        ethanol-gasoline blend described in subsection (a) on consumer 
        products, including--
                    (A) onroad and nonroad vehicles;
                    (B) nonroad engines (such as lawn mowers); and
                    (C) any other applicable gasoline-powered vehicles, 
                engines, and devices;
            (2) the impact of an ethanol-gasoline blend described in 
        subsection (a) on--
                    (A) engine performance of conventional gasoline-
                powered onroad and nonroad vehicles and nonroad 
                engines;
                    (B) emissions from the use of the blend; and
                    (C) materials compatibility and consumer safety 
                issues associated with the use of such blend (including 
                the identification of insufficient data or information 
                for some or all of such vehicles and engines with 
                respect to each of the issues described in this 
                subparagraph and subparagraphs (A) and (B)); and
            (3) the ability of wholesale and retail gasoline 
        distribution infrastructure, including bulk storage, retail 
        storage configurations, and retail equipment (including 
        certification of equipment compatibility by independent 
        organizations), to introduce such an ethanol-gasoline blend 
        into commerce without widespread intentional or unintentional 
        misfueling by consumers.

Summary: Leave Ethanol Volumes at Existing Levels Act or the LEVEL Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to revise the renewable fuel program, including by: (1) redefining "renewable fuel"; (2) reducing the percentage of renewable fuel that is required to be in gasoline sold or introduced into commerce in the United States (from 9% to 5.4% in 2008, 11.1% to 6.1% in 2009, 12.95% to 6.8% in 2010, 13.95% to 7.4% in 2011, and 15.2% to 7.5% in 2012); (3) revoking the renewable fuel standard for 2013-2022; (4) requiring the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration to provide to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) an estimate of the volumes of gasoline (currently of transportation fuel, biomass-based diesel, and cellulosic biofuel) projected to be sold or introduced into commerce in the following year; (5) making one gallon of cellulosic biomass ethanol or waste derived ethanol equivalent to 2.5 gallons of renewable fuel; (6) repealing provisions concerning cellulosic biofuel and biomass-based diesel; and (7) repealing a requirement that the Administrator of EPA promulgate fuel regulations to implement measures to mitigate adverse impacts on air quality as the result of renewable fuel requirements.

Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to repeal provisions requiring EPA to report to Congress on current and future impacts of the renewable fuel requirements on environmental issues, resource conservation issues, and the growth and use of cultivated invasive or noxious plants and their impacts on the environment and agriculture.

Prohibits the Administrator from permitting or authorizing (including by granting a waiver through the fuels and fuel additives waiver process) the introduction into commerce of an ethanol-gasoline blend containing greater than 10% ethanol by volume that is intended for general use in conventional gasoline-powered vehicles or engines.

Requires the Administrator to study: (1) the effects of the introduction into commerce of an ethanol-gasoline blend on consumer products; (2) the impact of such blend on engine performance of conventional gasoline-powered vehicles and nonroad engines, emissions from the use of the blend, and materials compatibility and consumer safety issues associated with the use of such blend; and (3) the ability of wholesale and retail gasoline distribution infrastructure to introduce such blend into commerce without widespread misfueling by consumers.