COST Act
Bill: H.R.5621 | Sponsor: Rep. Feenstra, Randy (R-IA)
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Comparison of Sustainable Transportation Act or the COST Act
This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a cost analysis of replacing certain federally owned or operated vehicles with electric vehicles or flex-fuel ethanol vehicles. In addition, the bill requires the Department of Energy to conduct an analysis of the overall greenhouse gas impacts of the following types of vehicles: (1) a conventional gasoline vehicle, (2) an E85 (a fuel containing 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) capable flex-fuel vehicle, or (3) a battery electric vehicle.

To require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an 
analysis of the costs of converting light-duty vehicles in the Federal 
          fleet to electric vehicles, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Comparison of Sustainable 
Transportation Act'' or the ``COST Act''.

SEC. 2. COST ANALYSIS OF CONVERTING FEDERAL FLEET TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

    (a) Cost Analysis.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
shall conduct--
            (1) an analysis of the costs of replacing the light-duty 
        vehicles in the Federal fleet that are fueled by gasoline with 
        electric vehicles, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; 
        and
            (2) an analysis of the costs of replacing the light-duty 
        vehicles in the Federal fleet that are fueled by gasoline with 
        flex-fuel ethanol vehicles.
    (b) Inclusions.--Each analysis conducted under subsection (a) shall 
include the costs necessary for deployment of infrastructure for each 
applicable type of electric vehicle or flex-fuel ethanol vehicle that 
it is feasible to be used in the Federal fleet nationwide.
    (c) Publication.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall publish online the cost 
analyses conducted under subsection (a).

SEC. 3. ANALYSIS OF LIFECYCLE EMISSIONS OF E85 CAPABLE FLEX-FUEL AND 
              ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

    (a) Analysis.--The Secretary of Energy, utilizing the most recent 
Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation 
model (commonly referred to as the ``GREET model'') developed by 
Argonne National Laboratory, shall conduct a lifecycle analysis of 
greenhouse gas emissions from each of the following types of vehicles:
            (1) A conventional gasoline vehicle.
            (2) An E85 capable flex-fuel vehicle.
            (3) A battery electric vehicle.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a 
report on the lifecycle analyses conducted under subsection (a).

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) E85.--The term ``E85'' means a fuel containing 85 
        percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.
            (2) Federal fleet.--The term ``Federal fleet'' means the 
        fleet of federally owned or operated motor vehicles as reported 
        in the most recent Federal Fleet Report of the General Services 
        Administration.
            (3) Light-duty vehicle.--The term ``light-duty vehicle'' 
        means a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 
        or equal to 8,500 pounds.
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