Open Fuel Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-4047
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Engel, Eliot L. [D-NY-16]
Introduced: 2015-11-17
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Alternative and renewable resources

Department of Transportation

Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles

Manufacturing

Motor fuels

Motor vehicles
Latest action: action_date: 2015-11-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-11-17
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Open Fuel Act of 2015 </b></p> <p> This bill requires each fleet of a manufacturer of passenger automobiles (including light-duty motor vehicles) to comprise at least: </p> <ul> <li> 30% qualified vehicles in model year 2018, and </li> <li> 50% qualified vehicles in model year 2019 and each subsequent year.</li> </ul> <p>A &quot;qualified vehicle&quot; is: </p> <ul> <li> a vehicle that operates on natural gas, hydrogen, or biodiesel; </li> <li> a flexible fuel vehicle capable of operating on gasoline, E85, and M85; </li> <li> a plug-in electric drive vehicle; or </li> <li> a vehicle propelled solely by fuel cell or by something other than an internal combustion engine.</li> </ul> <p>The bill authorizes a manufacturer to request an exemption from such requirement from the Department of Transportation.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4047 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 17, 2015 Mr. Engel (for himself, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen , Mr. Israel , and Mr. Cole ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To amend chapter 329 of title 49, United States Code, to ensure that new vehicles enable fuel competition so as to reduce the strategic importance of oil to the United States.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Open Fuel Act of 2015 . 2. Open fuel requirement for motor vehicles Chapter 329 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 32905 the following new section: 32905A. Open fuel requirement for motor vehicles. (a) Requirements Except as provided in subsection (c), each manufacturer’s fleet of covered vehicles for a particular model year shall be comprised of— (1) not less than 30 percent qualified vehicles beginning in model year 2018; and (2) not less than 50 percent qualified vehicles beginning in model year 2019 and each subsequent year. (b) Additional definitions As used in this section— (1) the term covered vehicle means a passenger automobile, and includes a light-duty motor vehicle; (2) the term qualified vehicle means covered vehicle that— (A) has been warranted by its manufacturer to operate on natural gas, hydrogen, or biodiesel; (B) is a flexible fuel vehicle; (C) is a plug-in electric drive vehicle; (D) is propelled solely by a fuel cell that produces power without the use of petroleum or a petroleum-based fuel; or (E) is propelled solely by something other than an internal combustion engine, and produces power without the use of petroleum or a petroleum-based fuel; (3) the term flexible fuel vehicle means a vehicle that has been warranted by its manufacturer to operate on gasoline, E85, and M85; (4) the term E85 means a fuel mixture containing up to 85 percent ethanol and meets the standards of ASTM D5798; (5) the term M85 means a fuel mixture containing up to 85 percent methanol and meets the standards of ASTM D5797; (6) the term biodiesel means diesel fuel which has been produced from a non-petroleum feedstock and which meets the standards of ASTM D6751–03; (7) the term plug-in electric drive vehicle has the meaning given such term in section 508(a)(5) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 ( 42 U.S.C. 13258(a)(5) ); and (8) the term light-duty motor vehicle means a light-duty truck or light-duty vehicle as such terms are defined in section 216(7) of the Clean Air Act ( 42 U.S.C. 7550(7) ) of less than or equal to 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight rating. (c) Temporary Exemption from Requirements (1) Application A manufacturer may request an exemption from the requirement described in subsection (a) by submitting an application to the Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require by regulation. Each such application shall specify the models, lines, and types of automobiles affected. (2) Evaluation After evaluating an application received from a manufacturer, the Secretary may at any time, under such terms and conditions, and to such extent as the Secretary considers appropriate, temporarily exempt, or renew the exemption of, a light-duty motor vehicle from the requirement described in subsection (a) if the Secretary determines that unavoidable events not under the control of the manufacturer prevent the manufacturer of such automobile from meeting its required production volume of qualified automobiles, including— (A) a disruption in the supply of any component required for compliance with the regulations; or (B) a disruption in the use and installation by the manufacturer of such component. (3) Consolidation The Secretary may consolidate applications received from multiple manufacturers under subparagraph (A) if they are of a similar nature. (4) Conditions Any exemption granted under paragraph (2) shall be conditioned upon the manufacturer’s commitment to recall the exempted automobiles for installation of the omitted components within a reasonable time proposed by the manufacturer and approved by the Secretary after such components become available in sufficient quantities to satisfy both anticipated production and recall volume requirements. (5) Notice The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register— (A) notice of each application received from a manufacturer; (B) notice of each decision to grant or deny a temporary exemption; and (C) the reasons for granting or denying such exemptions. (d) Rulemaking Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations as necessary to carry out this section. .