Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§3805 Research and development activities

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 64— - METHANE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION › § 3805

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must use federal agencies and contractors to start and carry out research and development on methane-powered vehicles. The research must cover eight areas: how methane burns and behaves in storage and use; safe handling, storage, and distribution for vehicle fuel; comparing hazards of methane with propane, gasoline, and diesel; whether producing methane from unconventional and supplemental sources is feasible, economical, and efficient (as provided in other authorization Acts); engine and fuel-tank design including dual-fuel vehicles; overall vehicle design; the kinds and amounts of emissions and possible changes to emission controls; and ways to remove rules or other barriers—such as limits on moving methane through tunnels—and to expand methane distribution.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §3805

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Secretary, acting through appropriate agencies and contractors, shall initiate and provide for the conduct of research and development in areas relating to methane-fueled vehicles, including but not limited to—

(1)flammability and combustibility of methane under conditions likely to develop in storage or during vehicular use;

(2)handling, storage, and distribution of methane for vehicular propulsion purposes;

(3)comprehensive assessment of the relative hazards under identical circumstances of methane, propane, gasoline, and diesel fuel;

(4)feasibility, economy, and efficiency of technologies for the production and recovery of methane from unconventional and supplemental sources, as provided for in other authorization Acts;

(5)engine and fuel tank design including, but not limited to, optimum design for dual fuel capacity vehicles;

(6)total vehicle construction and design;

(7)the nature and quantities of emissions, and alterations in or alternatives to emission control systems presently in use; and

(8)overcoming institutional barriers to widespread use including but not limited to restrictions on the transportation of methane for vehicular use through tunnels, and the potential expansion of the distribution of methane for vehicular purposes.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 3805

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73