Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§7581 Definitions

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 85— - AIR POLLUTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - EMISSION STANDARDS FOR MOVING SOURCES › Part Part C— - Clean Fuel Vehicles › § 7581

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Provides basic meanings for words used in this part. It borrows the definitions from part A as well. clean alternative fuel — fuels or power used in a clean-fuel vehicle that let the vehicle meet its clean-fuel standards, including methanol, ethanol, other alcohols (and mixes with 85 percent or more alcohol by volume), reformulated gasoline, diesel, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, and electricity. For flexible or dual-fuel vehicles, it only counts for fuels the vehicle was certified to meet clean-fuel standards on. NMOG (nonmethane organic gas) — the total of certain hydrocarbons, including oxygenated organic gases with 5 or fewer carbon atoms and hydrocarbons with 12 or fewer carbon atoms; NMOG must be measured using the California Non-Methane Organic Gas Test Procedures, and emissions from fuels other than base gasoline are adjusted for reactivity. base gasoline — gasoline that meets these specs: API gravity 57.8; sulfur 317 ppm; color Purple; benzene 1.35 vol%; Reid vapor pressure 8.7; drivability 1195; antiknock index 87.3; distillation D–86 °F IBP 92, 10% 126, 50% 219, 90% 327, EP 414; hydrocarbon type by vol.%: aromatics 30.9, olefins 8.2, saturates 60.9. The Administrator may change the NMOG, base gasoline, and reactivity rules to match California’s rules if those California rules are overall at least as protective of public health and welfare. covered fleet — 10 or more motor vehicles owned or operated by one person, counting vehicles of related or controlled entities, but not including rental/lease-to-public vehicles, dealer sale vehicles, manufacturer test vehicles, law enforcement or emergency vehicles, or nonroad vehicles (such as farm and construction equipment). covered fleet vehicle — a motor vehicle that is in a class covered by these rules and is in a covered fleet that is centrally fueled or can be centrally fueled. clean-fuel vehicle — a vehicle certified to meet the clean-fuel standards for its class and model year.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §7581

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For purposes of this part—

(1)The definitions applicable to part A under section 7550 of this title shall also apply for purposes of this part.

(2)The term “clean alternative fuel” means any fuel (including methanol, ethanol, or other alcohols (including any mixture thereof containing 85 percent or more by volume of such alcohol with gasoline or other fuels), reformulated gasoline, diesel, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and hydrogen) or power source (including electricity) used in a clean-fuel vehicle that complies with the standards and requirements applicable to such vehicle under this subchapter when using such fuel or power source. In the case of any flexible fuel vehicle or dual fuel vehicle, the term “clean alternative fuel” means only a fuel with respect to which such vehicle was certified as a clean-fuel vehicle meeting the standards applicable to clean-fuel vehicles under section 7583(d)(2) of this title when operating on clean alternative fuel (or any CARB standards which replaces such standards pursuant to section 7583(e) of this title).

(3)The term nonmethane organic gas (“NMOG”) means the sum of nonoxygenated and oxygenated hydrocarbons contained in a gas sample, including, at a minimum, all oxygenated organic gases containing 5 or fewer carbon atoms (i.e., aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, ethers, etc.), and all known alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and aromatics containing 12 or fewer carbon atoms. To demonstrate compliance with a NMOG standard, NMOG emissions shall be measured in accordance with the “California Non-Methane Organic Gas Test Procedures”. In the case of vehicles using fuels other than base gasoline, the level of NMOG emissions shall be adjusted based on the reactivity of the emissions relative to vehicles using base gasoline.

(4)The term “base gasoline” means gasoline which meets the following specifications: Specifications of Base Gasoline Used as Basis for Reactivity Readjustment: API gravity57.8 Sulfur, ppm317 ColorPurple Benzene, vol. %1.35 Reid vapor pressure8.7 Drivability1195 Antiknock index87.3 Distillation, D–86 °F IBP92 10%126 50%219 90%327 EP414 Hydrocarbon Type, Vol. % FIA: Aromatics30.9 Olefins8.2 Saturates60.9 The Administrator shall modify the definitions of NMOG, base gasoline, and the methods for making reactivity adjustments, to conform to the definitions and method used in California under the Low-Emission Vehicle and Clean Fuel Regulations of the California Air Resources Board, so long as the California definitions are, in the aggregate, at least as protective of public health and welfare as the definitions in this section.

(5)The term “covered fleet” means 10 or more motor vehicles which are owned or operated by a single person. In determining the number of vehicles owned or operated by a single person for purposes of this paragraph, all motor vehicles owned or operated, leased or otherwise controlled by such person, by any person who controls such person, by any person controlled by such person, and by any person under common control with such person shall be treated as owned by such person. The term “covered fleet” shall not include motor vehicles held for lease or rental to the general public, motor vehicles held for sale by motor vehicle dealers (including demonstration vehicles), motor vehicles used for motor vehicle manufacturer product evaluations or tests, law enforcement and other emergency vehicles, or nonroad vehicles (including farm and construction vehicles).

(6)The term “covered fleet vehicle” means only a motor vehicle which is—

(i)in a vehicle class for which standards are applicable under this part; and

(ii)in a covered fleet which is centrally fueled (or capable of being centrally fueled).

(7)The term “clean-fuel vehicle” means a vehicle in a class or category of vehicles which has been certified to meet for any model year the clean-fuel vehicle standards applicable under this part for that model year to clean-fuel vehicles in that class or category.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 7581

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73