§3801 — Title 15 Commerce and Trade | U.S. Code

Summary

Creates a federal program to study and promote using methane (the main part of natural gas) as a fuel for vehicles. Congress found that gasoline and diesel are in short supply, methane is more available in the U.S. and can be made from coal, plants, and waste, and that using methane could cut oil imports, lower emissions, and is safe in properly changed fleet vehicles. Much recoverable methane is not being used now. The policy is to pay for and speed up research and development, show that methane vehicles work and are cost‑effective for fleets and farm equipment, remove barriers to their use, encourage switching when it helps meet air quality goals, and to add to—but not replace—private industry efforts.

Title 15, §3801

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Congress finds and declares that—

(1)gasoline and diesel fuel for vehicular use are in short supply and constitute a sizable portion of domestic petroleum consumption;

(2)methane use in fleet-operated vehicles would result in substantial reduction in oil imports;

(3)methane is in more abundant domestic supply than petroleum products, is the primary component of natural gas and can be derived in increased quantities from coal, biomass, waste products, and other renewable resources;

(4)recoverable methane presently available in the United States is not fully utilized;

(5)test results to date indicate that methane use as a substitute for gasoline as a motor fuel can result in emission reductions;

(6)experience to date has shown methane to be a safe motor fuel in properly modified vehicles and is therefore particularly suitable as fuel for fleet vehicles; and

(7)the introduction into commerce of methane-fueled vehicles would be expedited and facilitated by the establishment of a Federal program of research, development, and demonstration to explore and refine technologies related to methane use as a vehicular fuel.

(b)It is therefore declared to be the policy of the Congress in this chapter to—

(1)provide for and support advanced and accelerated research into, and development of, methane vehicle design, and related technologies;

(2)demonstrate the economic and technological practicalities of methane-fueled vehicles for fleet use and of methane-fueled farm equipment;

(3)facilitate, and remove barriers to, the use of methane-fueled vehicles in lieu of gasoline- or diesel-powered motor vehicles where practicable;

(4)promote the substitution of methane-fueled vehicles for gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles currently used on farms and in fleet operations, particularly in areas where such substitution would facilitate plans to meet air quality standards set under the Clean Air Act, as amended [42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.]; and

(5)supplement, but neither supplant nor duplicate, the automotive propulsion system research and development efforts of private industry.

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Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Clean Air Act, as amended, referred to in subsec. (b)(4), is act July 14, 1955, ch. 360, 69 Stat. 322, which is classified generally to chapter 85 (§ 7401 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

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note set out under section 7401 of Title 42 and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

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Pub. L. 96–512, § 1, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2827, provided: “That this Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Methane Transportation Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1980’.”

§3801 Congressional Statement of Findings and Declaration of Policy

Summary

Title 15, §3801

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