§13258 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary must give credits to fleets or people who are required to get alternative-fueled vehicles if they buy more of those vehicles than they are required to, or if they buy them before they are required to. Defined vehicle types covered include: fuel cell electric vehicles (use a fuel cell), hybrid electric vehicles (new qualified hybrids), medium- or heavy-duty electric vehicles (electric, hybrid, or plug-in hybrids over 8,501 pounds), neighborhood electric vehicles (four-wheeled, electric, top speed over 20 mph but not more than 25 mph, rechargeable from outside power), and plug-in electric drive vehicles (battery at least 4 kilowatt-hours, can be recharged from outside power). By January 31, 2009, the Secretary must set how many credits are given for buying those vehicles and for investing in qualifying alternative-fuel infrastructure or nonroad equipment. The Secretary can give 2 to 5 credits for investments in emerging technologies to encourage less petroleum use, better technology, and lower emissions. Normally one credit equals one extra or early vehicle. If a vehicle is bought early, the owner gets one credit for each year it was bought before the required date. A credit can be used to show compliance in only one year. Credits can be freely transferred to other covered fleets or people, and the receiver may use a transferred credit for one designated year. For the alternative fuel provider program, a transferred credit counts only if the rule in section 13251(a)(4) is met. Money needed to run this credit program was approved for fiscal years 2008 through 2013.

Title 42, §13258

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

(a)In this section:

(1)The term “fuel cell electric vehicle” means an on-road or non-road vehicle that uses a fuel cell (as defined in section 16152 of this title).

(2)The term “hybrid electric vehicle” means a new qualified hybrid motor vehicle (as defined in section 30B(d)(3) of title 26).

(3)The term “medium- or heavy-duty electric vehicle” means an electric, hybrid electric, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of more than 8,501 pounds.

(4)The term “neighborhood electric vehicle” means a 4-wheeled on-road or nonroad vehicle that—

(A)has a top attainable speed in 1 mile of more than 20 mph and not more than 25 mph on a paved level surface; and

(B)is propelled by an electric motor and on-board, rechargeable energy storage system that is rechargeable using an off-board source of electricity.

(5)The term “plug-in electric drive vehicle” means a vehicle that—

(A)draws motive power from a battery with a capacity of at least 4 kilowatt-hours;

(B)can be recharged from an external source of electricity for motive power; and

(C)is a light-, medium-, or heavy duty motor vehicle or nonroad vehicle (as those terms are defined in section 7550 of this title).

(b)(1)The Secretary shall allocate a credit to a fleet or covered person that is required to acquire an alternative fueled vehicle under this subchapter, if that fleet or person acquires an alternative fueled vehicle in excess of the number that fleet or person is required to acquire under this subchapter or acquires an alternative fueled vehicle before the date that fleet or person is required to acquire an alternative fueled vehicle under such subchapter.

(2)Not later than January 31, 2009, the Secretary shall—

(A)allocate credit in an amount to be determined by the Secretary for—

(i)acquisition of—

(I)a hybrid electric vehicle;

(II)a plug-in electric drive vehicle;

(III)a fuel cell electric vehicle;

(IV)a neighborhood electric vehicle; or

(V)a medium- or heavy-duty electric vehicle; and

(ii)investment in qualified alternative fuel infrastructure or nonroad equipment, as determined by the Secretary; and

(B)allocate more than 1, but not to exceed 5, credits for investment in an emerging technology relating to any vehicle described in subparagraph (A) to encourage—

(i)a reduction in petroleum demand;

(ii)technological advancement; and

(iii)a reduction in vehicle emissions.

(c)In allocating credits under subsection (b), the Secretary shall allocate one credit for each alternative fueled vehicle the fleet or covered person acquires that exceeds the number of alternative fueled vehicles that fleet or person is required to acquire under this subchapter or that is acquired before the date that fleet or person is required to acquire an alternative fueled vehicle under such subchapter. In the event that a vehicle is acquired before the date otherwise required, the Secretary shall allocate one credit per vehicle for each year the vehicle is acquired before the required date. The credit shall be allocated for the same type vehicle as the excess vehicle or earlier acquired vehicle.

(d)At the request of a fleet or covered person allocated a credit under this section, the Secretary shall treat the credit as the acquisition of one alternative fueled vehicle of the type for which the credit is allocated in the year designated by that fleet or person when determining whether that fleet or person has complied with this subchapter in the year designated. A credit may be counted toward compliance for only one year.

(e)A fleet or covered person allocated a credit under this section or to whom a credit is transferred under this section, may transfer freely the credit to another fleet or person who is required to comply with this subchapter. At the request of the fleet or person to whom a credit is transferred, the Secretary shall treat the transferred credit as the acquisition of one alternative fueled vehicle of the type for which the credit is allocated in the year designated by the fleet or person to whom the credit is transferred when determining whether that fleet or person has complied with this subchapter in the year designated. A transferred credit may be counted toward compliance for only one year. In the case of the alternative fuel provider program under section 13251 of this title, a transferred credit may be counted toward compliance only if the requirement of section 13251(a)(4) of this title is met.

(f)There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2007—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–140, § 133(2), added subsec. (a). Former subsec. (a) redesignated (b). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–140, § 133(1), (3), redesignated subsec. (a) as (b), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted par. heading, and added par. (2). Former subsec. (b) redesignated (c). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–140, § 133(1), (4), redesignated subsec. (b) as (c) and substituted “subsection (b)” for “subsection (a)”. Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d). Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 110–140, § 133(1), redesignated subsecs. (c) and (d) as (d) and (e), respectively. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 110–140, § 133(5), added subsec. (f).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2007 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 110–140 effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress.

§13258 Credits

Summary

Title 42, §13258

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Effective Date

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