republic-os/legal/us/code/title-42/chapter-134/section-13251.md

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LegalText	42 U.S.C. § 13251	Mandate for alternative fuel providers	us	united_states_code	code_section	42	THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE	134	ENERGY POLICY	13251	42 U.S.C. § 13251	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc42@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t42/s13251	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml	311496e7b06fe2adfac6a262c729f61efbd3c04ce64524f6f9bb75d45cb36231	644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e	f42019f8f9a79554d14368e436bac597cfd76de8a4c01a5c0aee40f250856dae	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

42 U.S.C. § 13251 - Mandate for alternative fuel providers

Text

(a) In general (1) The Secretary shall, before January 1, 1994, issue regulations requiring that of the new light duty motor vehicles acquired by a covered person described in paragraph (2), the following percentages shall be alternative fueled vehicles for the following model years:

(A) 30 percent for model year 1996.

(B) 50 percent for model year 1997.

(C) 70 percent for model year 1998.

(D) 90 percent for model year 1999 and thereafter.

(2) For purposes of this section, a person referred to in paragraph (1) is—

(A) a covered person whose principal business is producing, storing, refining, processing, transporting, distributing, importing, or selling at wholesale or retail any alternative fuel other than electricity;

(B) a non-Federal covered person whose principal business is generating, transmitting, importing, or selling at wholesale or retail electricity; or

(C) a covered person—

(i) who produces, imports, or produces and imports in combination, an average of 50,000 barrels per day or more of petroleum; and

(ii) a substantial portion of whose business is producing alternative fuels.

(3) (A) In the case of a covered person described in paragraph (2) with more than one affiliate, division, or other business unit, only an affiliate, division, or business unit which is substantially engaged in the alternative fuels business (as determined by the Secretary by rule) shall be subject to this subsection.

(B) No covered person or affiliate, division, or other business unit of such person whose principal business is—

(i) transforming alternative fuels into a product that is not an alternative fuel; or

(ii) consuming alternative fuels as a feedstock or fuel in the manufacture of a product that is not an alternative fuel,

shall be subject to this subsection.

(4) The vehicles purchased pursuant to this section shall be operated solely on alternative fuels except when operating in an area where the appropriate alternative fuel is unavailable.

(5) Regulations issued under paragraph (1) shall provide for the prompt exemption by the Secretary, through a simple and reasonable process, from the requirements of paragraph (1) of any covered person, in whole or in part, if such person demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that—

(A) alternative fueled vehicles that meet the normal requirements and practices of the principal business of that person are not reasonably available for acquisition; or

(B) alternative fuels that meet the normal requirements and practices of the principal business of that person are not available in the area in which the vehicles are to be operated.

(b) Revisions and extensions With respect to model years 1997 and thereafter, the Secretary may—

(1) revise the percentage requirements under subsection (a)(1) downward, except that under no circumstances shall the percentage requirement for a model year be less than 20 percent; and

(2) extend the time under subsection (a)(1) for up to 2 model years.

(c) Option for electric utilities The Secretary shall, within 1 year after October 24, 1992, issue regulations requiring that, in the case of a covered person whose principal business is generating, transmitting, importing, or selling at wholesale or retail electricity, the requirements of subsection (a)(1) shall not apply until after December 31, 1997, with respect to electric motor vehicles. Any covered person described in this subsection which plans to acquire electric motor vehicles to comply with the requirements of this section shall so notify the Secretary before January 1, 1996.

(d) Report to Congress The Secretary shall, before January 1, 1998, submit a report to the Congress providing detailed information on actions taken to carry out this section, and the progress made and problems encountered thereunder.

(Pub. L. 102–486, title V, § 501, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2887.)