§ 3801. — Congressional statement of findings and declaration of policy.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 15USC3801]
TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND TRADE
CHAPTER 64--METHANE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND
DEMONSTRATION
Sec. 3801. Congressional statement of findings and declaration
of policy
(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.
(Pub. L. 96-512, Sec. 2, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2827.)
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, as amended, which is classified
generally to chapter 85 (Sec. 7401 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public
Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code,
see Short Title note set out under section 7401 of Title 42 and Tables.
Short Title
Section 1 of Pub. L. 96-512 provided: ``That this Act [enacting this
chapter] may be cited as the `Methane Transportation Research,
Development, and Demonstration Act of 1980'.''
