[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2017 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2017

 To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
conduct a study of the feasibility of developing regional vehicle fuel 
 specifications for the United States and of implementing the use of a 
 uniform blend of gasoline in the Midwest region of the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 25, 2001

    Mr. Green of Wisconsin (for himself, Mr. Ryan of Wisconsin, Mr. 
 Sensenbrenner, Mr. Petri, Mr. Barrett of Wisconsin, Mr. Kleczka, Mr. 
 Weller, Mr. Johnson of Illinois, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Kennedy of Minnesota, 
and Mrs. Biggert) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                  the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
conduct a study of the feasibility of developing regional vehicle fuel 
 specifications for the United States and of implementing the use of a 
 uniform blend of gasoline in the Midwest region of the United States.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. STUDY.

    The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (referred 
to in this Act as the ``Administrator''), in consultation with the 
Energy Information Administration, shall conduct a study of--
            (1) the feasibility of developing regional vehicle fuel 
        specifications for the contiguous United States that would--
                    (A) enhance flexibility in the fuel distribution 
                infrastructure and improve fuel fungibility;
                    (B) reduce price volatility and costs to consumers 
                and producers;
                    (C) meet local, regional, and national air quality 
                requirements and goals; and
                    (D) provide increased gasoline market liquidity; 
                and
            (2) the feasibility of alleviating gasoline supply problems 
        and inflated gasoline prices through the use of a uniform blend 
        of ethanol-based gasoline in the various regions of the United 
        States, focusing on the Midwest region, and addressing--
                    (A) whether it is feasible, practical, and 
                advisable to use a single, uniform blend of ethanol-
                based gasoline in the Midwest region of the United 
                States, rather than the numerous different blends that 
                are required under Federal, State, and local law;
                    (B) the regulatory and statutory changes that would 
                be required to permit the use of such a single blend of 
                gasoline throughout the Midwest region;
                    (C) any modifications to refineries needed to 
                enable such refineries to produce a sufficient amount 
                of such a single blend of gasoline to supply the entire 
                Midwest region;
                    (D) the amount of ethanol that would be required to 
                produce a sufficient amount of ethanol-based gasoline, 
                and whether the ethanol industry has the capacity to 
                meet the probable demand;
                    (E) the length of time that would be required to 
                replace the various blends of gasoline with a single 
                blend of ethanol-based gasoline; and
                    (F) whether producing such a uniform blend of 
                gasoline would have the effect of lowering and 
                stabilizing gasoline prices in the Midwest region, in 
                all areas including nonattainment areas, as defined by 
                section 171(2) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 
                7501(2)).

SEC. 2. DEADLINE.

    The study required by section 1 shall be completed not later than 4 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Upon completion of the study, the Administrator 
shall report her findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the 
Congress.
    (b) Specific Considerations.--The Administrator's conclusions and 
recommendations shall include proposed boundaries for each region of 
the United States as contemplated by the study, taking into 
consideration any practical, technical, political, and legal concerns, 
and may also identify other potential means for alleviating gasoline 
supply problems and inflated gasoline prices.
                                 <all>