Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Advanced Fuels Infrastructure Research and Development Act

Findings

The Congress finds that— (1)in order to lessen United States dependence on foreign sources of petroleum, and decrease demand for petroleum in the transportation sector, the Nation must diversify its fuel supply to include domestically produced biofuels including hydrogen; (2)while ethanol has been successful in the market place as a fuel additive, newer biofuels may present unique challenges that may render the fuels incompatible with the current fuel transportation and delivery infrastructure, placing the burden of costly refurbishment and construction on fuel distributors and retailers; (3)chemical additives to the fuels may mitigate the negative impacts of some biofuels on existing infrastructure and preclude costly retrofitting or installation of new biofuel compatible infrastructure and transportation systems; (4)in order to mitigate air pollution and comply with Federal mandates, Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel was introduced into the marketplace in 2006; (5)fuel labeled Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel may accumulate more than the statutory limit of 15 parts per million of sulfur when transported through multiple pipelines, tanks, and trucks to the final point of sale; (6)fuel distributors and retailers may inadvertently take delivery of fuel labeled Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel with more than 15 parts per million of sulfur without a practical means of verifying sulfur content; and (7)fuel distributors and retailers may transform their business by dispensing hydrogen, reformed on site from various feedstocks, or delivered by pipeline or tube trucks, resulting in new storage, handling, and equipment challenges.

Biofuel infrastructure and additives research and development

The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development of the Environmental Protection Agency (in this Act referred to as the Assistant Administrator), in consultation with the Secretary of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall carry out a program of research and development of materials to be added to biofuels to make them more compatible with existing infrastructure used to store and deliver petroleum-based fuels to the point of final sale. The Assistant Administrator is encouraged to utilize Land Grant Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and other minority-serving institutions among other resources to undertake research for this program. The program shall address— (1)materials to prevent or mitigate— (A)corrosion of metal, plastic, rubber, cork, fiberglass, glues, or any other material used in pipes and storage tanks; (B)dissolving of storage tank sediments; (C)clogging of filters; (D)contamination from water or other adulterants or pollutants; (E)poor flow properties related to low temperatures; (F)oxidative and thermal instability in long-term storage and use; (G)microbial contamination; and (H)problems associated with electrical conductivity; (2)alternatives to conventional methods for refurbishment and cleaning of gasoline and diesel tanks, including tank lining applications; (3)strategies to minimize emissions from infrastructure; (4)issues with respect to certification by a nationally recognized testing laboratory of components for fuel dispensing devises that specifically reference compatibility with alcohol blended and other biofuels that contain greater than 15 percent alcohol; (5)challenges for design, reforming, storage, handling, and dispensing hydrogen fuel from various feedstocks, including biomass, from neighborhood fueling stations, including codes and standards development necessary beyond that carried out under section 809 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16158); (6)issues with respect to where in the fuel supply chain additives optimally should be added to fuels; and (7)other problems as identified by the Assistant Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Sulfur testing for diesel fuels

(a)

Program

The Assistant Administrator, in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall carry out a research, development, and demonstration program on portable, low-cost, and accurate methods and technologies for testing of sulfur content in fuel, including Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel and Low Sulfur Diesel. (b)

Schedule of demonstrations

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Administrator shall begin demonstrations of technologies under subsection (a).

Standard reference materials and data base development

Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall develop a physical properties data base and standard reference materials for biofuels. Such data base and standard reference materials shall be maintained and updated as appropriate as additional biofuels become available.

Authorization of appropriations subject to pay as you go

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Environmental Protection Agency $10,000,000 for carrying out this Act, to be derived from amounts otherwise appropriated to the Environmental Protection Agency for energy research, development, and demonstration activities related to fuels or environmental research and development activities related to fuels.

Report to congress

Not later than 1 year after the establishment of the program under this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall transmit a report to Congress containing suggestions for any Federal incentives that could help such program be more successful.

Additional finding

The Congress also finds that in order to lessen United States dependence on foreign sources of petroleum, and decrease demand for petroleum in aircraft, such as passenger planes with 42 business class seats capable of transcontinental flights, the Nation must diversify its fuel supply for aircraft to include domestically produced alternative fuels.

Additional issues

Research and development under this Act shall address issues with respect to increased volatile emissions or increased nitrogen oxide emissions.