§13211. Definitions

For purposes of this subchapter, subchapter II, and subchapter III (unless otherwise specified)-

(1) the term "Administrator" means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;

(2) the term "alternative fuel" means methanol, denatured ethanol, and other alcohols; mixtures containing 85 percent or more (or such other percentage, but not less than 70 percent, as determined by the Secretary, by rule, to provide for requirements relating to cold start, safety, or vehicle functions) by volume of methanol, denatured ethanol, and other alcohols with gasoline or other fuels; natural gas, including liquid fuels domestically produced from natural gas; liquefied petroleum gas; hydrogen; coal-derived liquid fuels; fuels (other than alcohol) derived from biological materials; electricity (including electricity from solar energy); and any other fuel the Secretary determines, by rule, is substantially not petroleum and would yield substantial energy security benefits and substantial environmental benefits;

(3) Alternative fueled vehicle.-

(A) In general.-The term "alternative fueled vehicle" means a dedicated vehicle or a dual fueled vehicle;

(B) Inclusions.-The term "alternative fueled vehicle" includes-

(i) a new qualified fuel cell motor vehicle (as defined in section 30B(b)(3) of title 26);

(ii) a new advanced lean burn technology motor vehicle (as defined in section 30B(c)(3) of that title);

(iii) a new qualified hybrid motor vehicle (as defined in section 30B(d)(3) of that title); and

(iv) any other type of vehicle that the Administrator demonstrates to the Secretary would achieve a significant reduction in petroleum consumption.¹

(4) the term "comparable conventionally fueled motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle which is, as determined by the Secretary-

(A) commercially available at the time the comparability of the vehicle is being assessed;

(B) powered by an internal combustion engine that utilizes gasoline or diesel fuel as its fuel source; and

(C) provides passenger capacity or payload capacity the same or similar to the alternative fueled vehicle to which it is being compared;

(5) "covered person" means a person that owns, operates, leases, or otherwise controls-

(A) a fleet that contains at least 20 motor vehicles that are centrally fueled or capable of being centrally fueled, and are used primarily within a metropolitan statistical area or a consolidated metropolitan statistical area, as established by the Bureau of the Census, with a 1980 population of 250,000 or more; and

(B) at least 50 motor vehicles within the United States;

(6) the term "dedicated vehicle" means-

(A) a dedicated automobile, as such term is defined in section 32901(a)(7) ² of title 49; or

(B) a motor vehicle, other than an automobile, that operates solely on alternative fuel;

(7) the term "domestic" means derived from resources within the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or any other Commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States, including the outer Continental Shelf, as such term is defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act [43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.], or from resources within a Nation with which there is in effect a free trade agreement requiring national treatment for trade;

(8) the term "dual fueled vehicle" means-

(A) dual fueled automobile, as such term is defined in section 32901(a)(8) ² of title 49; or

(B) a motor vehicle, other than an automobile, that is capable of operating on alternative fuel and is capable of operating on gasoline or diesel fuel;

(9) the term "fleet" means a group of 20 or more light duty motor vehicles, used primarily in a metropolitan statistical area or consolidated metropolitan statistical area, as established by the Bureau of the Census, with a 1980 population of more than 250,000, that are centrally fueled or capable of being centrally fueled and are owned, operated, leased, or otherwise controlled by a governmental entity or other person who owns, operates, leases, or otherwise controls 50 or more such vehicles, by any person who controls such person, by any person controlled by such person, and by any person under common control with such person, except that such term does not include-

(A) motor vehicles held for lease or rental to the general public;

(B) motor vehicles held for sale by motor vehicle dealers, including demonstration motor vehicles;

(C) motor vehicles used for motor vehicle manufacturer product evaluations or tests;

(D) law enforcement motor vehicles;

(E) emergency motor vehicles, including vehicles directly used in the emergency repair of transmission lines and in the restoration of electricity service following power outages, as determined by the Secretary;

(F) motor vehicles acquired and used for military purposes that the Secretary of Defense has certified to the Secretary must be exempt for national security reasons;

(G) nonroad vehicles, including farm and construction motor vehicles; or

(H) motor vehicles which under normal operations are garaged at personal residences at night;

(10) the term "fuel supplier" means-

(A) any person engaged in the importing, refining, or processing of crude oil to produce motor fuel;

(B) any person engaged in the importation, production, storage, transportation, distribution, or sale of motor fuel; and

(C) any person engaged in generating, transmitting, importing, or selling at wholesale or retail electricity;

(11) the term "light duty motor vehicle" means a light duty truck or light duty vehicle, as such terms are defined under section 7550(7) of this title, of less than or equal to 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight rating;

(12) the term "motor fuel" means any substance suitable as a fuel for a motor vehicle;

(13) the term "motor vehicle" has the meaning given such term under section 7550(2) of this title; and

(14) the term "replacement fuel" means the portion of any motor fuel that is methanol, ethanol, or other alcohols, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, coal derived liquid fuels, fuels (other than alcohol) derived from biological materials, electricity (including electricity from solar energy), ethers, or any other fuel the Secretary determines, by rule, is substantially not petroleum and would yield substantial energy security benefits and substantial environmental benefits.

( Pub. L. 102–486, title III, §301, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2866 ; Pub. L. 106–554, §1(a)(4) [div. B, title I, §122], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763 , 2763A-229; Pub. L. 109–58, title VII, §707, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 818 ; Pub. L. 110–181, div. B, title XXVIII, §2862, Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 559 .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This subchapter, referred to in introductory provisions, was in the original "this title", meaning title III of Pub. L. 102–486, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2866 , which enacted this subchapter, amended section 6374 of this title, and repealed provisions set out as a note under section 6374 of this title. For complete classification of title III to the Code, see Tables.

Subchapter II, referred to in introductory provisions, was in the original "title IV", meaning title IV of Pub. L. 102–486, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2875 , which enacted subchapter II (§13231 et seq.) of this chapter, amended sections 6374a and 6374b and former section 6374c of this title and sections 717, 717a, 2001, 2002, 2006, and 2013 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, enacted provisions set out as notes under former section 79b and section 717 of Title 15, and repealed provisions set out as a note under section 717c of Title 15. For complete classification of title IV to the Code, see Tables.

Paragraphs (7) and (8) of section 32901(a) of title 49, referred to in pars. (6)(A) and (8)(A), were redesignated as pars. (8) and (9), respectively, and a new par. (7) was enacted by Pub. L. 110–140, title I, §103(a)(2), (3), Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1501 .

The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, referred to in par. (7), is act Aug. 7, 1953, ch. 345, 67 Stat. 462 , which is classified generally to subchapter III (§1331 et seq.) of chapter 29 of Title 43, Public Lands. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1301 of Title 43 and Tables.

Codification

In pars. (6)(A) and (8)(A), "section 32901(a)(7) of title 49" substituted for "section 513(h)(1)(C) of the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act" and "section 32901(a)(8) of title 49" substituted for "section 513(h)(1)(D) of the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act" on authority of Pub. L. 103–272, §6(b), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1378 , the first section of which enacted subtitles II, III, and V to X of Title 49, Transportation.

Amendments

2008-Par. (3). Pub. L. 110–181 designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), inserted par. and subpar. headings, substituted "The term" for "the term", and added subpar. (B).

2005-Par. (9)(E). Pub. L. 109–58 inserted ", including vehicles directly used in the emergency repair of transmission lines and in the restoration of electricity service following power outages, as determined by the Secretary" before semicolon at end.

2000-Par. (2). Pub. L. 106–554 inserted ", including liquid fuels domestically produced from natural gas" after "natural gas".

¹ So in original. The period probably should be a semicolon.

² See References in Text note below.