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

(a) In general: (1) Before January 1, 1994, the Secretary must issue rules that require certain companies ("covered persons," defined below) to buy alternative-fuel vehicles when they buy new light-duty vehicles. The required share climbs each year: 30 percent for model year 1996, 50 percent for model year 1997, 70 percent for model year 1998, and 90 percent for model year 1999 and every year after that. (2) A "covered person" under this rule is: (A) a company whose main business is producing, storing, refining, processing, transporting, distributing, importing, or selling any alternative fuel besides electricity, at wholesale or retail; (B) a non-federal company whose main business is generating, transmitting, importing, or selling electricity, at wholesale or retail; or (C) a company that produces or imports an average of 50,000 barrels of petroleum a day or more, if a substantial part of its business is producing alternative fuels. (3) If a covered person has more than one affiliate, division, or business unit, only the units substantially involved in the alternative-fuels business — as the Secretary decides by rule — must follow this requirement. A covered person, or any of its units, is not covered at all if its main business is turning alternative fuels into a different, non-alternative-fuel product, or using alternative fuels as feedstock or fuel to make a non-alternative-fuel product. (4) Vehicles bought to meet this requirement must run only on alternative fuel, except when the right alternative fuel isn't available in the area where the vehicle is operating. (5) The rules must include a quick, simple way for the Secretary to exempt a covered person from all or part of this requirement, if that person shows either: (A) alternative-fuel vehicles that fit its normal business needs aren't reasonably available to buy; or (B) alternative fuel that fits its normal business needs isn't available where its vehicles operate. (b) Revisions and extensions: For model year 1997 and later, the Secretary may lower the required percentages — but never below 20 percent — and may push back the deadlines in subsection (a)(1) by up to 2 model years. (c) Option for electric utilities: Within 1 year after October 24, 1992, the Secretary must issue rules saying that, for electric utility companies, the requirement in subsection (a)(1) does not apply to electric vehicles until after December 31, 1997. Any electric utility planning to use electric vehicles to meet this requirement must tell the Secretary before January 1, 1996. (d) Report to Congress: Before January 1, 1998, the Secretary must send Congress a detailed report on what has been done to carry out this section, the progress made, and the problems run into.