Country-of-Origin Labeling for Fuels Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy to study and report to Congress with recommendations for appropriate methods and standards for requiring: (1) motor vehicle fuel suppliers to disclose to the next person in the motor vehicle fuel supply chain information regarding each country in which the fuel or any of its components were extracted, refined, or otherwise processed; and (2) motor vehicle retailers to disclose this information to consumers.
Requires the Secretary to prescribe regulations requiring disclosure of country-of-origin information by motor vehicle fuel suppliers and retailers in accordance with such recommendations. Prohibits such regulations, however, from requiring the listing of more than one country-of-origin for a fuel blend containing fuel 70% or more of which originated in a single country.
Authorizes the Secretary to impose a civil penalty of up to $10,000 on any person that knowingly violates such regulations.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4512 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4512
To require the Secretary of Energy to implement country-of-origin
disclosure requirements with respect to motor vehicle fuels, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 26, 2010
Mr. Braley of Iowa introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Energy to implement country-of-origin
disclosure requirements with respect to motor vehicle fuels, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Country-of-Origin Labeling for Fuels
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Country-of-origin information.--The term ``country-of-
origin information'' means information regarding each country
in which motor vehicle fuel or the components of such fuel were
extracted, refined, or otherwise processed.
(2) Motor vehicle fuel.--The term ``motor vehicle fuel''--
(A) means any fuel used to power an automobile, as
defined in section 32901(3) of title 49, United States
Code; and
(B) includes alternative fuels, as defined in
section 32901(1) of such title, other than electricity
(including electricity from solar energy).
(3) Motor vehicle fuel retailer.--The term ``motor vehicle
fuel retailer'' means a person in the motor vehicle fuel supply
chain who sells motor vehicle fuel to the general public for
ultimate consumption.
(4) Motor vehicle fuel supplier.--The term ``motor vehicle
fuel supplier'' means a person in the motor vehicle fuel supply
chain other than a motor vehicle fuel retailer.
SEC. 3. STUDY ON IMPLEMENTING COUNTRY-OF-ORIGIN LABELING FOR MOTOR
VEHICLE FUEL.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall--
(1) conduct a study to determine appropriate methods and
standards for requiring that--
(A) motor vehicle fuel suppliers disclose country-
of-origin information with respect to motor vehicle
fuel to the next person in the motor vehicle fuel
supply chain; and
(B) motor vehicle retailers disclose such
information to consumers; and
(2) make recommendations with respect to the most feasible
and cost-effective country-of-origin information disclosure
requirements that can be imposed on motor vehicle fuel
suppliers and motor vehicle fuel retailers.
(b) Elements of Study.--The study required by subsection (a) shall
address the following:
(1) The extent to which persons at each step in the motor
vehicle fuel supply chain have access to country-of-origin
information regarding the fuel they sell, and the nature of any
such information.
(2) An assessment of whether such information is adequate--
(A) to enable a motor vehicle fuel supplier to
provide country-of-origin information to the next
person in the supply chain; and
(B) to enable a motor vehicle fuel retailer to
provide country-of-origin information to consumers, by
displaying that information at fuel pumps or on a
website.
(3) If the Secretary determines under paragraph (2) that
such information is inadequate to enable motor vehicle fuel
suppliers or motor vehicle fuel retailers to provide country-
of-origin information, measures that can be taken to collect
adequate information--
(A) by the Secretary; and
(B) by motor vehicle fuel suppliers and motor
vehicle fuel retailers.
(4) The feasibility of various country-of-origin
information disclosure requirements, including--
(A) displaying at each fuel pump the precise
country or countries in which the fuel being dispensed
to each consumer originated; and
(B) displaying at each motor vehicle fuel retailer
or on the website of each motor vehicle fuel supplier
or motor vehicle fuel retailer the country or countries
from which the fuel the supplier or retailer (as the
case may be) sells generally originates.
(5) Such other issues relating to motor vehicle fuel
country-of-origin information disclosure requirements as the
Secretary considers appropriate.
(c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 90 days after completing
the study required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report that--
(1) summarizes the results of the study; and
(2) contains the recommendations required by subsection
(a)(2).
SEC. 4. REGULATIONS REQUIRING COUNTRY-OF-ORIGIN INFORMATION DISCLOSURE.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after submitting the
report required by section 3(c), the Secretary of Energy, in
consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency, shall prescribe regulations requiring disclosure of country-of-
origin information by motor vehicle fuel suppliers and motor vehicle
fuel retailers in accordance with the Secretary's recommendations in
the report.
(b) 70 Percent Threshold.--The regulations required by subsection
(a) shall not require the listing of more than one country-of-origin
for a fuel blend containing fuel 70 percent or more of which originated
in a single country.
SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary of Energy
may impose a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 on a person that
the Secretary determines, in accordance with section 554 of title 5,
United States Code, knowingly violates the regulations prescribed under
section 4.
(b) Requirements With Respect to Imposition of Penalty.--
(1) Notice.--The Secretary of Energy may not impose a
penalty upon a person for violating the regulations prescribed
under section 4 unless--
(A) the Secretary provides the person with notice
of the violation; and
(B) the violation continues for more than 30 days
after the date on which the person received notice
under subparagraph (A).
(2) Determination of amount of penalty.--In determining the
amount of the penalty to be imposed on a person for violating
the regulations prescribed under section 4, the Secretary shall
consider the severity of the violation, the size of the
person's business, and the effect of the penalty on the
person's ability to continue in business.
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Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
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