Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Country-of-Origin Labeling for Fuels Act”.
Country-of-Origin Labeling for Fuels Act
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.
Sec. 2 Definitions
In this Act:
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.
Motor vehicle fuel— The term motor vehicle fuel—
means any fuel used to power an automobile, as defined in section 32901(a) of title 49, United States Code; and
includes alternative fuels, as defined in such section, other than electricity (including electricity from solar energy).
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.
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
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—
conduct a study to determine appropriate methods and standards for requiring that—
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
motor vehicle fuel retailers disclose such information to consumers; and
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.
Elements of study— The study required by subsection (a) shall address the following:
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.
An assessment of whether such information is adequate—
to enable a motor vehicle fuel supplier to provide country-of-origin information to the next person in the supply chain; and
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.
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—
by the Secretary; and
by motor vehicle fuel suppliers and motor vehicle fuel retailers.
The feasibility of various country-of-origin information disclosure requirements, including—
displaying at each fuel pump the precise country or countries in which the fuel being dispensed to each consumer originated; and
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.
Such other issues relating to motor vehicle fuel country-of-origin information disclosure requirements as the Secretary considers appropriate.
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—
summarizes the results of the study; and
contains the recommendations required by subsection (a)(2).
Sec. 4 Regulations requiring country-of-origin information disclosure
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.
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
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.
Requirements with respect to imposition of penalty—
Notice— The Secretary of Energy may not impose a penalty upon a person for violating the regulations prescribed under section 4 unless—
the Secretary provides the person with notice of the violation; and
the violation continues for more than 30 days after the date on which the person received notice under subparagraph (A).
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.