Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Thermal Runaway Reduction Act of 2026”.
Thermal Runaway Reduction Act of 2026
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue certain regulations with respect to the safe transportation of lithium-ion cells or batteries, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Definitions
In this Act:
Lithium-ion cell or battery— The term lithium-ion cell or battery—
means a rechargeable electrochemical cell or battery in which the positive and negative electrodes are both intercalation compounds constructed with no metallic lithium in either electrode; but
does not include a cell or battery described in subsections (c) and (g)(2) of section 173.185 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations.
Thermal runaway— The term thermal runaway means an uncontrolled increase of cell temperature caused by exothermic reactions inside cells and batteries, including lithium-ion cells or batteries.
Sec. 3 Requirements for safe transport of lithium-ion batteries
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall—
work with the United Nations Subcommittee of Experts on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods to revise the design tests in subsection 38.3 of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria to develop an impact test for lithium-ion cells or batteries installed in transport units and transported under UN 3536 to allow improved ability to withstand forces experienced in transport accidents without going into thermal runaway;
issue such regulations as are necessary to amend section 173.185 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to require lithium-ion cells or batteries to be offered for commercial transport at a state of charge not exceeding 30 percent of the rated capacity of such cells or batteries (determined through the guidance and methodology under section 38.3.2.3 of the Manual of Tests and Criteria of the United Nations) and authorize the transportation of lithium-ion cells or batteries at a state of charge greater than 30 percent of the rated capacity of such cells or batteries only under conditions approved by the Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration in accordance with the requirements in subpart H of part 107 of such title;
issue such regulations as are necessary or promulgate final guidance on the safe transportation of damaged, defective, or recalled lithium-ion cells or batteries, and such regulations or guidance shall include guidance on the packaging, movement, and disposal of damaged, defective, or recalled lithium-ion cells or batteries; and
every five years review the regulations and guidelines under this section and update them, as appropriate, to account for other emerging batteries or cells that pose a risk of thermal runaway as a result from a fire during commercial transport.
Sec. 4 Grant program for innovative thermal runaway suppression strategies
Establishment— The Administrator of the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration shall conduct a program to provide grants to eligible entities to test and study—
the effectiveness of innovative technologies and methods to suppress thermal runaway in lithium-ion cells or batteries transported under UN 3536 in commercial transport units;
the impact of the state of charge of a battery or cell being transported under UN 3536 on methods to suppress thermal runaway in lithium-ion cells or batteries; and
methods for emergency responders to verify the state of charge of a battery or cell being transported under UN 3536 experiencing thermal runaway as a result of a fire or crash during commercial transport.
Eligibility— Facilities that specialize in fire suppression testing shall be eligible to receive grants under this section.
Prioritization— In issuing grants under this section, the Administrator shall prioritize projects that test suppression technologies that—
do not contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances; and
are cost effective.
Timing—
Application period— The Administrator shall—
finalize grant eligibility requirements and begin soliciting applications not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act;
provide 90 days for entities to submit to the Administrator applications for such a grant;
select recipients of grants under this section not later than 180 days after the date on which solicitation begins under subparagraph (A); and
in any case in which a deadline under subparagraph (A) or (C) is not met, submit to Congress a report containing any reasons either such deadline was not met.
Grant completion— Each grant recipient shall conclude the project for which a grant is awarded not later than 18 months after funds are provided to such recipient.
Reporting requirements— In carrying out the program under this section, the Administrator shall ensure that each grant recipient, upon conclusion of an activity funded by a grant under this section, submits to the Administrator a report on the findings of any tests conducted pursuant to such grant.
Recommendations— Not later than 120 days after the receipt of all reports required under subsection (e), the Administrator shall review the findings submitted by grant awardees and submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report containing—
any findings related to the grant program under this section, including which fire suppression tools and techniques were found to be most effective at suppressing thermal runaway resulting from a lithium-ion cell or battery fire;
the impact of the state of charge of a battery on the techniques and tools studied under the grant program;
information on the best methods to verify the state of charge of a lithium-ion battery or cell after a nonconsumptive event and how that information can inform decisions about how to safely mitigate thermal runaway; and
recommendations on whether, based on such review, updated guidance or training of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is necessary.
Authorization of appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out this section.
Sec. 5 Increasing access to thermal runaway suppression tools
Lithium fire safety grants— Section 5107 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(j) Lithium fire safety grants—The Secretary shall establish a competitive grant program making grants available to volunteer or career fire departments, or combination of such fire departments, for—
“(1) equipment, including blankets to suppress thermal runaway, portable fire suppression agents, and other equipment that the Secretary determines is appropriate, to support the suppression of thermal runaway resulting from the transportation of lithium-ion cells or batteries;
“(2) field-deployed residual-energy assessment and cell-integrity diagnostics;
“(3) environmental monitoring suites and runoff control to assist with cleanup after a thermal runaway event; and
“(4) access and containment tools, over-pack systems, and packaging for damaged, defective, or recalled lithium-ion batteries or cells.
“(k) Timing of grant process—The Secretary shall ensure that the process for each grant awarded under this section provides for the following:
“(1) A period of 90 days for entities to submit to the Administrator applications for such a grant.
“(2) Selection of the recipients of grants not later than 180 days after the date on which solicitation of such grants is initiated.”
Timing— The Secretary of Transportation shall finalize grant eligibility requirements and begin soliciting applications for the grant program established under section 5107(j) of title 49, United States Code, not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.