---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 3801"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "3801"
heading: "Congressional statement of findings and declaration of policy"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/3801"
units:
  - "Chapter 64 — Methane Transportation Research, Development, and Demonstration"
---

# §3801. Congressional statement of findings and declaration of policy

- (a) The Congress finds and declares that—
  - (1) gasoline and diesel fuel for vehicular use are in short supply and constitute a sizable portion of domestic petroleum consumption;
  - (2) [methane](/usc/15/3802.md?p=a) use in fleet-operated [vehicles](/usc/15/3802.md?p=e) would result in substantial reduction in oil imports;
  - (3) [methane](/usc/15/3802.md?p=a) is in more abundant domestic supply than petroleum products, is the primary component of natural gas and can be derived in increased quantities from coal, biomass, waste products, and other renewable resources;
  - (4) recoverable [methane](/usc/15/3802.md?p=a) presently available in the United States is not fully utilized;
  - (5) test results to date indicate that [methane](/usc/15/3802.md?p=a) use as a substitute for gasoline as a motor fuel can result in emission reductions;
  - (6) experience to date has shown [methane](/usc/15/3802.md?p=a) to be a safe motor fuel in properly modified [vehicles](/usc/15/3802.md?p=e) and is therefore particularly suitable as fuel for fleet [vehicles](/usc/15/3802.md?p=e); and
  - (7) the introduction into commerce of [methane](/usc/15/3802.md?p=a)-fueled [vehicles](/usc/15/3802.md?p=e) would be expedited and facilitated by the establishment of a Federal program of research, development, and demonstration to explore and refine technologies related to [methane](/usc/15/3802.md?p=a) use as a vehicular fuel.
- (b) It is therefore declared to be the policy of the Congress in this chapter to—
  - (1) provide for and support advanced and accelerated research into, and development of, [methane](/usc/15/3802.md?p=a) [vehicle](/usc/15/3802.md?p=e) design, and related technologies;
  - (2) demonstrate the economic and technological practicalities of [methane](/usc/15/3802.md?p=a)-fueled [vehicles](/usc/15/3802.md?p=e) for fleet use and of [methane](/usc/15/3802.md?p=a)-fueled farm equipment;
  - (3) facilitate, and remove barriers to, the use of [methane](/usc/15/3802.md?p=a)-fueled [vehicles](/usc/15/3802.md?p=e) in lieu of gasoline- or diesel-powered motor [vehicles](/usc/15/3802.md?p=e) where practicable;
  - (4) promote the substitution of [methane](/usc/15/3802.md?p=a)-fueled [vehicles](/usc/15/3802.md?p=e) for gasoline- and diesel-powered [vehicles](/usc/15/3802.md?p=e) currently used on farms and in fleet operations, particularly in areas where such substitution would facilitate plans to meet air quality standards set under the Clean Air Act, as amended [[42 U.S.C. 7401](/usc/42/7401.md) et seq.]; and
  - (5) supplement, but neither supplant nor duplicate, the automotive propulsion system research and development efforts of private industry.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–512, § 2, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2827.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Clean Air Act, as amended, referred to in subsec. (b)(4), is act July 14, 1955, ch. 360, 69 Stat. 322, which is classified generally to chapter 85 (§ 7401 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 7401 of Title 42 and Tables.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title

Pub. L. 96–512, § 1, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2827, provided: “That this Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Methane Transportation Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1980’.”