---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 13263a"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "13263a"
heading: "Alternative compliance"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/13263a"
units:
  - "Chapter 134 — Energy Policy"
  - "Subchapter III — Availability and Use of Replacement Fuels, Alternative Fuels, and Alternative Fueled Private Vehicles"
---

# §13263a. Alternative compliance

- (a) **Application for waiver—** Any [covered person](/usc/42/13211.md?p=5) subject to [section 13251 of this title](/usc/42/13251.md) and any [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) subject to [section 13257(o)](/usc/42/13257.md?p=o) of this title may petition the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) for a waiver of the applicable requirements of section [13251](/usc/42/13251.md) or [13257(o)](/usc/42/13257.md?p=o) of this title.
- (b) **Grant of waiver—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall grant a waiver of the requirements of section [13251](/usc/42/13251.md) or [13257(o)](/usc/42/13257.md?p=o) of this title on a showing that the [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) owned, operated, leased, or otherwise controlled by the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) or [covered person](/usc/42/13211.md?p=5)—
  - (1) will achieve a reduction in the annual consumption of petroleum fuels by the [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) equal to—
    - (A) the reduction in consumption of petroleum that would result from 100 percent cumulative compliance with the fuel use requirements of [section 13251 of this title](/usc/42/13251.md); or
    - (B) in the case of an entity covered under [section 13257(o)](/usc/42/13257.md?p=o) of this title, a reduction equal to the annual consumption by the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) entity of [alternative fuels](/usc/42/13211.md?p=2) if all of the cumulative [alternative fuel](/usc/42/13211.md?p=2) vehicles of the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) entity given credit under [section 13258 of this title](/usc/42/13258.md) were to use [alternative fuel](/usc/42/13211.md?p=2) 100 percent of the time; and
  - (2) is in compliance with all applicable vehicle emission standards established by the [Administrator](/usc/42/13211.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) under the Clean Air Act ([42 U.S.C. 7401](/usc/42/7401.md) et seq.).
- (c) **Reporting requirement—** Not later than December 31 of a model year, any [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) or [covered person](/usc/42/13211.md?p=5) granted a waiver under this section for the preceding model year shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) an annual report that—
  - (1) certifies the quantity of the petroleum [motor fuel](/usc/42/13211.md?p=12) reduction of the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) or [covered person](/usc/42/13211.md?p=5) during the preceding model year; and
  - (2) [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) the baseline quantity of the petroleum [motor fuel](/usc/42/13211.md?p=12) reduction of the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) or [covered person](/usc/42/13211.md?p=5) during the following model year.
- (d) **Revocation of waiver—** If a [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) or [covered person](/usc/42/13211.md?p=5) that receives a waiver under this section fails to comply with this section, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2)—
  - (1) shall revoke the waiver; and
  - (2) may impose on the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) or [covered person](/usc/42/13211.md?p=5) a penalty under [section 13262 of this title](/usc/42/13262.md).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–486, title V, § 514, as added Pub. L. 109–58, title VII, § 703(a)(2), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 815.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Clean Air Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is act July 14, 1955, ch. 360, 69 Stat. 322, which is classified generally to chapter 85 (§ 7401 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 7401 of this title and Tables.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 514 of Pub. L. 102–486 was renumbered 515 and is classified to section 13264 of this title.