---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 6312"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "6312"
heading: "Purposes and coverage"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/6312"
units:
  - "Chapter 77 — Energy Conservation"
  - "Subchapter III — Improving Energy Efficiency"
  - "Part A–1"
---

# §6312. Purposes and coverage

- (a) **Congressional statement of purpose—** It is the purpose of this part to improve the [efficiency](/usc/42/6311.md?p=13-H) of electric motors and pumps and certain other [industrial equipment](/usc/42/6311.md?p=2-A) in order to conserve the [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) resources of the Nation.
- (b) **Inclusion of industrial equipment as covered equipment—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) may, by rule, include a type of [industrial equipment](/usc/42/6311.md?p=2-A) as [covered equipment](/usc/42/6311.md?p=1) if he determines that to do so is necessary to carry out the purposes of this part.
- (c) **Inclusion of component parts of consumer products as industrial equipment—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) may, by rule, include as [industrial equipment](/usc/42/6311.md?p=2-A) articles which are component parts of [consumer products](/usc/42/6291.md?p=1), if he determines that—
  - (1) such articles are, to a significant extent, distributed in [commerce](/usc/42/6291.md?p=17) other than as component parts for [consumer products](/usc/42/6291.md?p=1); and
  - (2) such articles meet the requirements of [section 6311(2)(A) of this title](/usc/42/6311.md?p=2-A) (other than clauses (ii) and (iii)).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–163, title III, § 341, as added Pub. L. 95–619, title IV, § 441(a), Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3268.)