Recent Federal Actions
This list includes recent federal actions, such as Federal Register notices and rulemaking actions, agency directives or agency communications, that are all publicly available. These actions relate to alternative fuels and vehicles, fuel blends, hybrid vehicles, and idle reduction and fuel economy measures. When rulemakings are finalized, they will move to the list of Federal Laws and Incentives.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a memorandum containing updates to the NEVI Program guidance that was first issued on February 10, 2022. The updated guidance provides information regarding plans and priorities for the time period after corridors are deemed fully built out and requests that states demonstrate progress in implementing their previously approved plans. FHWA also published an updated State Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan template.
For more information, see the FHWA NEVI website.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a final rule issuing new corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for light-duty vehicles beginning with Model Year (MY) 2027 and new fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans beginning with MY 2030. CAFE standards will increase 2% per year for MY 2027 to 2031 for passenger cars and 2% per year for MY 2029 to 2031 for light-duty trucks. Heavy-duty pickup truck and van fuel efficiency will increase 10% per year for MY 2030 to 2032 and 8% per year for MY 2033 to 2035.
For more information, see the NHSTA press release and NHTSA CAFE website.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published guidance for the New and Previously Owned Clean Vehicle Credits (30D) created by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-58) in June 2024. The new guidance updates procedures for qualified manufacturers and sellers to submit information related to the New and Previously Owned Clean Vehicle Credits.
For more information, see the IRS press release.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published guidance for the Clean Fuel Production Credit (45Z credit) created by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-58) in May 2024. The notice provides guidance on the registration requirements to claim the Clean Fuel Production Credit.
For more information, see the IRS press release.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published final regulations for the New and Previously Owned Clean Vehicle Credits in May 2024. The regulations provide rules relating to the transfer of credits, compliance in the absence of a correct vehicle identification number, and foreign entities of concern. Additionally, the IRS published an updated fact sheet providing guidance on eligibility for the New, Previously Owned, and Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicle Credits in April 2024.
This action is the result of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169), which amended the Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit (IRC 30D), now known as the Clean Vehicle Credit. For more information, see the IRS Clean Vehicle Tax Credits website and press release.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published guidance for the Clean Hydrogen Production Credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-58) in April 2024. The new guidance is related to the provisional emissions rate petition process for applicants that request an emissions value from the U.S. Department of Energy.
For more information, see the IRS press release.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule for GHG Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3 in March 2024. Beginning with model year 2027, the final rule establishes stronger GHG emissions reduction standards for heavy-duty vocational vehicles, including delivery trucks, refuse trucks, transit buses, shuttle buses, school buses.
For more information, see the EPA Final Rule: GHG Emissions Standards for HD Vehicles – Phase 3 website.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule for Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty (LD) and Medium-Duty (MD) Vehicles in March 2024. The final rule establishes updated emissions standards for greenhouse gases (GHGs) and criteria pollutants for LD and MD vehicles that will phase in over Model Years 2027 through 2032. Additionally, EPA revised GHG program provisions which include upstream emissions associated with zero-emission vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in compliance calculations, MD vehicle incentive multipliers, fueling emissions from incomplete MD vehicles, battery durability and warranty requirements for LD and MD electric vehicles, and updated program requirements related to aftermarket fuel conversions.
For more information, see the EPA Final Rule: Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles website.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a final rule for Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations in March 2024. The final rule revises the value for the petroleum-equivalency factor (PEF) and procedures for calculating a value for the petroleum-equivalent fuel economy of electric vehicles (EVs). For more information, see the DOE Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculation website.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) updated the frequently asked questions Fact Sheet for Clean Vehicle Credits in December 2023. The new guidance is related to the critical mineral and battery component requirements of the New, Previously Owned, and Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicle Credits.
This action is the result of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169), which amended the Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit (IRC 30D), now known as the Clean Vehicle Credit. For more information, see the IRS Clean Vehicle Tax Credits website.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published guidance for the SAF tax credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169). The guidance provides additional safe harbors using the Environmental Protection Agency’s Renewable Fuel Standard program to calculate the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reduction percentage of SAF.
For more information, see the IRS press release.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a final rule amending regulations governing national GHG performance measures in November 2023. The final rule establishes a GHG performance measure framework to assist state departments of transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) in tracking transportation-related GHG emissions along National Highway System mileage in their jurisdictions. State departments of transportation and MPOs must establish declining targets to reduce on-road mobile source carbon emissions relative to 2022 levels by February 1, 2024. For more information, see the FHWA GHG Performance Measure website.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published an RFI to collect comments on the status of the domestic EV charging station industry in November 2023. The RFI is part of the FHWA Build America, Buy America implementation plan. Comments should include, but are not limited to, the number of charging stations recently produced by manufacturers, charging station production projections, and the number of charging stations recently purchased and projected to be purchased by recipients of Federal financial assistance. Comments are due on or before December 26, 2023. For more information, see the RFI.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking of Clean Vehicle Credits Under Section 25E and 30D in October 2023. The proposed rulemaking provides guidance on the transfer of clean vehicle tax credits from taxpayers to registered dealers.
This action is the result of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169), which amended the Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit (IRC 30D), now known as the Clean Vehicle Credit. For more information, see the IRS Clean Vehicle Tax Credits website.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an emergency fuel waiver to allow gasoline containing up to 15% ethanol (E15) to be sold during the summer season. This is an extension of the previous waiver issued on August 8, 2023. On August 28, 2023, EPA extended the E15 waiver to exceed the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) requirements for gasoline that are detailed in the Clean Air Act Section 211(h)(1) by 1 pound per square inch (psi) from August 30 through September 15, 2023. The waiver only extends to areas within the contiguous United States where the 1-psi waiver currently applies to gasoline containing up to 10% ethanol (E10). For more information, see the EPA 2023 Nationwide Fuel Waivers website.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an emergency fuel waiver to allow gasoline containing up to 15% ethanol (E15) to be sold during the summer season. This is an extension of the previous waiver issued on July 19, 2023. On August 8, 2023, EPA extended the E15 waiver to exceed the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) requirements for gasoline that are detailed in the Clean Air Act Section 211(h)(1) by 1 pound per square inch (psi) from August 10 through August 29, 2023. The waiver only extends to areas within the contiguous United States where the 1-psi waiver currently applies to gasoline containing up to 10% ethanol (E10). For more information, see the EPA 2023 Nationwide Fuel Waivers website.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an emergency fuel waiver to allow gasoline containing up to 15% ethanol (E15) to be sold during the summer season. This is an extension of the previous waiver issued on June 28, 2023. On July 19, 2023, EPA extended the E15 waiver to exceed the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) requirements for gasoline that are detailed in the Clean Air Act Section 211(h)(1) by 1 pound per square inch (psi) from July 21 through August 9, 2023. The waiver only extends to areas within the contiguous United States where the 1-psi waiver currently applies to gasoline containing up to 10% ethanol (E10). For more information, see the EPA 2023 Nationwide Fuel Waivers website.