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Clean Fuel Fleet Program as part of the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA)

What is the Clean Fuel Fleet Program? The Clean Air Act (CAA) was passed in 1970 to improve air quality nationwide. Congress amended the law in 1990, creating several initiatives to reinforce one of the original goals of the CAA to reduce mobile source pollutants. Implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Clean Fuel Fleet Program (CFFP) is one such initiative. The CFFP requires fleets in cities with significant air quality problems to incorporate vehicles that will meet clean-fuel emissions standards.

What fleets are covered? Federal, state, municipal, fuel provider and private fleets are currently mandated by CAAA. Fleets that own, operate, lease or control at least 10 light-duty vehicles, trucks (8,500 lbs or less) or heavy-duty vehicles (8,500 - 26,000 lbs) are covered. Of the fleet vehicles, 10 or more must be operated in an affected area (see below) and be centrally fueled or capable of being centrally fueled 100% of the time at a station that is owned, operated or controlled by the affected fleet operator.

What areas are affected? Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas (CMSA) are cities or areas that had a population of at least 250,000 at the time of the 1980 census and have been classified as extreme, severe or serious non-attainment for ozone or carbon monoxide (CO). Under the CAAA, state were given the option to adopt the CFFP or a substitute program that achieves equivalent or better emissions reductions. The following CMSAs have opted to participate in CFFP:
 

What fuels and vehicles can be used to satisfy the mandate? The CAAA defines a clean fuel as any power source on which a vehicle is certified to meet federal Clean Fuel Vehicle (CFV) emissions standards. Clean fuels include alternative fuels, oxygenated fuels, reformulated gasoline (RFG) and conventional gasoline. A CFV is a vehicle that is certified to Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) standards or better, and operates on the fuel to which the vehicle was certified as a LEV. The fleet operator must always use the clean fuel in the affected area.

What vehicles are exempt? Vehicles that are exempt from the mandate include law enforcement and emergency vehicles, non-road vehicles, vehicles held for lease or rental to the general public, vehicles held for sale by dealers and military vehicles (classified as necessary for national security).

Purchasing Requirements: The requirements listed below apply to the percentage of new vehicle acquisitions that must be CFVs. Dates for categories are based on vehicle model year. GVWR - gross vehicle weight rated.
 

How are credits earned? Any CFV purchased before September 1, 1998 can be counted as a purchase credit. Vehicles that have cleaner emissions ratings than the required LEV rating are worth additional credits.
 

For more information about the CAAA and the Clean Fuel Fleets Program, use the website of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

The Coalition is grateful to the U.S. Department of Energy for the use of their materials describing the Clean Fuel Fleets Program.