An act entitled the "Methane Transportation Research, Development and Demonstration Act of 1980".
Public Law 96-512 · H.R. 6889 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 12, 1980 · Energy
Sponsor: Rep. Daniel Glickman (D-KS-4)
Cosponsors (38): Rep. Tom Harkin, Rep. Richard Ottinger,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(Senate vitiated its action on passage of 11/20/80)
Methane Transportation Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1980 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to designate an organizational entity within the Department of Energy to manage the methane vehicle research, development, and demonstration program established under this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into agreements with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, or any other Federal agency, providing that such agencies conduct specified aspects of such program as the Secretary deems appropriate.
States that, the Secretary shall have responsibility to ascertain that such program includes activities to: (1) promote research on methane-fueled vehicles; (2) conduct research and development on optimum overall specifications for such vehicles; (3) determine means and facilities for storing, transporting, and dispensing methane for use as vehicular fuel; (4) conduct demonstration projects with respect to the feasibility of such vehicles; (5) gather performance data on such vehicles; and related methane transmission and storage facilities; (6) determine that demonstration projects have an adequate supply of methane for vehicular use; (7) ascertain the need for modifying available methane-fueled vehicles in order to facilitate their use by fleet owners; and (8) report to the Congress on any changes in fuel supply patterns, tax policies, and manufacturing standards needed to facilitate the manufacture and use of such vehicles.
Directs the Secretary to insure that the conduct of the research and development program of this Act: (1) supplements the automotive propulsion systems research and development efforts of private industry; (2) will not supplant or lessen private industry's research and development; and (3) avoids duplication of private research and development.
Directs the Secretary to assure maximum coordination between Federal agencies and the Department of Energy in carrying out such program.
Directs the Secretary to initiate and provide for research and development in areas relating to such vehicles, including: (1) flammability and combustibility of methane; (2) handling, storage and distribution of methane; (3) the efficiency of recovering methane from unconventional sources; (4) vehicle design and construction; (5) the nature of emissions; and (6) overcoming institutional barriers to widespread use.
Directs the Secretary, by January 1, 1982, to develop data on the current state-of-the-art, with respect to methane-fueled vehicles to serve as baseline data for evaluating technological improvements.
Directs the Secretary to promulgate guidelines for demonstrations and to issue an initial request for proposals for technical and financial assistance to support public and private entities in developing and implementing demonstration projects to gather data on the operation of such vehicles and methane transmission, storage, and dispensing facilities. Sets forth the types of technical and financial assistance to be provided under this Act, including grants and loans to cover specified percentages of the costs associated with the installation of methane transmission, storage, and dispensing facilities.
Sets forth requirements as to the number and duration of such demonstrations.
Directs the Secretary to consult with the Postmaster General, the Administrator of the General Services Administration, the Secretary of Defense, and the heads of other Federal agencies to determine the practicability of using methane vehicles in the performance of agency functions and to arrange for appropriate use of such vehicles at the earliest practicable date.
Requires the Secretary to submit an annual report on all activities undertaken under this Act to the Senate and the House of Representatives for referral to appropriate committees.
Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1981 through 1986 to carry out this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.
- Dec 12, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-512.
- Dec 3, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 2, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Nov 21, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- FloorFloor · Measure reconsidered and repassed Senate, amended.
- FloorFloor · Senate vitiated its action on passage of 11/20/80.
- Nov 20, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Sep 30, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 27, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 25, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Aug 20, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- Mar 20, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.