Performance standards to protect against portable fuel container explosions near open flames or other ignition sources

Source Credit

(a) Short title
This section may be cited as the "Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2020".
(b) Standards
(1) Rule on safety performance standards required
Not later than 30 months after December 27, 2020, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (referred to in this section as the "Commission") shall promulgate a final rule to require flame mitigation devices in portable fuel containers that impede the propagation of flame into the container, except as provided in paragraph (3).
(2) Rulemaking; consumer product safety standard
A rule under paragraph (1)—
(A) shall be promulgated in accordance with section 553 of title 5; and
(B) shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 2058 of this title.
(3) Exception
(A) Voluntary standard
Paragraph (1) shall not apply for a class of portable fuel containers in the scope of this section if the Commission determines at any time that—
(i) there is a voluntary standard for flame mitigation devices for those containers that impedes the propagation of flame into the container;
(ii) the voluntary standard described in clause (i) is or will be in effect not later than 18 months after December 27, 2020; and
(iii) the voluntary standard described in clause (i) is developed by ASTM International or such other standard development organization that the Commission determines to have met the intent of this section.
(B) Determination required to be published in the Federal Register
Any determination made by the Commission under this subsection shall be published in the Federal Register.
(4) Treatment of voluntary standard for purpose of enforcement
If the Commission determines that a voluntary standard meets the conditions described in paragraph (3)(A), the requirements of such voluntary standard shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 2058 of this title beginning on the date which is the later of—
(A) 180 days after publication of the Commission's determination under paragraph (3); or
(B) the effective date contained in the voluntary standard.
(5) Revision of voluntary standard
(A) Notice to commission
If the requirements of a voluntary standard that meet the conditions of paragraph (3) are subsequently revised, the organization that revised the standard shall notify the Commission after the final approval of the revision.
(B) Effective date of revision
Not later than 180 days after the Commission is notified of a revised voluntary standard described in subparagraph (A) (or such later date as the Commission determines appropriate), such revised voluntary standard shall become enforceable as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 2058 of this title, in place of the prior version, unless within 90 days after receiving the notice the Commission determines that the revised voluntary standard does not meet the requirements described in paragraph (3).
(6) Future rulemaking
The Commission, at any time after publication of the consumer product safety rule required by paragraph (1), a voluntary standard is treated as a consumer product safety rule under paragraph (4), or a revision is enforceable as a consumer product safety rule under paragraph (5) 1 may initiate a rulemaking in accordance with section 553 of title 5 to modify the requirements or to include any additional provision that the Commission determines is reasonably necessary to protect the public against flame jetting from a portable fuel container. Any rule promulgated under this subsection shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 2058 of this title.
(7) Action required
(A) Education campaign
Not later than 1 year after December 27, 2020, the Commission shall undertake a campaign to educate consumers about the dangers associated with using or storing portable fuel containers for flammable liquids near an open flame or any other source of ignition.
(B) Summary of actions
Not later than 2 years after December 27, 2020, the Commission shall submit to Congress a summary of actions taken by the Commission in such campaign.
(8) Portable fuel container defined
In this section, the term "portable fuel container" means any container or vessel (including any spout, cap, and other closure mechanism or component of such container or vessel or any retrofit or aftermarket spout or component intended or reasonably anticipated to be for use with such container)—
(A) intended for flammable liquid fuels with a flash point less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit, including gasoline, kerosene, diesel, ethanol, methanol, denatured alcohol, or biofuels;
(B) that is a consumer product with a capacity of 5 gallons or less; and
(C) that the manufacturer knows or reasonably should know is used by consumers for transporting, storing, and dispensing flammable liquid fuels.
(9) Rule of construction
This section may not be interpreted to conflict with the Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act (Public Law 110–278; 122 Stat. 2602).
(c) Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act
(1) Omitted
(2) Applicability
The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall take effect 6 months after December 27, 2020.

History

(Pub. L. 116–260, div. FF, title IX, §901, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 3204.)

Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes

References in Text
This section, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), (3)(A), (8), and (9), was in the original "this Act", which was translated as reading "this section", meaning section 901 of Pub. L. 116–260, div. FF, title IX, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 3204, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
The Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act, referred to in subsecs. (b)(9) and (c), is Pub. L. 110–278, July 17, 2008, 122 Stat. 2602, which is set out as a note under section 2056 of this title.

Codification
Section was enacted as the Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2020, and not as part of the Consumer Product Safety Act which comprises this chapter.
Section is comprised of section 901 of div. FF of Pub. L. 116–260. Subsec. (c)(1) of section 901 of div. FF of Pub. L. 116–260 amended section 2 of Pub. L. 110–278, which is set out in a note under section 2056 of this title.