Executive Order 12261—Gasohol in Federal Motor Vehicles

By the authority vested in me as President of the United States of America by Section 271 of the Energy Security Act (94 Stat. 710; Public Law 96-294; 42 U.S.C. 8871), in order to require Federal agencies which own or lease motor vehicles to use gasohol in those vehicles which are capable of operating on gasohol where it is available at reasonable prices and in reasonable quantities, it is hereby ordered as follows: 1-101. In procurement actions for unleaded gasoline motor fuel, Federal agencies shall, whenever feasible, specify that gasohol is an acceptable substitute motor fuel. In such procurements there shall be a preference for the purchase of gasohol. 1-102. Agencies may procure the components of gasohol and do their own blending. 1-103. In determining the feasibility of specifying gasohol as a substitute motor fuel in procurement actions for unleaded gasoline, agencies shall include in their considerations such factors as the availability of storage facilities for bulk purchases and the number of vehicles capable of operating on gasohol. 1-104. Agencies shall designate those vehicles which are capable of using gasohol, consistent with overall agency needs and sound vehicle management practices. Agencies shall specify the conditions governing the use of gasohol, including when gasohol shall be purchased from normal retail outlets by vehicle operators. 1-105. The use of gasohol by the Department of Defense pursuant to this Order shall be in accordance with Section 815 of the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1980 (93 Stat. 817; Public Law 96-107; 10 U.S.C. 2388 note) which provides for the use of gasohol to the maximum extent feasible and consistent with overall defense needs and sound vehicle management practices, as determined by the Secretary of Defense. 1-106. Vehicles used in experimental programs to test fuels other than gasohol are excepted from this Order. 1-107. The authority vested in the President by Section 271 (b) of the Energy Security Act (42 U.S.C. 8871 (b)) is delegated to the Secretary of Defense with respect to gasohol use by the Department of Defense, and delegated to the Administrator of General Services with respect to gasohol use by other agencies. 1-108. Federal agencies shall make available to the Department of Energy, upon request, relevant data or information they possess concerning agency gasohol usage. 1-109. For purposes of this Order "Gasohol" means a motor fuel which has an octane rating of not less than 87 (R + M)/2 and which consists of approximately 90 percent unleaded gasoline and approximately 10 percent anhydrous ( 199 proof or above) ethyl alcohol derived from biomass, as defined in Section 203 (2) (A) of the Energy Security Act (94 Stat. 683; Public Law 96-294; 42 U.S.C. 8802(2) (A)). 1-110. (a) The Secretary of Defense with respect to gasohol use by the Department of Defense, and the Administrator of General Services with respect to gasohol use by other agencies, shall issue such guidelines for the implementation of this Order as they deem appropriate. (b) Such guidelines shall provide for a determination of reasonable prices and reasonable quantities based on the local prevailing price of unleaded gasolines, the octane requirements for vehicles in the Federal fleet, local market availability of gasohol or its components, and other such factors, as may be appropriate. JIMMY CARTER The White House, January 5, 1981. [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 3:39 p.m., January 6, 1981]