Title 15 — Commerce and Trade
Chapter 55 — Petroleum Marketing Practices
§ 2823. Administration and enforcement provisions
Statutory text
Procedural, investigative, and enforcement powers of Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission shall have procedural, investigative, and enforcement powers, including the power to issue procedural rules in enforcing compliance with the requirements of this subchapter and rules prescribed pursuant to the requirements of this subchapter, to further define terms used in this subchapter, and to require the filing of reports, the production of documents, and the appearance of witnesses, as though the applicable terms and conditions of the Federal Trade Commission Act [15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.] were part of this subchapter.
Testing, certification, and notice requirements of Environmental Protection Agency; interagency enforcement agreements between Federal Trade Commission and Environmental Protection Agency and other Federal agencies
The Environmental Protection Agency—
may conduct field testing of the automotive fuel rating of automotive fuel, comparing the tested automotive fuel rating of fuel at retail outlets with the automotive fuel rating posted at those outlets;
shall certify the results of such tests and comparisons to the Federal Trade Commission; and
shall notify the Federal Trade Commission of any failure to post the automotive fuel rating.
The Federal Trade Commission may enter into interagency agreements with the Environmental Protection Agency and such other agencies of the United States as the Commission determines appropriate for the purpose of assuring enforcement of the provisions of this subchapter in a manner which is consistent with—
minimizing the cost of field inspection and related compliance activities; and
reducing duplication of similar or related field compliance activities performed by agencies of the United States.
Promulgation of rules by Federal Trade Commission; contents; requirements for compliance with rules
Not later than 6 months after , the Federal Trade Commission shall, by rule, prescribe and make effective—
a uniform method by which a person may certify to another the automotive fuel rating of automotive fuel; and
a uniform method of displaying the automotive fuel rating of automotive fuel at the point of sale to ultimate purchasers.
Effective on and after the effective date of the rule prescribed under paragraph (1), any person—
shall be considered to satisfy the requirements of subsection (a) or (b) of section 2822 of this title, as the case may be, only if such person complies with the requirements established pursuant to paragraph (1)(A); and
shall be considered to satisfy the requirements of section 2822(c) of this title only if such person complies with the requirements established pursuant to paragraph (1)(B).
The Federal Trade Commission may, by rule, prescribe procedures for determination of the automotive fuel rating of automotive fuel which varies from that prescribed in section 2821 of this title. In prescribing such rule, the Commission—
shall consider—
ease of administration and enforcement, and
industry practices in the distribution and marketing of automotive fuel; and
may permit adjustments in such automotive fuel rating to take into account the effects of altitude, temperature, and humidity.
The Federal Trade Commission may, by rule, prescribe and make effective a method of determining the automotive fuel rating of automotive fuel which consists of a blend of two or more quantities of automotive fuel of different automotive fuel ratings if the Federal Trade Commission finds that the method prescribed more accurately reflects the automotive fuel rating of such blend than the weighted-average method set forth in section 2822(f)(1) of this title. Effective on and after the effective date of such rule, any person shall be considered to satisfy the requirements of section 2822(f)(1) of this title only if such person utilizes the method prescribed in such rule (in lieu of the method set forth in section 2822(f)(1) of this title).
Statutory provisions applicable for promulgation of rules
Except as provided in paragraph (2), rules under this subchapter shall be prescribed in accordance with section 553 of title 5, except that interested persons shall be afforded an opportunity to present written and oral data, views, and arguments with respect to any proposed rule.
Rules prescribed under subsection (c)(3) and section 2822(d) of this title shall be prescribed on the record after opportunity for an agency hearing.
Section 18 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a) shall not apply with respect to any rule prescribed under this subchapter.
Acts or practices constituting violations
It shall be an unfair or deceptive act or practice in or affecting commerce (within the meaning of section 5(a)(1) of the Federal Trade Commission Act [15 U.S.C. 45(a)(1)]) for any person to violate subsection (a), (b), (c), or (e) of section 2822 of this title, or a rule prescribed under subsection (d) of section 2822 of this title. For purposes of the Federal Trade Commission Act [15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.] (including any remedy or penalty applicable to any violation thereof) such a violation shall be treated as a violation of a rule under such Act respecting unfair or deceptive acts or practices.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
Petroleum Marketing Practices Act
Pub. L. 95–297 title II § 203 · 92 Stat. 322
Enacted · 15 U.S.C. § 2823
Pub. L. 95–297, title II, § 203, June 19, 1978, 92 Stat. 335
Source evidence
Code source credit
Pub. L. 95–297, title II, § 203, June 19, 1978, 92 Stat. 335Enacted provision · exact public law section
Sec. 203. administration and enforcement (a) The Federal Trade Commission shall have procedural, Rules. Reports. 15 USC 2823. investigative, and enforcement powers, including the power to issue procedural rules in enforcing compliance with the requirements of this title and rules prescribed pursuant to the requirements of this title, to further define terms used in this title, and to require the filing of reports, the production of documents, and the appearance of witnesses, as though the applicable terms and conditions of the Federal Trade Commission Act were part of this title. 15 USC 58. Tests. (b) (1) The Environmental Protection Agency shall— (A) conduct field testing of the octane rating of automotive gasoline, comparing the tested octane rating of gasoline at retail outlets with the octane rating posted at those outlets; (B) certify the results of such tests and comparisons to the Federal Trade Commission; and (C) notify the Federal Trade Commission of any failure to post the octane rating discovered in the course of such field testing. Interagency agreements.(2) The Federal Trade Commission may enter into interagency agreements with the Environmental Protection Agency and such other agencies of the United States as the Commission determines appropriate for the purpose of assuring enforcement of the provisions of this title in a manner which is consistent with— (A) minimizing the cost of field inspection and related compliance activities; and (B) reducing duplication of similar or related field compliance activities performed by agencies of the United States. Rules.(c) (1) Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission shall, by rule, prescribe and make effective— (A) a uniform method by which a person may certify to another the octane rating of automotive gasoline; and (B) a uniform method of displaying the octane rating of automotive gasoline at the point of sale to ultimate purchasers. (2) Effective on and after the effective date of the rule prescribed under paragraph (1), any person— (A) shall be considered to satisfy the requirements of subsection (a) or (b) of section 202, as the case may be, only if such person complies with the requirements established pursuant to paragraph (1)(A); and (B) shall be considered to satisfy the requirements of section 202(c) only if such person complies with the requirements established pursuant to paragraph (1)(B). (3) The Federal Trade Commission may, by rule, prescribe procedures for determination of the octane rating of automotive gasoline which varies from that prescribed in section 201(1). In prescribing such rule, the Commission— (A) shall consider— (i) ease of administration and enforcement, and (ii) industry practices in the distribution and marketing of automotive gasoline; and (B) may permit adjustments in such octane rating to take into account the effects of altitude, temperature, and humidity. (4) The Federal Trade Commission may, by rule, prescribe and make effective a method of determining the octane rating of automotive gasoline which consists of a blend of two or more quantities of automotive gasoline of different octane ratings if the Federal Trade Commission finds that the method prescribed more accurately reflects the octane rating of such blend than the weighted-average method set forth in section 202(f)(1). Effective on and after the effective date of such rule, any person shall be considered to satisfy the requirements of section 202(f)(1) only if such person utilizes the method prescribed in such rule (in lieu of the method set forth in section 202(f)(1)). (d) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), rules under this title shall be prescribed in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, except that interested persons shall be afforded an opportunity to present written and oral data, views, and arguments with respect to any proposed rule. (2) Rules prescribed under subsection (c)(3) and section 202(d) shall be prescribed on the record after opportunity for an agency hearing. (3) Section 18 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a) shall not apply with respect to any rule prescribed under this title. (e) It shall be an unfair or deceptive act or practice in or affecting commerce (within the meaning of section 5(a)(1) of the Federal Trade Commission Act) for any person to violate subsection (a), (b), 15 USC 45. (c), or (e) of section 202, or a rule prescribed under subsection (d) of such section. For purposes of the Federal Trade Commission Act 15 USC 58. (including any remedy or penalty applicable to any violation thereof) such a violation shall be treated as a violation of a rule under such Act respecting unfair or deceptive acts or practices; except that for purposes of section 5(m)(1)(A) of such Act, the term “or knowledge 15 USC 45. fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances” shall not apply to any violation by any gasoline retailer of the requirements of section 202 (c) or (e).Energy Policy Act of 1992
Pub. L. 102–486 § 1502(c) · 106 Stat. 2776
Struck · 15 U.S.C. § 2823(b)(1)
Pub. L. 102–486, § 1502(c), struck out “shall” after “Agency” in introductory provisions
Inserted · 15 U.S.C. § 2823(b)(1)
Pub. L. 102–486, § 1502(c), inserted “may” before “conduct” in subpar. (A)
Inserted · 15 U.S.C. § 2823(b)(1)
Pub. L. 102–486, § 1502(c), inserted “shall” before “certify” in subpar. (B), and in subpar. (C) inserted “shall” before “notify”
Struck · 15 U.S.C. § 2823(b)(1)
Pub. L. 102–486, § 1502(c), struck out before period at end “discovered in the course of such field testing”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 102–486, § 1502(c), struck out “shall” after “Agency” in introductory provisions, inserted “may” before “conduct” in subpar. (A), inserted “shall” before “certify” in subpar. (B), and in subpar. (C) inserted “shall” before “notify” and struck out before period at end “discovered in the course of such field testing”.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(c) EPA Enforcement.— Section 203(b)(1) of such Act is amended— (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking out “shall”; (2) in subparagraph (A), by striking out “conduct” and inserting in lieu thereof “may conduct”; (3) in subparagraph (B), by striking out “certify” and inserting in lieu thereof “shall certify”; (4) in subparagraph (C), by striking out “notify” and inserting in lieu thereof “shall notify”; and (5) in subparagraph (C), by striking out “discovered” and all that follows through “testing”.Effective date note
Amendment by section 1501(c)(3) of Pub. L. 102–486 effective at the end of the one-year period beginning Oct. 24, 1992, see section 1501(d)(1) of Pub. L. 102–486, set out as a note under section 2821 of this title.Energy Policy Act of 1992
Pub. L. 102–486 § 1501(c)(3)(A) · 106 Stat. 2776
Substituted · 15 U.S.C. § 2823(b)(1)
Pub. L. 102–486, § 1501(c)(3)(A), (B), substituted “automotive fuel rating” for “octane rating” wherever appearing
Substituted · 15 U.S.C. § 2823(b)(1)
Pub. L. 102–486, § 1501(c)(3)(A), (B), substituted “fuel” for “gasoline” wherever appearing
Target inherited from the preceding amendment note.
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Pub. L. 102–486, § 1501(c)(3)(A), (B), substituted “automotive fuel rating” for “octane rating” and “fuel” for “gasoline” wherever appearing.Effective date note
Amendment by section 1501(c)(3) of Pub. L. 102–486 effective at the end of the one-year period beginning Oct. 24, 1992, see section 1501(d)(1) of Pub. L. 102–486, set out as a note under section 2821 of this title.Energy Policy Act of 1992
Pub. L. 102–486 § 1501(c)(3) · 106 Stat. 2776
Substituted · 15 U.S.C. § 2823(c)
Pub. L. 102–486, § 1501(c)(3), substituted “automotive fuel rating” for “octane rating” in par. (4)
Substituted · 15 U.S.C. § 2823(c)
Pub. L. 102–486, § 1501(c)(3), substituted “fuel” for “gasoline” in par. (4)
Substituted · 15 U.S.C. § 2823(c)
Pub. L. 102–486, § 1501(c)(3), substituted “section 2821” for “section 2821(1)” in par. (4)
Substituted · 15 U.S.C. § 2823(c)
Pub. L. 102–486, § 1501(c)(3), substituted “automotive fuel ratings” for “octane ratings” in par. (4)
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–486, § 1501(c)(3), substituted “automotive fuel rating” for “octane rating” and “fuel” for “gasoline” wherever appearing, “section 2821” for “section 2821(1)” in par. (3), and “automotive fuel ratings” for “octane ratings” in par. (4).Effective date note
Amendment by section 1501(c)(3) of Pub. L. 102–486 effective at the end of the one-year period beginning Oct. 24, 1992, see section 1501(d)(1) of Pub. L. 102–486, set out as a note under section 2821 of this title.Pub. L. 102–586 § 1502(b) · 106 Stat. 4982
Struck · 15 U.S.C. § 2823(e)
Pub. L. 102–586, § 1502(b), struck out before end of second sentence “; except that for purposes of section 5(m)(1)(A) of such Act, the term ‘or knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances’ shall not apply to any violation by any gasoline retailer of the requirements of section 2822(c) or (e) of this title”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102–586, § 1502(b), struck out before end of second sentence “; except that for purposes of section 5(m)(1)(A) of such Act, the term ‘or knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances’ shall not apply to any violation by any gasoline retailer of the requirements of section 2822(c) or (e) of this title”.
5 of 12 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 7 partial
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Federal Trade Commission Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (e), is act Sept. 26, 1914, ch. 311, 38 Stat. 717, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 41 et seq.) of chapter 2 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 58 of this title and Tables.
Amendments
1992—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 102–486, § 1502(c), struck out “shall” after “Agency” in introductory provisions, inserted “may” before “conduct” in subpar. (A), inserted “shall” before “certify” in subpar. (B), and in subpar. (C) inserted “shall” before “notify” and struck out before period at end “discovered in the course of such field testing”.
Pub. L. 102–486, § 1501(c)(3)(A), (B), substituted “automotive fuel rating” for “octane rating” and “fuel” for “gasoline” wherever appearing.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–486, § 1501(c)(3), substituted “automotive fuel rating” for “octane rating” and “fuel” for “gasoline” wherever appearing, “section 2821” for “section 2821(1)” in par. (3), and “automotive fuel ratings” for “octane ratings” in par. (4).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102–586, § 1502(b), struck out before end of second sentence “; except that for purposes of section 5(m)(1)(A) of such Act, the term ‘or knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances’ shall not apply to any violation by any gasoline retailer of the requirements of section 2822(c) or (e) of this title”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1992 Amendment
Amendment by section 1501(c)(3) of Pub. L. 102–486 effective at the end of the one-year period beginning , see section 1501(d)(1) of Pub. L. 102–486, set out as a note under section 2821 of this title.
Effective Date
Subsec. (b) of this section effective on first day of first calendar month beginning more than 6 months after , see section 205(a) of Pub. L. 95–297, set out as a note under section 2822 of this title.
Credits
1978–1992 · 2 acts
- 1978Pub. L. 95–297, title II, § 203, , 92 Stat. 335
- 1992Pub. L. 102–486, title XV, §§ 1501(c)(3), 1502(b), (c), , 106 Stat. 2997, 2998.
Show as published
(Pub. L. 95–297, title II, § 203, , 92 Stat. 335; Pub. L. 102–486, title XV, §§ 1501(c)(3), 1502(b), (c), , 106 Stat. 2997, 2998.)