The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee narrowly approved a bill April 11 that would repeal waivers provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for introducing gasoline containing up to 15-percent ethanol (E15) into the market until further scientific review.
There is a significant broad base of support for the legislation introduced by Representatives Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) who introduced the bill in February. According to an April 8 letter of support from the National Chicken Council, and 36 other organizations representing business, agriculture, recreation, environmental, development, and free market interests, the coalition “fully support legislation to rescind federal waivers that approve the sale and use of gasoline containing up to 15 volume ethanol until a comprehensive scientific review of mid-level ethanol blends is complete.” The coalition letter is available by clicking here.
The untitled bill (H.R. 875) would require the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct an assessment of the scientific and technical research on the implications of using mid-level ethanol blends before introducing them to the market. The NAS would compare using E15 fuel with blends containing 10-percent ethanol, and fuel containing no ethanol.
According to the proposed legislation, NAS would assess the impacts of E15 on fuel economy and fuel efficiency, the durability of storage tanks and piping, the operability and drivability of vehicles and equipment that use the blend, and other effects. NAS would also be asked to determine if more research is needed to ensure that the U.S. fuel infrastructure would not be harmed by using mid-level ethanol blends, including examining the potential impacts of E15 on metal, plastic, rubber, or any other material used in pipes or storage tanks.
EPA has granted two partial Clean Air Act waivers approving use of E15 blends for model year 2001 and newer vehicles. The bill would repeal those waivers and prohibit EPA from granting any new waivers until NAS completes its report.
Vehicle manufacturers are concerned that E15 fuel blends may harm engines, vacate warranties, and decrease fuel efficiency, said Rep. Sensenbrenner who introduced the bill in February. The bill also would protect motorists from inadvertently voiding their warranties by using E15 blends, he said.
The committee approved three amendments to the Sensenbrenner bill by voice vote. One amendment would require NAS to analyze the impact of E15 on life-cycle carbon emissions in addition to the other impacts. Two technical amendments–one that clarifies that marine engines would be affected by E15 blends and another that would strike a minor phrase in the bill as unnecessary–were also approved.
The bill now moves on to the House Energy and Commerce Committee for further review.
