US lawmakers seek to block E15 gasoline use

OREANDA-NEWS. Lawmakers in the US House of Representatives have introduced a bill that would prohibit the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from authorizing use of gasoline containing more than 10pc ethanol.

With refiners complaining that the US fuel supply cannot accommodate the increasing volumes of ethanol required under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), representative Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia) today introduced a bill to revamp the renewable fuel program. Goodlatte was joined by another 34 co-sponsors.

The RFS Reform Act eliminate the ethanol mandate in the RFS, require the EPA to set cellulosic biofuel requirements at production levels and cap the amount of ethanol that can be blended into conventional gasoline at 10pc.

The EPA already has authorized service stations to sell gasoline containing up to 15pc ethanol (E15) in cars built in 2001 or later. And E15 is available at a limited number of retail stations now.

Ethanol organizations swiftly denounced the bill.

"It is a callous effort that reneges on a government commitment upon which billions of dollars have been invested," said Renewable Fuels Association chief executive Bob Dinneen.

Lawmakers long have raised concerns that the EPA, in an effort to adhere to the ethanol volumes mandated first by the 2005 Energy Policy and then expanded under the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, would try to force motorists to use E15 gasoline. Automakers have warned use of E15 would void warranties and could cause mechanical problems.

Goodlate said that consumers "ultimately shoulder the costs of this broken policy." In a show of bipartisanship rare on Capitol Hill, Vermont Democrat Peter Welch joined Goodlatte in support of the bill, calling the RFS "a well-intentioned flop."

Oil and environmental groups supported the measure. Refiners chafe at regulations that add millions of dollars in costs, while some environmental groups consider the agriculture-intensive fuels as much a threat to the environment.

"The federal government mandating what Americans put in their gas tanks was a flawed policy from the start," American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers president Charles Drevna said.

Goodlatte said the legislation would not apply to flex fuel vehicles which can use fuel containing up to 85pc ethanol (E85). E85 is deemed an alternative fuel, rather than gasoline.

While the measure has quickly gained momentum in the House, no companion bill has been introduced in the Senate.

Goodlatte introduced a second bill today that would simply the renewable fuel program. That measure has attracted 38 co-sponsors, all Republicans.