Requires the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), prior to the implementation of any waiver, partial waiver, or decision pursuant to current law and no later than 45 days after this Act's enactment, to enter into an agreement with the National Academies to provide a comprehensive assessment of research on the implications of the use of mid-level ethanol blends (defined as an ethanol-gasoline blend containing 15% or 20% ethanol by volume that is intended to be used in any conventional gasoline-powered motor vehicle or nonroad vehicle or engine). Recommends that the assessment compare mid-level ethanol blends to gasoline blends containing 10% and 0% ethanol.
Requires such assessment to: (1) evaluate the environmental, safety, durability, and performance effects of the introduction of mid-level blends on onroad, nonroad, and marine engines, onroad and nonroad vehicles, and related equipment; and (2) identify research and development necessary to permit existing motor fuels infrastructure to handle mid-level ethanol blends while preventing or mitigating against adverse impacts such as corrosion of materials used in pipes or storage tanks, ensuring fuel fungiblity, and protecting against misfueling by users at various points in the distribution and supply chain.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3199 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3199
To provide a comprehensive assessment of the scientific and technical
research on the implications of the use of mid-level ethanol blends,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 13, 2011
Mr. Sensenbrenner (for himself and Mr. Benishek) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide a comprehensive assessment of the scientific and technical
research on the implications of the use of mid-level ethanol blends,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) while blends of up to 10 percent ethanol are currently
required in the American motor fuels market as the result of
renewable fuels mandates and incentives for ethanol production
and use, significant environmental and energy research,
development, and demonstration is needed on the effects of
higher percentage ethanol blends before permitting widespread
use in the United States;
(2) government and industry testing suggests significant
negative environmental, safety, durability, health, and
performance effects for onroad and nonroad vehicles and
infrastructure resulting from use of mid-level ethanol blends
containing up to 15 percent ethanol; and
(3) the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to
allow the use of mid-level ethanol blends in model year 2001
and newer motor vehicles--
(A) failed to consider the full spectrum of
available government and industry scientific and
technical research on such effects; and
(B) relied on the results of a single study thereby
violating the Environmental Protection Agency's
scientific integrity principles.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) Mid-level ethanol blend.--The term ``mid-level ethanol
blend'' means an ethanol-gasoline blend containing 15 or 20
percent ethanol by volume that is intended to be used in any
conventional gasoline-powered motor vehicle or nonroad vehicle
or engine.
SEC. 3. EVALUATION.
(a) In General.--Prior to the implementation of any waiver, partial
waiver, or decision pursuant to current law and not later than 45 days
after enactment of this Act, the Administrator, acting through the
Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development at
the Environmental Protection Agency, shall enter into an agreement with
the National Academies to provide a comprehensive assessment of the
scientific and technical research on the implications of the use of
mid-level ethanol blends. This assessment should compare mid-level
ethanol blends to gasoline blends containing 10 and zero percent
ethanol.
(b) Contents.--The assessment performed under subsection (a)
shall--
(1) evaluate the short-term and long-term environmental,
safety, durability, and performance effects of the introduction
of mid-level ethanol blends on onroad, nonroad and marine
engines, onroad and nonroad vehicles, and related equipment.
Such evaluation shall include a review of all available
scientific evidence, including all relevant government and
industry data and testing, including that relied upon by the
Administrator and published at 75 Fed. Reg. 68094 (November 4,
2010) and 76 Fed. Reg. 4662 (January 26, 2011), gaps in
understanding, and research needs related to--
(A) tailpipe emissions;
(B) evaporative emissions;
(C) engine and fuel system durability;
(D) on-board diagnostics;
(E) emissions inventory and other modeling effects;
(F) materials compatibility;
(G) operability and drivability;
(H) fuel efficiency;
(I) catalyst durability; and
(J) durability of storage tanks, piping and
dispensers for retail; and
(2) identify research and development, including testing,
necessary to permit existing motor fuels (distribution and
supply) infrastructure to handle mid-level ethanol blends while
preventing or mitigating against adverse impacts such as
corrosion of metal, plastic, rubber, or any other materials
used in pipes or storage tanks, ensuring fuel fungiblity, and
protecting against intentional and unintentional misfueling by
users at various points in the distribution and supply chain,
including--
(A) bulk storage;
(B) retail storage and distribution configurations;
and
(C) standardization of a label consistent with
applicable technical standards and recommendations of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the
American National Standards Institute, and the
International Organization for Standardization.
(c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the enactment of this
Act, the National Academies shall submit to the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology a report on the results of such assessment,
including necessary research and development.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
In order to carry out this Act, the Administrator shall utilize up
to $900,000 from the funds made available for research and development
under Public Law 96-569.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 19 - 7.
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