In an interview with Reuters’ Tom Doggett, the heaf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that the agency may not meet a December 1 deadline to decide whether to approve an industry request to boost the amount of ethanol that can be blended into gasoline.
Earlier this year, corn ethanol producers asked EPA to allow gasoline to contain up to 15 percent ethanol by volume, known as E15, from current 10% limit. Today, EPA’s Administrator Lisa Jackson said the agency may have to work past the December 1 deadline because it is still reviewing test results on how the higher blend rate would affect engines “across the board” — including cars, trucks, snowmobiles, motor boats and lawnmowers. “One of the issues is … lots of concern about how E15 plays over a range of engines,” Jackson said in a interview at EPA headquarters. “So having the data to be able to answer those questions once and for all is going to be, I think, key to making a decision that is rigorous and holds up.”
Filed under: Blends, Climate Change, Corn, Enviroment, Ethanol, FFV, RFS | Tagged: Blend Wall, E15, EPA, Ethanol, FFV, Growth Energy, Higher Blends, Lisa Jackson
The use of E-15 could result in the displacement of 900,000 barrels of oil per day with a more energy-efficient fuel. E 15 would also result in the reduction of nitrous oxide emissions equivialent to removing more than 4 million vehicles from the road each year.
[...] who is perhaps the biggests supported of corn ethanol in the Congress, come amid reports that the EPA will extend the review period for E15 to conduct more tests, he added. Iowa accounts for roughly 26% of U.S. ethanol [...]
JSJohnson said, “The use of E-15 could result in the displacement of 900,000 barrels of oil…resuction of nitrous oxide…”. If you truly believe ethanol is the solution to oil dependence and pollution why aren’t you promoting E85 and flex fuel vehicles? As long as all conventional engine manufacturers approve of use of only up to 10% (over 10% is deemed “contaminated” gas and will invalidate engine warranty) only the ethanol producers (and class action lawyers) will benefit from the increase. Forcing consumers to use a gas type not approved for their engine type is certain to be the end of consumer acceptance (or tolerance) of ethanol. E15 is just a dirty band aid that will lead to sepsis and death of ethanol.