House Votes To Suspend E15 Program

The U.S House of Representatives has passed an amendment to the House budget bill to prevent the EPA from funding the mandate for an increase in the ethanol content in pump gasoline from 10 percent to 15 percent. The measure now goes to the Senate, where it's passage is far from assured. There are a lot of pro-ethanol Senators that could scuttle the bill. The amendment bars the EPA from spending any money allocated this fiscal year to implement the terms of what was called its E15 waiver.

       Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK), sponsor of the defunding amendment that passed on Saturday, said, "The EPA has completely ignored calls from lawmakers, industry, environmental and consumer groups to address important safety issues raised by the 50% increase in the ethanol mandate issued over the past year."
       Rep. Sullivan said the amendment "put the brakes on E15 for the rest of the fiscal year, giving Congress time to address these questions and ensure consumer safety at the pump.”
       Another bill, (HR 748) is working through Congress to repeal the EPA E15 program altogether. 
       Opponents of E15 cite safety concerns, confusion over which vehicles can safely be operated with that high of a concentration of alcohol, because of degradation of certain fuel system components in older vehicles.