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NPRA

National Petrochemical and Refiners Assocation


For Immediate Release

Friday
February 6, 2009

Contact Information:
Steve Higley 202-552-8455

Environmental, Scientific and Business Coalition: Do Not Increase the Ethanol Blending Cap In the Stimulus Package

“Collectively, our organizations strongly believe that this issue should not be part of the economic stimulus package currently under consideration by the United States Senate.”

Letter to Senate Leaders Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, American Lung Association, Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, Clean Air Task Force, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Earthjustice, Engine Manufacturers Association, Environment America, Environmental Working Group, FarmEcon LLC, Friends of the Earth, International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, Motorcycle Industry Council, National Marine Manufacturers Association, National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, Tortilla Industry Association, Union of Concerned Scientists (February 5, 2009)


WASHINGTON, D.C. – A broad coalition of non-governmental organizations representing the refining and petrochemical, environmental, food, scientific, vehicle and engine manufacturing communities today released a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) calling on the Senate to not approve a provision that would increase the current ethanol blending cap as part of H.R. 1, the pending economic stimulus package.

“The adoption of such a provision would short-circuit the established and time-tested Clean Air Act regulatory structure for approving the introduction of new fuels or fuel blends into commerce, lead to increased air emissions from gasoline-powered engines, and potentially endanger consumers using these engines,” the coalition wrote. “In our collective opinion, a decision on whether to permit the use of ethanol concentrations in excess of 10 percent in gasoline (so called ‘mid-level ethanol blends’) in motor vehicle and equipment engines must be guided solely by sound, unbiased and comprehensive science and must hold true to the fundamental purposes of protecting the environment and consumers. Our groups are united and committed to maintaining a fact-based mid-level ethanol blend approval process. …

“Collectively, our organizations strongly believe that this issue should not be part of the economic stimulus package currently under consideration by the United States Senate. The EPA/DOE testing process must be permitted to continue -- and the results of this testing must indicate that mid-level ethanol blends do not pose an air quality or consumer protection danger in all gasoline-powered engines -- before a decision is made on allowing such blends to be introduced into commerce. The Senate must not by-pass the consumer and environmental protections of the Clean Air Act on this important issue.”

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NPRA members include more than 450 companies, including virtually all American refiners and petrochemical manufacturers. Our members supply consumers with a wide variety of products and services used daily in their homes and businesses. These products include gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil, jet fuel, lubricants and the chemicals that serve as “building blocks” in making everything from plastics to clothing to medicine to computers.