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[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 256 Introduced in House (IH)]

106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 256

Expressing the sense of Congress with regard to the use of reformulated 
                gasoline fuels, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 29, 2000

  Mr. Ewing (for himself, Mr. Hastert, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. 
 Phelps, Mr. Barrett of Nebraska, Mr. Boswell, Mr. Leach, Mr. Weller, 
Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Costello, Mr. Evans, Mr. Terry, and Ms. Schakowsky) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                       the Committee on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
Expressing the sense of Congress with regard to the use of reformulated 
                gasoline fuels, and for other purposes.

Whereas ethanol is a domestically produced renewable fuel additive which makes 
        the United States less dependent on foreign oil, provides one of the few 
        bright spots in the Nation's balance of trade, improves air quality, and 
        stimulates rural economies;
Whereas the widespread use of ethanol in Illinois has made it one of the only 
        successful reformulated gasoline markets in the country, according to 
        the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago;
Whereas more than 95 percent of the fuel sold in Chicago and surrounding 
        counties contains ethanol in which it is used to increase octane and as 
        an oxygenate in reformulated gasoline;
Whereas ethanol demand in the Chicago reformulated gasoline market accounts for 
        400 million gallons each year, or one quarter of the United States 
        ethanol industry's annual production;
Whereas Illinois uses 17 percent of the State's corn crop for ethanol 
        production, or 1 in every 6 rows of corn grown in the State, adding 
        approximately $870 million in gross income to net farm income each year;
Whereas investment by the ethanol industry in Illinois exceeds $1 billion, 
        generating 800 jobs in plant operation and 4,000 jobs in the industry-
        related service sector;
Whereas Illinois ethanol production alone has increased the national market 
        price for corn by 25 cents per bushel;
Whereas ethanol reduces carbon monoxide emissions by as much as 25 percent, more 
        than any other petroleum-based transportation fuel;
Whereas according to the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, 
        ethanol fuels reduce greenhouse gases that cause global warming by 
        approximately 40 percent, as compared to traditional nonblended 
        gasoline;
Whereas serious concerns about the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) 
        have been raised by States in which it is currently used as the primary 
        oxygenate, such as California and New Jersey;
Whereas the city of Chicago has raised legitimate concerns about the use of MTBE 
        in the State of Illinois;
Whereas if the Environmental Protection Agency does not change its Phase II 
        reformulated gasoline regulations, refiners supplying the Chicago 
        reformulated gasoline market could be forced to replace ethanol with 
        MTBE, causing Illinois to lose an important value-added market for corn; 
        and
Whereas if MTBE replaces ethanol in Chicago reformulated gasoline, consumer 
        gasoline costs will rise and public health could be jeopardized by leaks 
        or spillage of MTBE-enhanced gasoline, which could contaminate drinking 
        water supplies: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that the United States Government 
should--
            (1) promote the continued use of renewable ethanol in the 
        Chicago reformulated gasoline market and in other reformulated 
        gasoline areas as a means of enhancing energy security and 
        supporting farm income;
            (2) allow State and local governments the option of 
        limiting the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) as an 
        oxygenate until those governments are certain that MTBE will 
        not harm their environments; and
            (3) require the Environmental Protection Agency to revise 
        the Phase II reformulated gasoline regulations under section 
        211 of the Clean Air Act to allow ethanol to remain a viable 
        oxygenate within the Act's reformulated gasoline program.
                                 <all>
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