IV

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
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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 petroleumbased 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, re-
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finers 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

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the

3 United States Government should—

4 (1) promote the continued use of renewable eth5 anol in the Chicago reformulated gasoline market

6 and in other reformulated gasoline areas as a means

7 of enhancing energy security and supporting farm

8 income;

9 (2) allow State and local governments the op10 tion of limiting the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether

11 (MTBE) as an oxygenate until those governments

12 are certain that MTBE will not harm their environ13 ments; and

14 (3) require the Environmental Protection Agen15 cy to revise the Phase II reformulated gasoline regu16 lations under section 211 of the Clean Air Act to
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1 allow ethanol to remain a viable oxygenate within

2 the Act’s reformulated gasoline program.

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