IB 

Union Calendar No. 499 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 875 

[Report No. 113–667, Part I] 

To provide for a comprehensive assessment of the scientific and technical 

research on the implications of the use of mid-level ethanol blends, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 27, 2013 

Mr. SENSENBRENNER (for himself, Mr. HALL, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. 

BROUN of Georgia, Mr. SMITH of Texas, and Mr. GRIFFIN of Arkansas) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

DECEMBER 12, 2014 

Additional sponsors: Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. HANNA, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. STOCKMAN, Mr. PETRI, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. POSEY, Mr. SALMON, Mr. HARRIS, Mr. JONES, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. RUNYAN, Mr. NUGENT, 

Mr. LANKFORD, Mr. BENISHEK, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. 

RIBBLE, Mr. PERRY, and Mr. CRAWFORD

DECEMBER 12, 2014 

Reported from the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with an 

amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 


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DECEMBER 12, 2014 

The Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be 

printed 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 27, 2013] 

A BILL 

To provide for a comprehensive assessment of the scientific 

and technical research on the implications of the use 

of mid-level ethanol blends, and for other purposes. 


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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. 

4 In this Act: 

5 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis6 trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ7 mental Protection Agency. 

8 (2) MID-LEVEL ETHANOL BLEND.—The term 

9 ‘‘mid-level ethanol blend’’ means an ethanol-gasoline 

10 blend containing greater than 10 and up to and in11 cluding 20 percent ethanol by volume that is intended 

12 to be used in any conventional gasoline-powered 

13 onroad, nonroad, or marine engine, or onroad or 

14 nonroad vehicle. 

15 SEC. 2. EVALUATION. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, acting through 

17 the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and 

18 Development at the Environmental Protection Agency, 

19 shall— 

20 (1) not later than 45 days after the date of en21 actment of this Act, enter into an agreement with the 

22 National Academy of Sciences to provide, within 18 

23 months after the date of enactment of this Act, a com24 prehensive assessment of the scientific and technical 

25 research on the implications of the use of mid-level 


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1 ethanol blends, comparing mid-level ethanol blends to 

2 gasoline blends containing 10 percent or zero percent 

3 ethanol; and 

4 (2) not later than 30 days after receiving the re5 sults of the assessment under paragraph (1), submit 

6 a report to the Committee on Science, Space, and 

7 Technology of the House of Representatives and the 

8 Committee on Environment and Public Works of the 

9 Senate on the findings of the assessment, together with 

10 the agreement or disagreement of the Administrator 

11 with each of its findings. 

12 (b) WAIVERS.—Prior to the submission of the report 

13 under subsection (a)(2), any waiver granted under section 

14 211(f)(4) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(f)(4)) before 

15 the date of enactment of this Act that allows the introduc16 tion into commerce of mid-level ethanol blends for use in 

17 motor vehicles shall have no force or effect. The Adminis18 trator shall grant no new waivers under such section 

19 211(f)(4) until after the submission of the report described 

20 under subsection (a)(2). 

21 (c) CONTENTS.—The assessment performed under sub22 section (a)(1) shall include the following: 

23 (1) An evaluation of the short-term and long24 term environmental, safety, durability, and perform25 ance effects of the introduction of mid-level ethanol 


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1 blends on onroad, nonroad, and marine engines, 

2 onroad and nonroad vehicles, and related equipment. 

3 Such evaluation shall consider the impacts of quali4 fying mid-level ethanol blends or blends with higher 

5 ethanol concentrations as a certification fuel, and 

6 shall consider the effect mid-level ethanol blends have 

7 on carbon emissions, taking into account carbon emis8 sions from their life-cycle production, as compared to 

9 gasoline blends containing 10 percent or zero percent 

10 ethanol. Such evaluation shall include a review of all 

11 available scientific evidence, including all relevant 

12 government and industry data and testing, including 

13 that relied upon by the Administrator and published 

14 at 75 Fed. Reg. 68094 et seq. (November 4, 2010), 76 

15 Fed. Reg. 4662 et seq. (January 26, 2011), and 76 

16 Fed. Reg. 44406 et seq. (July 25, 2011), and identify 

17 gaps in understanding and research needs related 

18 to— 

19 (A) tailpipe emissions; 

20 (B) evaporative emissions; 

21 (C) engine and fuel system durability; 

22 (D) onboard diagnostics; 

23 (E) emissions inventory and other modeling 

24 effects; 

25 (F) materials compatibility; 


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1 (G) operability and drivability; 

2 (H) fuel efficiency; 

3 (I) fuel economy; 

4 (J) consumer education and satisfaction; 

5 (K) cost-effectiveness for the consumer; 

6 (L) catalyst durability; and 

7 (M) durability of storage tanks, piping, and 

8 dispensers for retail. 

9 (2) An identification of areas of research, devel10 opment, and testing necessary to— 

11 (A) ensure that existing motor fuel infra12 structure is not adversely impacted by mid-level 

13 ethanol blends, including an examination of po14 tential impacts of mid-level ethanol blends on 

15 metal, plastic, rubber, or any other materials 

16 used in pipes or storage tanks; and 

17 (B) reduce the risk of misfueling by users at 

18 various points in the distribution and supply 

19 chain, including at bulk storage, retail storage, 

20 and distribution configurations by— 

21 (i) assessing the best methods and 

22 practices to prevent misfueling; 

23 (ii) examining misfueling mitigation 

24 strategies for blender pumps, including volVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:15 Dec 15, 2014 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H875.RH H875

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1 umetric purchase requirements and labeling 

2 requirements; 

3 (iii) assessing the adequacy of 

4 misfueling mitigation plans approved by 

5 the Environmental Protection Agency; and 

6 (iv) examining the technical standards 

7 and recommendations of the National Insti8 tute of Standards and Technology, the 

9 American National Standards Institute, 

10 and the International Organization for 

11 Standardization regarding fuel pump label12 ing. 

13 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

14 In order to carry out this Act, the Administrator shall 

15 utilize up to $900,000 from the funds made available for 

16 science and technology, including research and development 

17 activities, at the Environmental Protection Agency. 


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Union Calendar No. 499 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 875 

[Report No. 113–667, Part I] 

A BILL 

To provide for a comprehensive assessment of the 

for other purposes. tions of the use of mid-level ethanol blends, and scientific and technical research on the implicaDECEMBER 12, 2014 

Reported from the Committee on Science, Space, and 

Technology with an amendment 

DECEMBER 12, 2014 

The Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged; 

the State of the Union and ordered to be printed committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 


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