I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 875 

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 

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. 

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. 


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

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

3 blend containing greater than 10 and up to and in4 cluding 20 percent ethanol by volume that is in5 tended to be used in any conventional gasoline-pow6 ered motor vehicle or nonroad vehicle or engine. 

7 SEC. 2. EVALUATION. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, acting 

9 through the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Re10 search and Development at the Environmental Protection 

11 Agency, shall— 

12 (1) not later than 45 days after the date of en13 actment of this Act, enter into an agreement with 

14 the National Academy of Sciences to provide, within 

15 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 

16 a comprehensive assessment of the scientific and 

17 technical research on the implications of the use of 

18 mid-level ethanol blends, comparing mid-level eth19 anol blends to gasoline blends containing 10 percent 

20 or zero percent ethanol; and 

21 (2) not later than 30 days after receiving the 

22 results of the assessment under paragraph (1), sub23 mit a report to the Committee on Science, Space, 

24 and Technology of the House of Representatives and 

25 the Committee on Environment and Public Works of 


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1 the Senate on the findings of the assessment, to2 gether with the agreement or disagreement of the 

3 Administrator with each of its findings. 

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

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

6 211(f)(4) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545 (f)(4)) 

7 before the date of enactment of this Act that allows the 

8 introduction into commerce of mid-level ethanol blends for 

9 use in motor vehicles shall have no force or effect. The 

10 Administrator shall grant no new waivers under such sec11 tion 211(f)(4) until after the submission of the report de12 scribed under subsection (a)(2). 

13 (c) CONTENTS.—The assessment performed under 

14 subsection (a)(1) shall include the following: 

15 (1) An evaluation of the short-term and long16 term environmental, safety, durability, and perform17 ance effects of the introduction of mid-level ethanol 

18 blends on onroad, nonroad, and marine engines, 

19 onroad and nonroad vehicles, and related equipment. 

20 Such evaluation shall consider the impacts of quali21 fying mid-level ethanol blends or blends with higher 

22 ethanol concentrations as a certification fuel. Such 

23 evaluation shall include a review of all available sci24 entific evidence, including all relevant government 

25 and industry data and testing, including that relied 


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1 upon by the Administrator and published at 75 Fed. 

2 Reg. 68094 et seq. (November 4, 2010), 76 Fed. 

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

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

5 gaps in understanding and research needs related 

6 to— 

7 (A) tailpipe emissions; 

8 (B) evaporative emissions; 

9 (C) engine and fuel system durability; 

10 (D) onboard diagnostics; 

11 (E) emissions inventory and other mod12 eling effects; 

13 (F) materials compatibility; 

14 (G) operability and drivability; 

15 (H) fuel efficiency; 

16 (I) fuel economy; 

17 (J) consumer education and satisfaction; 

18 (K) cost-effectiveness for the consumer; 

19 (L) catalyst durability; and 

20 (M) durability of storage tanks, piping, 

21 and dispensers for retail. 

22 (2) An identification of areas of research, devel23 opment, and testing necessary to— 

24 (A) ensure that existing motor fuel infra25 structure is not adversely impacted by mid-level 


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1 ethanol blends, including an examination of po2 tential impacts of mid-level ethanol blends on 

3 metal, plastic, rubber, or any other materials 

4 used in pipes or storage tanks; and 

5 (B) reduce the risk of misfueling by users 

6 at various points in the distribution and supply 

7 chain, including at bulk storage, retail storage, 

8 and distribution configurations by— 

9 (i) assessing the best methods and 

10 practices to prevent misfueling; 

11 (ii) examining misfueling mitigation 

12 strategies for blender pumps, including vol13 umetric purchase requirements and label14 ing requirements; 

15 (iii) assessing the adequacy of and 

16 ability for misfueling mitigation plans ap17 proved by the Environmental Protection 

18 Agency; and 

19 (iv) examining the technical standards 

20 and recommendations of the National In21 stitute of Standards and Technology, the 

22 American National Standards Institute, 

23 and the International Organization for 

24 Standardization regarding fuel pump label25 ing. 


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1 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

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

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

4 science and technology, including research and develop5 ment activities, at the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Æ 


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