I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 777 

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 

JANUARY 31, 2017 

Mr. SENSENBRENNER 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 0 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) CONTENTS.—The assessment performed under 

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

6 (1) An evaluation of the short-term and long7 term environmental, safety, durability, and perform8 ance effects of the introduction of mid-level ethanol 

9 blends on onroad, nonroad, and marine engines, 

10 onroad and nonroad vehicles, and related equipment. 

11 Such evaluation shall consider the impacts of quali12 fying mid-level ethanol blends or blends with higher 

13 ethanol concentrations as a certification fuel. Such 

14 evaluation shall include a review of all available sci15 entific evidence, including that relied upon by the 

16 Administrator and published at 75 Fed. Reg. 68094 

17 et seq. (November 4, 2010), 76 Fed. Reg. 4662 et 

18 seq. (January 26, 2011), and 76 Fed. Reg. 44406 

19 et seq. (July 25, 2011), and identify gaps in under20 standing and research needs related to— 

21 (A) tailpipe emissions; 

22 (B) evaporative emissions; 

23 (C) engine and fuel system durability; 

24 (D) onboard diagnostics; 


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1 (E) emissions inventory and other mod2 eling effects; 

3 (F) materials compatibility; 

4 (G) operability and drivability; 

5 (H) fuel efficiency; 

6 (I) fuel economy; 

7 (J) knock resistance; 

8 (K) consumer education and satisfaction; 

9 (L) cost effectiveness for the consumer; 

10 (M) catalyst durability; and 

11 (N) durability of storage tanks, piping, 

12 and dispensers for retail. 

13 (2) An identification of areas of research, devel14 opment, and testing necessary to— 

15 (A) ensure that existing motor fuel infra16 structure is not adversely impacted by mid-level 

17 ethanol blends, including an examination of po18 tential impacts of mid-level ethanol blends on 

19 metal, plastic, rubber, or any other materials 

20 used in pipes or storage tanks; and 

21 (B) reduce the risk of misfueling by users 

22 at various points in the distribution and supply 

23 chain, including at bulk storage, retail storage, 

24 and distribution configurations by— 


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1 (i) assessing the best methods and 

2 practices to prevent misfueling; 

3 (ii) examining misfueling mitigation 

4 strategies for blender pumps, including vol5 umetric purchase requirements and label6 ing requirements; 

7 (iii) assessing the adequacy of and 

8 ability for misfueling mitigation plans ap9 proved by the Environmental Protection 

10 Agency; and 

11 (iv) soliciting and considering rec12 ommendations of the National Institute of 

13 Standards and Technology, the American 

14 National Standards Institute, the Inter15 national Organization for Standardization, 

16 and the National Conference on Weights 

17 and Measures regarding fuel pump label18 ing. 

19 (c) WAIVERS.—Prior to the submission of the report 

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

21 211(f)(4) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(f)(4)) be22 fore the date of enactment of this Act that allows the in23 troduction into commerce of mid-level ethanol blends for 

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

25 Administrator shall grant no new waivers under such secVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Feb 07, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H777.IH H777

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1 tion 211(f)(4) until after the submission of the report de2 scribed under subsection (a)(2). 

3 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

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

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

6 science and technology, including research and develop7 ment activities, at the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Æ 


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