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 En-
ergy 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. STOCK-
MAN, Mr. PETRI, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. POSEY, Mr. SALM-
ON, 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 Com-
mittee 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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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) 
ADMINISTRATOR.—The 
term 
‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(2) MID-LEVEL
ETHANOL
BLEND.—The term 
‘‘mid-level ethanol blend’’ means an ethanol-gasoline 
blend containing greater than 10 and up to and in-
cluding 20 percent ethanol by volume that is intended 
to be used in any conventional gasoline-powered 
onroad, nonroad, or marine engine, or onroad or 
nonroad vehicle. 
SEC. 2. EVALUATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, acting through 
the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and 
Development at the Environmental Protection Agency, 
shall— 
(1) not later than 45 days after the date of en-
actment of this Act, enter into an agreement with the 
National Academy of Sciences to provide, within 18 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, a com-
prehensive assessment of the scientific and technical 
research on the implications of the use of mid-level 
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ethanol blends, comparing mid-level ethanol blends to 
gasoline blends containing 10 percent or zero percent 
ethanol; and 
(2) not later than 30 days after receiving the re-
sults of the assessment under paragraph (1), submit 
a report to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the 
Senate on the findings of the assessment, together with 
the agreement or disagreement of the Administrator 
with each of its findings. 
(b) WAIVERS.—Prior to the submission of the report 
under subsection (a)(2), any waiver granted under section 
211(f)(4) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(f)(4)) before 
the date of enactment of this Act that allows the introduc-
tion into commerce of mid-level ethanol blends for use in 
motor vehicles shall have no force or effect. The Adminis-
trator shall grant no new waivers under such section 
211(f)(4) until after the submission of the report described 
under subsection (a)(2). 
(c) CONTENTS.—The assessment performed under sub-
section (a)(1) shall include the following: 
(1) An evaluation of the short-term and long- 
term environmental, safety, durability, and perform-
ance effects of the introduction of mid-level ethanol 
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blends on onroad, nonroad, and marine engines, 
onroad and nonroad vehicles, and related equipment. 
Such evaluation shall consider the impacts of quali-
fying mid-level ethanol blends or blends with higher 
ethanol concentrations as a certification fuel, and 
shall consider the effect mid-level ethanol blends have 
on carbon emissions, taking into account carbon emis-
sions from their life-cycle production, as compared to 
gasoline blends containing 10 percent or zero percent 
ethanol. Such evaluation shall include a review of all 
available scientific evidence, including all relevant 
government and industry data and testing, including 
that relied upon by the Administrator and published 
at 75 Fed. Reg. 68094 et seq. (November 4, 2010), 76 
Fed. Reg. 4662 et seq. (January 26, 2011), and 76 
Fed. Reg. 44406 et seq. (July 25, 2011), and identify 
gaps in understanding and research needs related 
to— 
(A) tailpipe emissions; 
(B) evaporative emissions; 
(C) engine and fuel system durability; 
(D) onboard diagnostics; 
(E) emissions inventory and other modeling 
effects; 
(F) materials compatibility; 
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(G) operability and drivability; 
(H) fuel efficiency; 
(I) fuel economy; 
(J) consumer education and satisfaction; 
(K) cost-effectiveness for the consumer; 
(L) catalyst durability; and 
(M) durability of storage tanks, piping, and 
dispensers for retail. 
(2) An identification of areas of research, devel-
opment, and testing necessary to— 
(A) ensure that existing motor fuel infra-
structure is not adversely impacted by mid-level 
ethanol blends, including an examination of po-
tential impacts of mid-level ethanol blends on 
metal, plastic, rubber, or any other materials 
used in pipes or storage tanks; and 
(B) reduce the risk of misfueling by users at 
various points in the distribution and supply 
chain, including at bulk storage, retail storage, 
and distribution configurations by— 
(i) assessing the best methods and 
practices to prevent misfueling; 
(ii) examining misfueling mitigation 
strategies for blender pumps, including vol-
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umetric purchase requirements and labeling 
requirements; 
(iii) 
assessing 
the 
adequacy 
of 
misfueling mitigation plans approved by 
the Environmental Protection Agency; and 
(iv) examining the technical standards 
and recommendations of the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology, the 
American National Standards Institute, 
and the International Organization for 
Standardization regarding fuel pump label-
ing. 
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
In order to carry out this Act, the Administrator shall 
utilize up to $900,000 from the funds made available for 
science and technology, including research and development 
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 
scientific and technical research on the implica-
tions of the use of mid-level ethanol blends, and 
for other purposes. 
DECEMBER 12, 2014 
Reported from the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology with an amendment 
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 
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