Title: 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.
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
This bill requires the Office of Research and Development at the Environmental Protection Agency to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to provide a comprehensive assessment of research on the implications of the use of mid-level ethanol blends, which compares mid-level ethanol blends to gasoline blends containing 10% or 0% ethanol. A mid-level ethanol blend is an ethanol-gasoline blend containing 10%- 20% of ethanol that is intended to be used in any conventional gasoline-powered motor vehicle or nonroad vehicle or engine.
The assessment must: (1) evaluate the environmental, safety, durability, and performance effects of the introduction of mid-level blends on onroad, nonroad, and marine engines, onroad and nonroad vehicles, and related equipment; and (2) identify areas of research, development, and testing necessary to ensure that existing motor fuel infrastructure is not adversely impacted by mid-level ethanol blends and to reduce the risk of misfueling by users at various points in the distribution and supply chain.
The office must report on the assessment's findings. Any waivers granted under the Clean Air Act to allow the sale of mid-level ethanol blends for use in motor vehicles are nullified. The office is also prohibited from granting new waivers until after the report is submitted.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 777 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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.

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

SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Environmental 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 including 20 percent ethanol by volume that is 
        intended to be used in any conventional gasoline-powered motor 
        vehicle or nonroad vehicle or engine.

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 enactment 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 comprehensive assessment of the 
        scientific and technical research on the implications of the 
        use of mid-level ethanol blends, comparing mid-level ethanol 
        blends to gasoline blends containing 10 percent or 0 percent 
        ethanol; and
            (2) not later than 30 days after receiving the results 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) Contents.--The assessment performed under subsection (a)(1) 
shall include the following:
            (1) An evaluation of the short-term and long-term 
        environmental, safety, durability, and performance effects of 
        the introduction of mid-level ethanol blends on onroad, 
        nonroad, and marine engines, onroad and nonroad vehicles, and 
        related equipment. Such evaluation shall consider the impacts 
        of qualifying mid-level ethanol blends or blends with higher 
        ethanol concentrations as a certification fuel. Such evaluation 
        shall include a review of all available scientific evidence, 
        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;
                    (G) operability and drivability;
                    (H) fuel efficiency;
                    (I) fuel economy;
                    (J) knock resistance;
                    (K) consumer education and satisfaction;
                    (L) cost effectiveness for the consumer;
                    (M) catalyst durability; and
                    (N) durability of storage tanks, piping, and 
                dispensers for retail.
            (2) An identification of areas of research, development, 
        and testing necessary to--
                    (A) ensure that existing motor fuel infrastructure 
                is not adversely impacted by mid-level ethanol blends, 
                including an examination of potential 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 
                        volumetric purchase requirements and labeling 
                        requirements;
                            (iii) assessing the adequacy of and ability 
                        for misfueling mitigation plans approved by the 
                        Environmental Protection Agency; and
                            (iv) soliciting and considering 
                        recommendations of the National Institute of 
                        Standards and Technology, the American National 
                        Standards Institute, the International 
                        Organization for Standardization, and the 
                        National Conference on Weights and Measures 
                        regarding fuel pump labeling.
    (c) 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 introduction into commerce of mid-level 
ethanol blends for use in motor vehicles shall have no force or effect. 
The Administrator shall grant no new waivers under such section 
211(f)(4) until after the submission of the report described under 
subsection (a)(2).

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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