Reps. Green, Ryan renew call for EPA to waive RFG mandates, combat price spikes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Reps. Paul Ryan (R-Janesville) and Mark Green (R-Green Bay) today sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging the agency to use its existing waiver authority to help prevent or reduce the impact of gasoline price spikes on Wisconsinites, in light of BP's announcement that it is shutting down the Prudhoe Bay oil field in Alaska for an indefinite period of time because of severe pipeline corrosion.
In their letter, the congressmen cite requests they have already made this year for the EPA to waive Wisconsin 's reformulated gas (RFG) requirements to provide Wisconsin drivers with access to the least expensive gasoline available, and they emphasize the growing need for a waiver now that a serious, unforeseen supply disruption has occurred as a result of pipeline problems.
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"When there's a pipeline failure or other supply emergency it often hits Wisconsinites harder than drivers in other areas because of the unique blend of gasoline mandated in southeastern Wisconsin . We've seen time and time again how this leads to higher gas prices in parts of our state. An EPA waiver in response to this latest supply drop could help by removing this extra layer of cost and providing Wisconsin drivers with access to cheaper gasoline," Ryan said.
http://www.house.gov/ryan/press_releases/2006pressreleases/8706RFGwaiver.htm