The Leaving Ethanol at Existing Levels Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about legislation that I will reintroduce that will put a pause on the Environmental Protection Agency's actions in moving forward with a waiver for an increase in the amount of ethanol in gasoline.

Currently, gasoline contains a 10 percent blend wall. In October of this past year, the EPA granted a waiver for the allowable amount of ethanol to increase to 15 percent.

I have questioned their decision to move forward with a waiver for E15. I was wholly dissatisfied with the response they gave in a briefing last fall. They deferred to the Department of Energy's research. Does the EPA not employ its own scientists and experts? Is it the EPA's position that it is incapable of doing its own research?

Mr. Speaker, we are all aware of the problems that occurred in 2008 with food-to-fuel diversion and the resultant increase in price in commodities. I don't believe the EPA has done its due diligence. And certainly they haven't provided information that would disprove any fears about the use of E15 causing mechanical failures and fires, particularly in smaller engines.

My bill will allow for a pause and allow for more assurances to be made that the increase in the blend wall for ethanol will be safe. The security of the public's well-being should be paramount in this issue.

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