We have all read the recent stories that mandatory use of ethanol in states that have banned MTBE (including California, New York and Connecticut) could mean higher gas prices as gasoline marketers shift to summer fuel blends. With that in the background, you might be interested in dramatic new evidence by the state of California, which shows that forced use of ethanol in gasoline will also mean more pollution in California.
California recently sent the evidence to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of its effort to obtain a waiver from mandatory use of ethanol in reformulated gasoline. California’s evidence shows that forced use of ethanol will mean higher nitrogen oxides and particle soot pollution — and inhibit the state’s ability to meet federal air quality standards for particle soot. California also argues that requiring high-volatility ethanol will mean increased smog-forming hydrocarbon pollution from lawn and garden equipment and gasoline containers.
This evidence appears very solid. If the Bush administration rejects this request, it will appear very politically motivated, suggesting the administration is more interested in electoral votes from farm states than in sound science or the health of breathers in high-pollution areas. It would also appear to doom a similar request by the state of New York — and raise the specter of a real gas crunch in the Northeast this spring (since oil companies have to make a special, lower-volatility blendstock to compensate for higher-volatility ethanol.)
You may recall that California tried earlier (under Governor Gray Davis) to obtain a waiver. The EPA career staff not only recommended such a waiver, but actually wrote a proposed rule that would have granted it. President Clinton left office without taking action on the request, and the Bush EPA rejected it in 2001 following heavy lobbying by farm state interests. California sued, and won an initial battle in federal court. It submitted the new information as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger continues to fight for the right to permit companies to sell cleaner-burning gasoline without ethanol.
Please don’t hesitate to call Frank O’Donnell (202-785-9625 / 202-262-6026) if you’d like to discuss. You can also contact Charlie Peters of the Clean Air Trust at (510) 537-1796 or cappcharlie@earthlink.net