NPRA Criticizes EPA Decision to Increase Ethanol in Gasoline

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Gregory M. Scott, executive vice president and general counsel of NPRA, the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, issued the following statement criticizing the decision announced today by the Environmental Protection Agency to approve the sale of gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol (E15) for late-model cars, up from the current limit of 10 percent ethanol (E10):

"The Environmental Protection Agency today abdicated its responsibility to safeguard our nation's public health and environment and became the Ethanol Promotion Agency. EPA's unwise and premature decision to allow the sale of gasoline with higher levels of ethanol may be good politics in Corn Belt states on the eve of the midterm elections, but it is bad news for every American who owns a car, truck, motorcycle, boat, snowmobile, lawnmower, chainsaw or anything else powered by gasoline.

"The ethanol industry has won a victory today by convincing the federal agency charged with protecting our nation's public health and environment to disregard public safety and environmental issues and instead base a major policy decision on inadequate engine test data that has not been made public or reviewed independently. The American people are the losers today because EPA has violated President Obama's 2009 commitment to them to put science ahead of politics.  

"EPA is asking the American people to pump first and ask questions later, and to become guinea pigs in a giant science experiment that involves their vehicles, their gasoline-powered equipment, and their safety. Instead of rushing to judgment to announce this decision today, EPA should have required the completion of thorough and objective scientific testing of increased ethanol in gasoline to protect millions of Americans.

"Our nation's domestic petroleum refiners are committed to manufacturing safe, reliable and clean gasoline, and we will continue to oppose any EPA actions that could endanger the safety of the American families, farmers and truckers we serve every day. We take the confidence Americans place in our products – demonstrated by the millions of times each day that consumers purchase gasoline and diesel fuel – very seriously, and we will consider every option available to reverse EPA's ill-considered and politically motivated decision."

NPRA members include more than 450 companies, including virtually all U.S. refiners and petrochemical manufacturers. Our members supply consumers with a wide variety of products and services used daily in their homes and businesses. These products include gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil, jet fuel, lubricants and the chemicals that serve as "building blocks" in making everything from plastics to clothing to medicine to computers.

SOURCE National Petrochemical & Refiners Association