Ethanol Archives

Ethanol - 2008-2010 Updates, Comments & Other Reports

October 2010 On October 13, EPA waived a limitation on selling fuel that is more than 10 percent ethanol for model year 2007 and newer cars and light trucks. The waiver applies to fuel that contains up to 15 percent ethanol (E15) and only to model year 2007 and newer cars and light trucks. A decision on the use of E15 in model year 2001-2006 vehicles will be made after EPA receives the results of additional DOE testing, which is expected to be completed in November. No waiver is being granted for E15 in model year 2000 and older cars and light trucks – or in any motorcycles, heavy=duty vehicles, or non-road engines.

September 2010 PHMSA has amended its Hazardous Materials Regulation HM-218D to revise the shipping names and identification numbers for fuel blends composed of more than 10 percent ethanol in gasoline. Effective October 1, the new name for this fuel is “ethanol and gasoline mixture, 3, UN3475, PGII.” This description may also be used with denatured ethanol, a gasoline mixture containing over 95 percent ethanol. Denatured ethanol may also be described as “denatured alcohol, NA1987” or “alcohols, n.o.s., UN1987.” Tank truck compartments containing gasoline blends with greater than 10 percent ethanol must be marked with a 3475 placard, though the 1987 identification may still be used for compartments containing more than 95 percent alcohol. The Gasoline or Gasohol 1203 placard may be used for compartments with blends of under 10 percent ethanol, as long as an applicable placard is used on compartments containing any higher ethanol concentrations. For more information, click here.

August 2010 ILTA signed a letter to the House Committee on Energy Commerce and a letter to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works requesting a public hearing on the introduction of mid-level ethanol blends into commerce. The letters urged the committees to require EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu to testify before Congress regarding the potential impact that mid-level blends may have on different types of road and non-road engines. (Note: Please disregard the "draft" stamp on the Senate letter as it was removed before it was sent.)

June 2010 The EPA recently announced that a decision would not be made on whether to allow higher blends of ethanol in gasoline until fall after the Energy Department completes testing on vehicles. The Energy Department is on track to complete testing designed to determine the impact of higher ethanol blends on vehicles built after 2007 by the end of September. The department is also testing some vehicles built before 2007 as well as tanks and other fuel handling equipment to see how they might be affected by E-15 blends. Petroleum marketers will be unable to realistically market E-15 until regulatory and legal certainty is provided in regards to car warranties, consumer misfueling, air quality regulations, dispenser, piping and tank performance.

December 2009 In response to a March 2009 petition from several ethanol manufacturers, EPA has stated that it will not decide whether to increase the allowable ethanol content in fuel until further testing is completed. EPA indicated that initial testing indicated that engines in newer cars could likely handle a higher blended fuel. A decision may come mid-2010.

August 2009 A new training package designed to prepare ethanol producers, transporters and first responders who may experience or come in contact with an ethanol-related emergency is now available. The Complete Training Guide for Ethanol Emergency Response is available online. The training package includes two videos, an instructor’s guide, and several interactive workshops. It also offers seven modules and PowerPoint presentations, each focusing on a specific and important aspect of ethanol response, as well as guidelines for fire departments and first responders that have ethanol production facilities in their communities. To obtain a hard copy, please contact Taryn Morgan at tmorgan@ethanolrfa.org.

July 2009 On July 20, ILTA signed a joint industry letter to the Environmental Protection Agency request in that it deny a petition that would increase the allowable ethanol content in gasoline. In the letter, the group recommended that the agency complete a comprehensive, science-based review of federal ethanol policy before making any decision to introduce a new fuel formulation. During March 2009, several ethanol producers submitted a joint waiver application asking EPA to remove the existing 10 percent (E10) blend limit and allow the retail sale of gasoline containing up to 15 percent (E15) ethanol, by volume. Under the Clean Air Act, EPA as 240 days to respond therefore a decision is expected December 1, 2009.

February 2008 Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and Buckeye Partners, L.P. have begun a joint assessment to determine the feasibility of constructing a dedicated ethanol pipeline. The proposed pipeline could have the capacity to supply more than 10 million gallons of ethanol per day. It would gather ethanol from production facilities in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and South Dakota to serve terminals in major markets such as Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the New York harbor. The project, which preliminarily has been estimated to cost in excess of $3 billion, would span approximately 1,700 miles and would take several years to complete.