[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17363]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           THE LEAVING ETHANOL AT EXISTING LEVELS (LEVEL) ACT

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                        HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 2010

  Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce legislation to place 
a pause on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) irresponsible 
actions in moving forward toward approving a waiver for an increase in 
ethanol in fuel.
  Currently, gasoline contains a 10 percent blend wall of ethanol, 
known as E-10. The EPA is considering increasing the allowable amount 
of ethanol in gasoline to 15 percent, or E-15. This, despite the EPA 
not performing any of its own studies on the matter, and relying 
entirely on outside studies. I questioned Assistant Administrator Gina 
McCarthy regarding the EPA's decision to move forward with a waiver for 
E-15, and was wholly dissatisfied with her responses as to the research 
EPA has done itself on the safety of increasing to this level of 
ethanol. She deferred entirely to outside groups and to the Department 
of Energy's research. Does EPA not employ its own scientists and 
experts? Is EPA's position that it is incapable of doing its own 
research? We saw that EPA was inept at performing its own ``climate 
science'' research, I suppose we could expect no different with the 
safety of ethanol levels.
  But this is serious business. If EPA appoves this waiver, car 
engines, lawn mowers, tractors--any engine that uses gasoline, could be 
potentially at risk for catching fire or having mechanical failure. 
Moreover, businesses tasked with selling this new gasoline with 
increased ethanol could face potential lawsuits from consumers who fail 
to follow posted signs warning them that E-15 should only be used in 
newer engines. Does anyone truly believe that mis-fillings and 
misunderstandings of the sign won't lead to disastrous results? The 
fact that EPA is even considering this change proves they simply don't 
care.
  I'm not necessarily opposed to increasing the level of ethanol in 
fuel--if it's done responsibly, and with sound science to back it up. I 
don't believe EPA has done its due diligence, and certainly nothing EPA 
has provided to the Energy & Commerce Committee would disprove my 
fears. This bill will allow for a pause--before EPA hastily approves 
any further ethanol in fuel--for more studies to be conducted and more 
assurances to be made that an increase in the blend wall for ethanol 
will be safe. The security of the public's well-being should be 
paramount in this case.

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