House Committee Seeks Public Comment on Renewable Fuel Standard

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is undertaking an assessment of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). This week, the Committee issued the first of five white papers that will focus on various technical, economic, environmental, and policy aspects. The first paper focuses on "Blend Wall/Fuel Compatibility" issues. The Committee is seeking stakeholder input by April 5 on a series of questions.

On March 20, Representatives Fred Upton (R-MI) and Henry Waxman (D-CA), the chair and ranking members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, announced their intention to review the RFS, and released the first white paper .

They are seeking stakeholder input on the following questions:

Please send responses to [email protected] by April 5, 2013.

1. To what extent was the blend wall anticipated in the debate over the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 ?
2. What are the benefits and risks of expanded use of E-15 to automakers, other gasoline powered equipment makers, refiners, fuel retailers, and others involved in the manufacture and sale of gasoline and gasoline-using equipment?
3. What are the risks of the introduction and sale of E-15 to the owners of pre-2001 motor vehicles, boats, motorcycles, and other gasoline-powered equipment not approved to use it? Are there risks to owners of post-2001 vehicles? How do these risks compare to the benefits of the RFS?
4. What is the likely impact, if any, of the blend wall on retail gasoline prices?
5. What is the timing of the implementation challenges related to the blend wall? Will some entities face difficulties earlier than others?
6. Could the blend wall be delayed or prevented with increased use of E-85 in flexible fuel vehicles? What are the impediments to increased E-85 use? Are there policies that can overcome these impediments?
7. Is E-15 misfueling unavoidable? Are there lessons from the labeling and dispensing of diesel, E-85 and other fuels that prevent their misfueling that can also be applied to E-15? What specific actions are companies taking to address potential misfueling concerns under MMPs?
8. Can blend wall implementation challenges be avoided without changes to the RFS? Is the existing EPA waiver process sufficient to address any concerns? If the RFS must be changed to avoid the blend wall, what should these changes entail? Should any changes include liability relief or additional consumer protections for addressing misfueling concerns?
9. Have the 2017 and Later Model Years Light Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for cars and light trucks changed the implementation outlook of the RFS?
10. What other methods, including the use of drop-in fuels, are available to industry to ease the challenge posed by the blend wall?
11. What are the impacts on renewable fuel producers if the RFS is changed to avoid the blend wall?