WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the last day of the Green Jobs Waiver public comment period, Growth Energy joined with tens of thousands of Americans in submitting formal comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in favor of increasing the amount of ethanol that can be blended with gasoline to 15 percent. Growth Energy submitted its 37-page analysis which outlines the overwhelming scientific evidence that increasing the blend to 15 percent has no adverse impact on a car’s performance, maintenance or emissions.
Included in this analysis is an ongoing Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) study conducted on more than 400 conventional vehicles that used 100,000 gallons of mid-level ethanol blends and were driven 1.5 million miles. It found there were no significant issues and reduced tailpipe emissions. The submission also supports the industry’s effort to create jobs here at home, make our nation more energy independent, improve the environment, and move to more homegrown renewable fuels.
“Tens of thousands of Americans spoke loud and clear in favor of increasing the amount of ethanol in our fuel supply to 15 percent. I commend them for standing up for a domestic fuel that helps create jobs and makes our nation more energy independent,” said Tom Buis, Growth Energy CEO. “While many will continue to say more testing is necessary, our waiver request contains the testing and data to support EPA granting the E15 waiver. More testing is just another politically-motivated barrier to prevent this nation from reducing its addiction to foreign oil.”
“Forty years ago, America put a man on the moon because of our can-do attitude. As a result, our country is more secure, more prosperous and more technologically advanced. America needs to regain that can-do attitude and move forward in a determined fashion towards energy independence and the significant economic impact and job growth this will create. I urge EPA to act quickly to provide relief to the American farmer and the American consumer.”
Already the ethanol industry has helped create and support half a million jobs across the country. Increasing the blend to 15 percent will create and support more than 136,000 new green-collar jobs.
Growth Energy submitted the waiver request on March 6, 2009, on behalf of its members and an additional 54 ethanol producers. Over the course of the 90 day public comment period, groups and individuals submitted more than 20,000 comments in support of the waiver. EPA has until December 2009 to rule on the waiver.
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About Growth Energy
Growth Energy is a group committed to the promise of agriculture and growing America’s economy through cleaner, greener energy. Growth Energy members recognize America needs a new ethanol approach. Through smart policy reform and a proactive grassroots campaign, Growth Energy promotes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the use of ethanol in gasoline, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, and creating American jobs at home. More information can be found at GrowthEnergy.org.