WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Growth Energy’s Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley testified before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during its hearing on the proposed rulemaking, Revised 2023 and Later Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards.
Earlier this month, the EPA proposed greenhouse gas standards to further decarbonize light-duty vehicles starting in model year 2023. In response, Growth Energy called for an increase in the use of low-carbon, sustainable biofuels like ethanol in our nation’s fuel supply.
Today, Bliley echoed that sentiment before EPA. In his testimony, Bliley urged EPA to consider the vital role that environmentally sustainable fuel options such as ethanol will play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the current and future vehicle fleet.
“We appreciate EPA’s work to reshape the nation’s transportation mix to make it more sustainable as it is a central driver for our industry as well. Vehicles and fuels operate as a system and liquid fuels will continue to play a dominant role in the transportation sector for decades to come, even as alternative technologies flourish. As such, it is imperative to consider the vital role that environmentally sustainable fuel options such as ethanol will play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the current and future vehicle fleet.”
Read Bliley’s full testimony as prepared for delivery here.
Previous Action
In 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) developed more stringent fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for vehicles. Growth Energy, recognizing the need for a high-octane solution for automakers to meet these more stringent standards, submitted an E30 fuel for vehicle certification as well as for consumer use as the agencies went through the process of setting standards.
In 2013, as EPA was putting together its proposal for Tier 3 fuel regulation, Growth Energy again pushed to have midlevel ethanol blends be used for vehicle certification, and Growth Energy was successful in getting EPA in the final rule to allow automakers to use alternative fuels for certification.
When the Obama administration undertook their mid-term evaluation of the vehicle standards, and again when the Trump administration moved to reconsider future vehicles standards, Growth Energy participated by echoing our call for high octane, midlevel ethanol blends as a necessary solution to meet vehicle standards.