"Today,
the last significant federal hurdle has been cleared to allow consumers to buy
fuel containing up to 15 percent ethanol (E15). This gets us one step closer to
giving the American consumer a real choice at the pump. The public has a right
to choose between imported oil and home-grown energy and today's action by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advances that goal. Today's action
demonstrates that the Obama Administration is making good on its commitment to
work to reduce foreign oil imports and increase domestic energy production,
including production of renewable biofuels. In addition, the EPA has fulfilled
its responsibility to the American public to ensure that E15 is a safe and
reliable fuel. Homegrown biofuels are providing sustainable rural jobs that
cannot be exported. Today's action proves yet again that renewable biofuels are
not a dream of the future, but are a reality, and are making a difference
today."
To read more
about the EPA's announcement:
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/fuels/additive/e15/e15-mmp.htm#plan(see addtl research below)
USDA Newsroom:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?navtype=MA&navid=NEWSROOM
EPA News Releases By Date:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/Press%20Releases%20By%20Date?OpenView
Additional researched, related, recommended reading / information
/ definitions:
Fuels & Fuel Additives: E15: Misfueling Mitigation Plans
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/fuels/additive/e15/e15-mmp.htm#plan
The E15
partial waivers include conditions (listed here)
requiring each fuel and fuel additive manufacturer subject to the waivers to
submit to EPA a misfueling mitigation plan (MMP), for EPA's approval, and to
fully implement the EPA-approved MMP prior to introduction of the fuel or fuel
additive into commerce as appropriate.
On March 2,
2012, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) submitted the "Renewable
Fuels Association Model E15 Misfueling Mitigation Plan" (PDF) (20 pp, 96K, March 2, 2012 Model Plan) to EPA for review.
RFA developed the March 2, 2012 Model Plan to help fuel and fuel additive
manufacturers meet the misfueling mitigation conditions of the partial waivers.
On March 15, EPA sent RFA a letterinforming RFA that the March 2, 2012 Model Plan would generally be sufficient
to satisfy the partial waivers' requirements for an MMP. EPA also noted that
any company that wishes to use the March 2, 2012, Model Plan must notify EPA in
writing that the company seeks approval of the Model Plan for the company's use
in meeting the waiver requirements for an MMP. EPA indicated that it may seek
additional information and/or misfueling mitigation measures as needed from
companies requesting to use the Model Plan.
On June 15,
2012, EPA approved the first MMPs for individual companies. The companies whose
plans were approved had notified EPA in writing that they wished to use the
March 2, 2012 Model Plan. Before approving their requests, EPA sought more
information about how E15 would be dispensed, particularly from blender pumps.
After working with RFA and individual plan submitters, EPA determined that an
addendum to RFA's Retailer Handbook (see here), which is referenced in the
Model Plan, provided the necessary information for EPA to approve the
individual plan submitters' MMPs. EPA sent approval letters to companies (see
sample letter here). A list of companies that have approved MMP submissions may
be found here. The list is updated at least every two months.
Any other
company seeking approval to use the March 2, 2012 Model Plan should send EPA a
letter referring to the March 2, 2012 Model Plan posted on this website and
indicating the nature of the company's planned E15-related business (e.g.,
refiner, ethanol producer, oxygenate blender, retailer). The letter should be
on company letterhead, signed by a company official and mailed to the following
address:
Director,
Compliance Division
U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. (Mail Code: 6405J)
Washington, D.C. 20460.
In deciding
whether to approve the March 2, 2012, Model Plan for a company, EPA may seek
additional information and/or require additional misfueling mitigation
measures, as appropriate, considering the company's specific circumstances. EPA
must approve a company's submission of an MMP before the company may use it to
demonstrate its compliance with the requirement for an MMP.
Since the March 2, 2012, Model Plan does not spell out the specific
elements of a survey plan, companies that use the Model Plan must submit a
survey plan for EPA approval, and cannot introduce E15 into commerce until EPA
has approved the survey plan and the plan has been implemented. For more information concerning E15
survey plan requirements, please see the E15
Survey Plan page.