Copyright 2000 eMediaMillWorks, Inc.
(f/k/a Federal
Document Clearing House, Inc.)
Federal Document Clearing House
Congressional Testimony
June 28, 2000, Wednesday
SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY
LENGTH: 1627 words
HEADLINE:
TESTIMONY June 28, 2000 WILLIAM ORR CHAIRMAN HOUSE GOVERNMENT
REFORM RISING OIL PRICES
BODY:
June 28, 2000
WILLIAM ORR, CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL ALTERNATIVE FUELS ASSOCIATION THE TRUTH (THE
MEDIA AND CONGRESS) DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW - THE RFG REGULATIONS ARE
UNSCIENTIFIC AND ILLEGAL! Washington - Mr. William Orr, Chairman of the National
Alternative Fuels Association (NAFA) issued the following statement, 'Today's
high gasoline prices, especially those reflected in the
reformulated gasolines (RFG) of the mid-west, are in large part
due to faulty EPA science. Unfortunately, even higher gasoline
prices can be expected because of poor EPA science! Isn't it time to put aside
partisan politics and look into the most important reason why
gasoline prices are so high?" NAFA is a private
scientific-based, non-profit entity (organized in 1992). NAFA's principals were
instrumental in the adoption of the nation's first premier alternative fuel
"unleaded gasoline." In the early 1990's, NAFA and leading fuel
scientists urged the EPA to consider au the science on reformulated
gasoline (RFG) before issuing its Section 211 (k) regulations.
At that-time, NAFA's scientists were concerned about the EPA's "back door"
mandate of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), and the lack of competent science
supporting its arbitrary "mase basis volatile organic compound (VOC) definition
(which was the basis of the mandate). The EPA's "mass" basis definition served
as the foundation for the EPA's RFG regulations, which were intended to reduce
smog and low altitude ozone formation. Under its "mass" basis definition, the
EPA did not consider the "reactivity" of smog/ozone forming emissions. Rather,
the EPA weighed benign and relatively benign evaporative emissions (not
contributing to smog/ozone formation) the same as the most harmful smog/ozone
causing emissions' This created an effective legal barrier against alcohols,
such as ethanol, because alcohols increases Reid vapor pressure (RVP) and hence
evaporative (VOC) emissions. Ethanol increases RVP by about 1.0 pound per square
inch (psi). Thus, a gasoline (to which ethanol is to be added)
must be manufactured at an artificially low vapor pressure (1.0 pound per square
inch psi lower) in order to offset the RVP increase (caused by the alcohol).
This is an extremely expensive requirement in the manufacture of RFG, adding
approximately $0.10 to 0.15/gallon (or more). Furthermore, this requirement
provides no environmental benefit, because the increase in RVP (and evaporative
VOC emissions) attributed to alcohol results in mostly benign non-reactive
emissions. In other words, the addition of alcohol, while increasing total
atmospheric or "mass" emissions, does = increase ozone formation or smog.
Scientists have maintained this for some time and report there is little or no
increase in smog/ozone from the 1.0-psi RVP increase due to ethanol. Thus, the
EPA's arbitrary "mass" emission restraint is prohibitively expensive,
unscientific, and unnecessary. It also provides no environmental benefit.
However, it was this restraint which effectively mandated MTBE (which does not
increase RVP or "mass" evaporative VOC emissions). History shows that the EPA's
science on IVITBE was equally flawed. The characteristics of IVITBE were unknown
when it was mandated. Yet, the EPA failed to heed vigorous scientific calls by
NAFA for additional study. Today IVITBE is being banned nation-wide, due to
groundwater contamination problems (see attached article). Unfortunately, this
is after the refining industry was forced to and had already made its
multi-billion dollar IVITBE investment. "After dealing with the fall out of its
fatally incompetent science on MTBE, the fox has returned to haunt the EPA on
its incompetent science on alcohols. First, the EPA forces the refiners to make
a huge investment and use IVITBE. Then in mid- stream, the EPA says it made a
mistake because IVITBE poisons ground water, and therefore can no longer be
used. So the EPA tells the refiners they must use ethanol instead. However, the
EPA manufactured its earlier science to create an expensive barrier in order to
make alcohol prohibitively expensive. Now their bad science and deception is
costing Americans dearly, at least $0.15 gallon. Unfortunately, the media and
the government don't want Americas to know the truth, " continued Orr. "Refiners
now must not only amortize off their multi-billion dollar MTBE investment in
each gallon of gasoline (because of EPA mistake), but they must
manufacture an unnecessarily expensive low vapor pressure
gasoline in order to accommodate the EPA's artificial restraint
against ethanol, all at no additional environmental benefit - just higher
prices!" said Orr. 'The EPA clearly did not consider the relevant science when
making its RFG regulations. It did not consider the health effects of MTBE,
which it mandated (to the detriment of numerous inexpensive and other viable
options, which were capable of achieving the laudable goal of reducing smog). No
the EPA gave MTBE an exclusive and now its costing use. This arrogance and poor
science is the legal basis upon which regulations are declared Magal by Courts
of law! (see 5/21/93 attachment)," says Orr. NAFA notes poor EPA science is not
new. In May of 2000, the National Academy of Sciences concluded that the EPA's
"Mobile Sources Emissions" model was flawed (see attached 5-12-00 article). The
Mobile model was used to predict and control vehicle emissions. A significant
portion of current gasoline cost is attributable to the
requirements imposed under the model. The National Academy has also criticized
the EPA's science, in general, expressing "concerns about the quality of
research behind the agency's regulatory decisions" (see attached 6-15-00
article). As a separate matter, NAFA is concerned about the next round of
expected price hikes due to the EPA's poor science underlying its
low-sulfur gasoline standards (see www.altfuelampA for more
information).
LOAD-DATE: July 6, 2000, Thursday
