Automaker Group Strikes Blow Against Democracy and Energy Independence with New Legal Challenge to EPA's Partial Waiver for Ethanol (E-15) Fuel

AUTO CENTRAL - December 20, 2010: A newly formed Engine Products Group (EPG) comprising the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (Alliance), The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, Inc. (AIAM), the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), and the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) have filed a petition today that mirrors the lawsuit filed in early November by gasoline and petroleum oil industry puppets to challenge the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) decision to grant a partial waiver approving the sale of gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol (E-15) for 2007 model year and newer passenger cars and light trucks.

• SEE: Gasoline Whores File Frivolous Lawsuit...

This new challenge cites the same old excuses for trying to block the EPA's e15 recommendation, which is, unfortunately, merely a recommendation and not a Federal mandate (that The Auto Channel would support). The claim is made that the partial waiver would allow fuel to come on the market with inadequate testing, plus two nearly irrelevant side issues regarding fueling controls and "a dedicated legacy."

The inadequate testing accusation is particularly spurious because not only has the EPA, via Federally funded laboratory testing, sufficiently tested e15, but they tested up to e20 (gasoline blend with 20% ethanol). Moreover, tests have been conducted by other non-governmental facilities such as Recardo, a leading technology consulting firm.

• SEE: National Renewable Energy Laboratory Report, February 2009

• SEE: Ricardo research shows E15 poses minimal risk to older vehicles

Added to the testing conducted by the National Renewable Energy Lab and Ricardo are the exhaustive tests and real-world experience that has been ongoing since the 1800's (over 100 years) that prove that ethanol is a better engine fuel than gasoline: Ethanol is safer, cheaper, has potentially unlimited availability and can be produced domestically.

This legal challenge is nothing more than a ruse to keep us addicted and reliant upon gasoline as our primary engine fuel. It is undoubtedly underwritten by regimes and entities that are enemies of the United States and all other democratic nations.

The petition, filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, asks that EPA's decision be remanded back to the Agency and requests judicial oversight and review over whether EPA's "partial waiver" approval for E-15 fuels violates the federal Clean Air Act provisions, which expressly limit the circumstances under which EPA can approve applications for new fuels and fuel additives.

The petition challenges the ability of EPA to grant a partial waiver for three specific reasons:

1. The Clean Air Act does not authorize EPA to issue any �partial waiver� decisions,

2. EPA�s own statute passed by Congress in 2007 states that fuels can�t be approved for the market that could cause any failures. Yet, E-15 has been shown to adversely affect engines in non-road products and later model year vehicles, cause emission failures and increase air pollution due to misfueling. Further, administrative records fail to demonstrate that even new model year motor vehicles (other than �flexible fuel vehicles�) would not be damaged and result in failures when run on E-15, and

3. The testing, upon which EPA made its decision, was put in the administrative record too late to permit meaningful comment or scrutiny from concerned groups and stakeholders.

However, each of these three reasons for filing the petition are either totally false or gross out-of-context distortions, as proven by the above cited studies, authentic on-the-road experience, and a review of the actual EPA announcements that were made granting the e15 waiver.

The Auto Channel has archived the two most recent and relative EPA press conferences concerning ethanol testing and recommendations. They can be heard by clicking on the respective links below:

?: EPA Grants e15 Use Waiver (Oct 13, 2010)

• U.S. Energy Policy Announcement: ETHANOL IS OKAY! (Feb. 3, 2010)

The Auto Channel urges all persons and groups interested in ending gasoline tyranny and the economical danger of continued gasoline use to make their voices known to their elected representatives and to media personalities.

Media outlets interested in learning the truth about ethanol and The Auto Channel's position are invited to contact Bob Gordon or Marc Rauch (TACH's co-publishers) at info@theautochannel.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: While The Auto Channel greatly respects Mike Stanton and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers we vehemently disagree with their position on this matter. We can't help but think that they were suckered into supporting this anti-e15 petition due to bad information. For a case in point of how AIAM can be deceived please read Detroit News Story Goes Overboard in Slamming Ethanol .