June 28, 2010
Ethanol delay proves to be combustible issue
Published in Capital Journal
PIERRE — South Dakota’s congressional representatives are raising a ruckus after federal officials this month delayed approval of fuels with higher concentrations of ethanol.
Ordinary vehicles today are approved for using fuels containing up to 10 percent ethanol. Ethanol advocates want to use blends with up to 15 percent ethanol — but that “E15” blend needs approval from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The issue has an economic impact in South Dakota because local corn growers and ethanol plants prosper when usage of the biofuel goes up. Supporters of ethanol also argue it has environmental and national security benefits as a fuel produced in the United States.
“This delay isn’t just disappointing, it’s inexcusable,” said Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, a Democrat. “I believe this delay further jeopardizes our nation’s move towards energy independence.”
Approval of E15 was previously delayed in December. Both delays cited a need for further study of the impacts of the higher blend on pollution control devices in cars.
Herseth Sandlin and Republican Sen. John Thune aren’t buying that argument.
“This has been studied to death,” Thune said. “I think we know what the answers are.”
Dennis Johnson, a retired professor of economics at the University of South Dakota who has studied ethanol, said Thune is probably right.
“Moving from 10 to 15 percent is not going to have a significant impact (on car parts or pollution),” Johnson said. “I don’t think that anything going to be found from additional studies that’s significantly different from what we know already. We know sufficiently well what the environmental impacts are because we’ve had experience with the 10 percent blend.”
Nathan Schock, director of public relations for ethanol refiner POET, said the 10 percent cap on ethanol means the market “is essentially full.”
“It’s in 85 to 90 percent of the gallons and it would be very difficult to get many more than that,” Schock said.
In 2010, Americans will use around 12 billion gallons of ethanol, 99 percent in 10 percent blends, Schock said. That means a move to E15 could increase ethanol usage by as much as 50 percent.
The 2007 Renewable Fuel Standard passed by Congress requires 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel to be blended into gasoline by 2022.
Herseth Sandlin said she is going to press the EPA and Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu for action.
“Frankly, it’s unacceptable that the Department of Energy is causing this delay....
