API’s Bob Greco says it’s time to put consumers in charge of choosing their fuel at the pump WASHINGTON, June 18, 2014 – The Obama Administration’s continued delays in setting ethanol requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) are unacceptable, API Downstream Group Director Bob Greco told reporters in a conference call and wrote in a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. He also said consumers have rejected higher ethanol blends like E85.

“Almost half of 2014 is behind us, yet EPA still hasn’t finalized the ethanol requirements for this year,” Greco said. “The administration’s inability to meet the congressionally-mandated deadline of November 30 is a clear example of how unworkable the RFS is.

“As the process continues to grind along, we are also concerned that EPA will raise ethanol requirements from its 2014 proposal, based on the specious reasoning that E85 – a mixture of up to 85 percent ethanol with 15 percent gasoline – is a workable solution. It is not.

“Only 6 percent of the current vehicle fleet can even use E85. But even those motorists have largely rejected the fuel because ethanol is less energy-dense than gasoline. That means lower miles per gallon – a tank of E85 won’t get you as far. And it means more money out of your wallet. According to AAA, E85 costs consumers more when accounting for lost fuel economy.

“Given the increasingly long delays in finalizing volume mandates each year, it is clear that Congress must act to repeal the RFS outright. In the meantime, we need EPA to provide a short-term solution by rolling back ethanol mandates to protect consumers from damaged vehicles and allow for non-ethanol gasoline for consumers who demand it.”

API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API’s more than 600 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 20 million Americans.