More Ethanol, More Problems

The author contends that allowing year-round E15 sales is unlawful under the Clean Air Act and would increase the production of environmentally damaging corn ethanol. The document highlights risks to air quality via ozone formation and the failure of the Renewable Fuel Standard to deliver projected advanced biofuel benefits.

• The year-round sale of E15 is prohibited by the Clean Air Act because E15's Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) exceeds 9.0 psi, and it is ineligible for the 'one-pound waiver' that allows E10 to be sold during the 'high ozone season' from June 1 to September 15.
• Increased E15 consumption is likely to drive higher production of corn ethanol, which the document links to climate change, resource depletion, habitat destruction, air and water pollution, and soil erosion.
• The impact of E15 on ozone formation is insufficiently analyzed; while it might marginally reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs), this could be offset by higher nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, particularly in older or poorly maintained vehicles.
• The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has failed to meet its goals because the production of cellulosic biofuels has fallen short of expectations and US fuel consumption has declined, leading to the 'blend wall' where corn ethanol occupies most of the available market.

APA

Lewis, J. (2018). More Ethanol, More Problems. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2018/10/more-ethanol-more-problems/

Chicago

Lewis, Jonathan. More Ethanol, More Problems. Clean Air Task Force, 2018. https://www.catf.us/2018/10/more-ethanol-more-problems/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Lewis |first1=Jonathan |title=More Ethanol, More Problems |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=9 October 2018 |url=https://www.catf.us/2018/10/more-ethanol-more-problems/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{lewis2018more, author = {Lewis, Jonathan}, title = {{More Ethanol, More Problems}}, publisher = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2018}, month = oct, url = {https://www.catf.us/2018/10/more-ethanol-more-problems/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }