EPA lifts oxygenate requirements (mtbe/ethanol)

[clyde]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/15/AR2006021502141.html

States no longer will have to add corn-based ethanol or MTBE to gasoline to fight pollution _ a requirement that costs as much as 8 cents a gallon _ under rules announced Wednesday by the Environmental Protection Agency.

They eliminate a mandate from the 1990 Clean Air Act that gasoline used in metropolitan areas with the worst smog contain 2 percent oxygen by weight. The law did not say which oxygenate must be used, but most refiners use either ethanol or methyl tertiary butyl ether, known as MTBE.

[Optimus Prime]

What I need to know is; when can I start using all the switch-grass I've been stock piling. :dunno:

[operknockity]

Hmmmm.... Looks like gov'ment subsidies to the corn farmers are going to have to be increased :ack: :ack:

[ff]

If I still lived in MN (where they love their oxygenated fuel!), this would be great news.

[TD]

It's a question of air polution versus ground water pollution.

[Rob]

The 1990 clean air act is based on some studies that were considered to be significantly flawed in a lot of engineering circles. I would think this was great news, except that just b/c the feds don't require it doesn't mean the state of California will even consider allowing an improvement to our fuel.

[SteveM]

It's just another reason that gas prices will increase again.