
For the same public health reasons the public demand lead be phased out of gasoline, the United States must now phase down the amount of carbon-intensive and benzene-laced carcinogenic aromatic compounds in gasoline. Congress provided EPA with the authority to reduce the amount of mobile source air toxics (i.e., aromatics) from gasoline emissions “to the greatest extent achievable” when they signed the Clean Air Act in 1990. The Safe Gasoline Campaign will work with all interested parties to define a pathway to safer gasoline using a new cleaner and higher-octane standard for gasoline.
Reality EV: Let’s Not Overlook Biofuels.
The widespread introduction of electric vehicles as a means of reducing carbon emissions presents a far greater challenge than the public is being led to believe, according to new research by the CFDC.
This conclusion is presented in Reality EV, a new Issue Brief released here this week. Reality EV’s research explains the consumer/taxpayer, infrastructure, and environmental constraints single fuel source electric vehicles (EVs) must overcome.< Issue Brief principal author Burl Haigwood of CFDC said this research is not intended to dismiss the potential contribution of EVs but rather to put them in perspective. In doing so it makes it critical to recognize the role biofuels can play to provide much more immediate and quantifiable benefits.
Ethanol Industry Leaders to Governor Noem: E30 Ready for Prime Time
December 12, 2019: Following her remarks at the Glacial Lakes Energy annual shareholders meeting last week, a broad group of ethanol, agriculture, and clean air supporters commended South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem for her leadership in advancing 30% ethanol blends.
Biofuels International Magazine: Obstacles must be removed to aid the development of biofuels, September 2019.
Moving beyond the RFS, Douglas A. Durante, executive director of the Clean Fuels Development Coalition. The global biofuels community is without a doubt watching the developments in the US with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and might be understandably confused. How is a program that was passed by the US Congress and supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, and happily signed into law by two different Presidents, so controversial? (read full article here).
CFDC’s VanderGriend and Durante raise the Alarm: Houston, We have a Problem.
An article by CFDC Member Dave VanderGriend and Director Doug Durante published in the Biofuels Digest was in response to the media coverage, both national television and print media, of the disastrous spill of 11,276 barrels of benzene-based octane-enhancer reformate in the Houston ship channel. The article made the clear point that reformate was a more genteel name for toxics, including benzene, a known carcinogen. Houston newspaper articles downplayed the heath hazards of the spill and petroleum industry representatives pointed to a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that reviewed thousands of air monitoring samples for a range of toxics. The report found that In the beginning, tests detected a benzene reading 14 times higher than the level of concern for short-term health effects about seven hours after the collision. “This reading wasn’t replicated, however, and no high-level detections were made after that.” Water is one of the most effective carriers of non soluble compounds and these carcinogens could be miles away. Was that an amazing clean up – or coverup? #Gasolinegate #SafeGasolineCampaign. Clean octane in the form of renewable ethanol can replace these carcinogens refiners use to increase octane and the public needs to understand the health hazards they are exposed to from consumer gasoline. The American Petroleum Institute stated in Congressional testimony as far back as 1948 that the safe threshold for benzene was zero. Since 1948 every health organization has classified benzene as a known human carcinogen – including the EPA.
Trick or Treat? Always A Trick with Big Oil
On this Halloween, it seems we continue to get a trick and not a treat from the oil industry. They appear to have convinced some in the Trump Administration and much of the public that it is somehow our inalienable right to protect foreign oil supplies with U.S. troops while continuing their blatant efforts to thwart the development of cleaner, less expensive, renewable transportation fuels made right here at home.
Gasolinegate Gets Strike Three!
Washington, D.C. October 23, 2019 – Add fake air to fake gasoline and fake gasoline testing. Fake air quality testing is the latest chapter in Gasolinegate. The Gasolinegate Report chronicles how EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality and oil companies colluded to concoct designer fuels designed cheat vehicle emission tests. Now data shows EPA’s air quality monitoring is not real-world either and the impact on public health is devastating.
South Dakota Farmers Union President’s Oped Featured in Des Moines Register
CFDC Member, Doug Sombke of the South Dakota Farmers Union, wrote an oped for The Des Moines Register about how President Trump can help farmers and the environment beyond the Renewable Fuels Standard.
Daschle, Sombke Call Pending SAFE Rule the Path to Higher Ethanol Volumes
HURON, S.D., Sept. 30, 2019 – Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle joined with South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke in calling for the Trump Administration to use the pending fuel economy rule as a solution to the current ethanol and agriculture crisis.
Clean Fuels Development Coalition Weighs In: Is EPA At War With The Ethanol Industry?
In a continued discussion with Forbes contributor, Robert Rapier, CFDC executive director, Doug Durante, had an opportunity to drive home the need for replacing the toxic aromatics of gasoline with ethanol. At the same time, Durante highlighted EPA’s lack of action in making it happen.
Attack in Saudi Arabia Underscores Need for Safer Gasoline
On Saturday, September 14, drone attacks in Saudi Arabia threatened oil production and disrupted markets throughout the World.
MSAT Fact Book
The Mobile Source Air Toxics Fact Book was supported by more than two dozen groups from the ethanol industry and makes a compelling case for replacing carcinogenic octane additives with clean octane ethanol. Find it and related information through CFDC’s Safe Gasoline Campaign.