API statement on RFA claims about API ethanol blend study

Bill Bush | 202-682-8069 | bushw@api.org

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2009 - The American Petroleum Institute issued the following statement today concerning the Renewable Fuels Association’s call for approval of E12 gasoline blends (gasoline with up to 12 percent ethanol). RFA claims an API study, which evaluates the volatility characteristics of ethanol blends, helps confirm that increasing the ethanol blend limit from 10 percent to 12 percent would be safe and effective:

RFA’s call for approval of E12 is premature. RFA fails to note there is a large-scale cooperative government/industry research effort underway seeking to better understand the impacts of intermediate ethanol blends. The API study, which is incomplete, is one part of that effort. The last field phase has not been conducted.

“Ethanol is a valuable blending component in gasoline, but no risks should be taken in using it at higher blend levels in hundreds of millions of internal combustion engines, including those that power most of America’s cars and trucks, until all relevant research is completed and reviewed.”