PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
JOINT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO NOT REQUIRE THE USE OF E15 GASOLINE
WE, your Memorialists, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Maine now assembled in the First Regular Session, most respectfully present and petition the President of the United States and the United States Congress, as follows:
WHEREAS, federal laws and regulations, including the Clean Air Act, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the national renewable fuel standard program, have contributed to changes in fuel standards, such as the removal of methyl tertiary butyl ether, or MTBE, as an oxygenate in fuel, leading to the use of ethanol as a replacement for MTBE; and
WHEREAS,  only reformulated gasoline is now available for purchase at public fuel pumps and typically contains a 10% corn ethanol blend, known as E10, and in June 2012 the United States Environmental Protection Agency approved the sale of E15, a mixture of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline; and
WHEREAS,  using the fuel blend has been promoted as a method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and our Nation's dependence on foreign oil but these claims are disputed by several automakers and others, such as AAA, which also claims E15 will damage fuel lines and void vehicle warranties; and
WHEREAS,  in addition, AAA claims that automotive engineering experts believe that sustained use of E15, both in newer and older vehicles, could cause accelerated engine wear and failure, fuel system damage and false "check engine" lights for vehicles not approved by manufacturers to use E15; and
WHEREAS,  E15 also has 5% less energy than gasoline and about 2% less than E10 and therefore could ultimately cost consumers more as a result of reduced fuel economy; and
WHEREAS,  the production of corn ethanol is wasteful of fossil fuel resources and does not increase energy security and with this production, which uses 10% of all arable land in the United States, we see increased degradation of vital land and water resources; and
WHEREAS,  corn ethanol's impact on food prices is huge and corn is now trading at an all-time high and this affects food manufacturing and other industries such as animal feed businesses; and
WHEREAS,  the burning of corn ethanol increases the emissions of gases and hazardous air pollutants that are probable carcinogens and are the causes of numerous health issues such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and other respiratory problems; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, your Memorialists, respectfully urge and request that the President of the United States and members of the United States Congress realize the major problems of corn ethanol as a fuel additive and the numerous negative effects it has on not only Maine citizens but all Americans and we urge and request that the President of the United States and the United States Congress consider reversing the decision of the United States Environmental Protection Agency to move forward with the use of E15; and be it further
RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the Honorable Barack H. Obama, President of the United States, to the Inspector General of the United States Department of Energy, to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and to each Member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.