Obama Works to Expand Use of Biofuels Nationwide
Monday, March 19, 2007
Printable FormatFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ben LaBolt
Urges Underwriters Laboratories to certify "blender pumps" to make E85 fuels more accessible to motorists across the country
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Barack Obama was today joined by Senators Durbin (D-IL), Harkin (D-IA), Lugar (R-IN), Bayh (D-IN), Nelson (D-NE), Grassley (R-IA), Klobuchar (D-MN), Thune (R-SD), Feingold (D-WI), McCaskill (D-MO), Voinovich (R-OH), Brown (D-OH), and Brownback (R-KS) in urging Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the world's leading product safety testing organization, to complete its certification process for the multi-product fuel dispensers that allow service stations to sell higher ethanol blends up to E85 -- an 85% ethanol/15% traditional gasoline blend. Several years ago, UL approved the use of multi-product fuel dispenser components only to rescind that certification on October 5, 2006, announcing it would reconsider whether to certify the dispensers even though there were no documented problems.
“American manufacturers are doing their part to lead the United States toward energy independence by increasing the use of biofuels, but some roadblocks remain,” said U.S. Senator Barack Obama. “While the biofuels industry will soon produce enough ethanol to make higher fuel blends widely available to consumers, and automakers have steadily increased the production of Flexible Fuel Vehicles, just over 1,000 retailers across the nation carry E85 pumps. UL certification will remove one of the last remaining roadblocks to the widespread installation of dual fuel pumps that give motorists the choice between renewable fuels and traditional gasoline.”
Approximately 1,100 service stations are equipped to dispense E85 in the U.S. today. Congress has enacted a federal income tax credit to offset the cost for service stations of installing of E85 fueling systems, and many states have lowered excise tax rates and provided other incentives to advance E85. But UL's decision to rescind its previously issued E85 certifications and uncertainty as to when its current certification review will be completed has caused some fire marshals, code administrators, and other officials cross the nation to block the installation of new E85 fueling systems.
In their letter to Keith Williams, President and CEO of Underwriters Laboratory, the senators wrote, “We appreciate that you and your staff have undertaken a new effort to establish E85 component and dispenser testing protocol, but we are extremely disappointed that this initiative is being undertaken after the withdrawal of the prior approvals. . . Given UL's admission that there has never been an E85 fueling system failure, a report of such failure, or even evidence of corrosion in E85 fueling systems, the decision to rescind the prior approvals while you carry out new testing is troubling. . .We believe it is in the national interest for UL to either re-issue the prior certifications that were available to E85 dispensing equipment or document why it believes these pumps are unsafe; establish a firm timetable to complete its updated testing and analysis; and issue a revised draft protocol to industry as soon as practicable.”
Sen. Obama has noted that that Brazil is a prime example of a nation that has successfully expanded its infrastructure for distributing higher ethanol blends (from E30 to E85) in special pumps that allow motorists to select what blend of biofuels they want, depending upon cost and availability. Nearly all automobiles manufactured in Brazil today are FFV's, or Flexible Fuel Vehicles, which means they are designed to run efficiently on any blend of ethanol or gasoline.
"Twenty years from now our nation's transportation fuels sector will be powered primarily by domestically produced biofuels, if we have the vision and the will to make that happen," Obama said. "Just as we sent a man to the moon, we can harness our technological skills and entrepreneurial spirit to end our dangerous reliance on foreign sources of oil. In doing so, we will not only protect our national security, we will also protect our public health, create quality jobs for the next generations, and keep billions of dollars here at home, rather than sending them to nations that want to do us harm."
In his State of the Union Address last January, President Bush identified the use of higher ethanol blends, including E85, as one of the nation’s leading alternatives to hydrocarbon based transportation fuels and proposed requiring 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels be used in U.S. fuels by 2017. This critical goal cannot be met without making these fuels more readily available to motorists, and, as a practical matter, that access is dependent upon UL certification of E85 dispensing equipment.
A copy of the letter to Keith Williams, President and CEO of Underwriters Laboratory is embedded below:
Mr. Keith Williams
President and CEO
Underwriters Laboratory
333 Pfingsten Road
Northbrook, Illinois 60062-2096
Dear Mr. Williams:
We are writing in regard to the recent decision by Underwriter Laboratories (UL) to rescind its previously-issued certifications for components of E85 refueling systems, and the new efforts by UL to establish E85 component and fuel dispenser testing protocols.
UL initiated a review of the safety of multi-product fuel dispenser components and approved their use several years ago. On October 5, 2006, UL rescinded the certification for these components and announced that it would embark on an extended recertification procedure for the dispensers themselves.
We understand that re-evaluation of material testing protocol is not uncommon and indeed should occur in the normal course of time, and we appreciate that you and your staff have undertaken a new effort to establish E85 component and dispenser testing protocol. We are concerned, however, why this initiative is being undertaken after the withdrawal of the prior approvals - - especially when UL has acknowledged no documented reports of corrosion for UL Listed or Recognized components used with E85, no field incidents related to UL Listed or Recognized components used with E85, and no reported safety issues associated with Listed or Recognized components used with E85.Moreover, the actions taken by UL have not provided equipment manufacturers, ethanol producers, and the motoring public with adequate certainty and clarity as to the timetable for completion of the process. We know and agree that any device that displays the UL imprimatur must have its characteristics fully reviewed and tested according to key standards and procedures. We request your assurances that both timetable and testing are not mutually exclusive goals.
Congress has taken significant steps to transition to alternative fuels such as E-85: setting mandatory targets for increased ethanol use, enacting a federal income tax credit to offset the cost of installation of E85 fueling systems, and funding efforts to expand E-85 refueling infrastructure nationwide, of which now there are more than 1,100 pumps. UL is essential to these transition efforts - - UL has tested products for public safety for more than a century and has earned its well-deserved reputation as an unbiased gatekeeper for the introduction of American innovation in the marketplace.