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JOINT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO MAKE EXEMPTIONS FROM THE ETHANOL FUEL PROVISIONS OF THE FEDERAL CLEAN AIR ACT OF 1990
WE, your Memorialists, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Maine now assembled in the Second Regular Session, most respectfully present and petition the members of the United States Congress as follows:
WHEREAS, federal laws and regulations, including the Clean Air Act of 1990, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the United States Environmental Protection Agency's renewable fuel standard program, have contributed to changes in fuel standards, such as the removal of methyl tertiary butyl ether, known as "MTBE," as an oxygenate in fuel, and have led to the use of ethanol as a replacement for MTBE in reformulated gasoline; and
WHEREAS,  reformulated gasoline with 10% ethanol, known as "the E-10 blend," is available for purchase at public fuel pumps; and
WHEREAS,  there are many gasoline engines, particularly those in boats, aircraft and older engines in a variety of uses, that will not function properly on the E-10 blend; and
WHEREAS,  these engines, particularly boat engines, using the E-10 blend are affected by significant amounts of water becoming trapped in the fuel tank, which separates the ethanol from the reformulated gasoline and causes the engine to stall or fail; and
WHEREAS,  these engines that stall or fail may lead to potentially life-threatening situations and are sometimes severely damaged and require costly repairs or replacement; and
WHEREAS,  there are many gasoline engines in the State of Maine that are only used seasonally and are at great risk of damage from the E-10 blend if, as is common practice, the unused fuel is left in the tank for extended periods; and
WHEREAS,  aircraft are already exempt from using the E-10 blend, as it does not function as a motor fuel at high altitudes; and
WHEREAS,  due to the federal Clean Air Act of 1990 the only fuel widely available to the general public for use in boats and older engines is the E-10 blend; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, your Memorialists, on behalf of the people we represent, respectfully urge and request that the United States Congress exempt some grades of motor fuel from provisions of the Clean Air Act of 1990 requiring fuel contain 10% ethanol, in order to make a safe and effective motor fuel available to those who should not use fuel containing ethanol; and be it further
RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted 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.