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January 29, 2010 Jay Finegan, 287-1445
Bill on dangers of ethanol set for Transportation Committee public hearing

AUGUSTA – A bill to provide ethanol-free gasoline in Maine has been transformed into a three-pronged legislative initiative designed to address discrete aspects of the ethanol problem. The first part of the package is set for a public hearing before the Transportation Committee on Thursday, Feb. 4.

The two legislators leading the ethanol issue – Sen. Lisa Marrache (D-Kennebec) and Rep. Meredith Strang Burgess (R-Cumberland) – have recast their original bill, LD 1320, turning it into two bills and adding a joint resolution calling on Congress to consider exempting some grades of motor fuel from the ethanol mandates.

“We’re dealing with the art of the possible here, recognizing that federal restrictions and an insufficient supply of non-ethanol fuel basically blocked our original intent – to have Maine gas stations selling at least one grade of ethanol-free gas,” said Rep. Strang Burgess. “We all know that there are huge problems associated with corn-based ethanol, from engine damage to low mileage to food supply issues. Our new approach will address the problems we can handle here in Maine and ask Congress for a reasonable compromise on the situation.”

LD 1320 will go to the Transportation Committee with an entirely new goal. It would require the Maine Department of Transportation to educate the motoring public about the problems ethanol can cause and how those problems can be minimized.

A second bill will go before the Natural Resources Committee. This bill will direct the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to set up a program to collect and dispose of old ethanol motor fuels and educate the public about proper disposal. The bill does not yet have an LD designation and the public hearing date has not been scheduled.

“The presence of ethanol in gasoline can be a real problem for some motors, including older engines and especially boats and airplanes,” Sen. Marraché said. “Ethanol can separate out, and when this happens the resulting waste is more difficult to dispose of than ethanol-free gasoline.”

The joint resolution will recap the numerous problems with ethanol and ask Congress to eliminate the ethanol mandate for some grades of gasoline. The only gasoline available in Maine contains 10 percent ethanol. It is so unstable that it cannot be used in aircraft, and the ethanol blend has caused extensive damage to marine engines.

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