To amend the Clean Air Act with respect to the ethanol waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure under that Act, and for other purposes.

Hozzl · 2025-03-12T08:06:36Z

Explore the details of House Bill 1346 To amend the Clean Air Act with respect to the ethanol waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure under that Act, and for other purposes. currently in Congress. Get insights into its purpose, current status, sponsors, and potential impact on undefined. Stay informed on legislative developments.

3/12/2025, 8:06 AM

Summary of Bill HR 1346

Bill 119 hr 1346, also known as the Ethanol Waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure Act, aims to make changes to the Clean Air Act in regards to the ethanol waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP). The RVP is a measure of how quickly fuel evaporates, and higher RVP levels can contribute to air pollution.

This bill seeks to amend the Clean Air Act to allow for a waiver for ethanol blends with a higher RVP during the summer months. Currently, the Clean Air Act restricts the RVP of gasoline blends containing ethanol to 9.0 pounds per square inch (psi) during the summer months, which limits the amount of ethanol that can be blended into gasoline.

The purpose of this bill is to provide more flexibility for fuel producers and retailers to blend ethanol into gasoline during the summer months, which could help increase the use of ethanol as a renewable fuel source. Proponents of the bill argue that this change could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote the use of renewable fuels. Opponents of the bill, however, argue that increasing the RVP waiver for ethanol blends could lead to higher levels of air pollution and harm public health. They also raise concerns about the impact on the oil industry and potential disruptions to the fuel market. Overall, Bill 119 hr 1346 seeks to address the issue of ethanol blending restrictions under the Clean Air Act and promote the use of renewable fuels, while also considering potential impacts on air quality and public health.

Congressional Summary of HR 1346

Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025

This bill amends the Clean Air Act to address the limitations on Reid Vapor Pressure (a measure of gasoline's volatility) that are placed on gasoline during the summer ozone season. Specifically, the bill applies the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements that is applicable to gasoline blended with 10% ethanol (E10) to gasoline blended with up to 15% ethanol (E15). This change allows gasoline that is blended with 10% to 15% ethanol to be sold year-round.

Currently, states may be excluded from the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements by submitting documentation supporting that the waiver would increase air pollution. The bill nullifies existing state exclusions, but states may submit documentation after enactment of the bill to be excluded going forward.

The bill also modifies the Renewable Fuel Standard Program, which requires transportation fuel sold or introduced into commerce in the United States to contain minimum volumes of renewable fuel. Under the existing program, obligated parties, such as small refineries, must satisfy the volume obligations by either blending renewable fuels into their gasoline or diesel fuel products or by acquiring credits that represent the required renewable fuel volume. The bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to return compliance credits to small refineries under certain circumstances.

Current Status of Bill HR 1346

Bill HR 1346 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since February 13, 2025. Bill HR 1346 was introduced during Congress 119 and was introduced to the House on February 13, 2025. Bill HR 1346's most recent activity was Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. as of February 13, 2025