Groups seek congressional hearings on E15

Thirty-nine environmental, food, motor vehicle, energy, power equipment and recreational industry groups - including the National Marine Manufacturers Association - have requested House and Senate hearings on a pending Environmental Protection Agency action that could increase the amount of ethanol permitted in gasoline.

In letters to the chairmen and ranking members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, the groups requested that hearings be held in September to question top EPA and Department of Energy officials regarding the safety of a proposal to increase the amount of ethanol in gasoline from the current 10 percent to 15 percent.

EPA officials have said they will make a decision by the end of September on whether to approve E15 in gasoline.

The text of the letter to the Senate can be found here and the letter to the House can be found here.

"The 39 groups frequently oppose each other on a broad range of policy issues, but have launched a joint campaign calling on Congress to require thorough and objective scientific testing before allowing an increase in the amount of ethanol in gasoline," the groups said in a joint statement.