Stop Mandatory Ethanol In Oregon, HB2210 Implementation

The implementation of HB 2210 is as ambiguous as the bill itself. Implementing the bill is the responsibility of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. That's right, what goes into your gasoline is the province of the Oregon Department of Agriculture now. Implementation is outlined in OAR 603-027. The final version is not finished yet. Of course HB 2210 mandates that the E10 program be in place within 3 months of the law going into effect, which was on or about 11 October 2007. The latest version of OAR 603-027 Draft is here. Since it is still only in draft form, it doesn't appear that the implementation rules and regulations will be in place by the time that the changeover to E10 was mandated by the bill. What was the Department of Agriculture doing during the trigger period?

It is now 1 March 2008 and the OAR still isn't finalized and the conversion was supposed to be complete by 1 February 2008 at the latest. I have asked the Attorney General of the state of Oregon, twice, when he intends to enforce the law. I have never had a response or even an aknowledgement that he has received my inquiry.

When you read OAR 603-027 you will immediately notice that it starts changing the meaning of the law. The definitions section 603-027-410 makes up new definitions that are not in the bill. There is even a definition of "Aviation Gasoline". HB 2210 has no effect whatsoever on aviation gasoline, even though it took three meetings between the Oregon Department of Aviation and the Oregon Department of Agriculture to come to that conclusion, all because one word, "leaded", is in the bill. Why are there new definitions?

The biggest change comes in 603-027-420 Standard Fuel Specifications. Section (3) Gasoline Ethanol Blends Required (b) talks about phasing in E10 in three phases, by counties. This is totally ludicrous. The law is clear that the E10 program is to be done statewide in three months. Even if you were going to change the intent of the law concerning implementation, why would you introduce a phased approach in the section dealing with Standard Fuel Specifications?

So after all is said and done, E10 will creep across Oregon during an eleven month period. Does this have anything to do with the fact that Oregon will need 150 million gallons of ethanol? I wonder where we are going to get the ethanol and how much is it going to cost? Or does it have to do with all of the modifications that are going to be necessary to the wholesalers equipment to mix ethanol with the raw gasoline stocks and certify the service stations, which will require new caps be installed on all tanks and may require flushing out an unknown number of service station tanks. Flushing out a stations tank is not a trivial job. It is expensive and requires shutting down the station.

It is clear that the legislators did not think this through. There are a number of single pump gas stations in rural Oregon. They may not survive the economic requirements of this mandatory law. Flushing out an old tank may just not be worth it. Where were the legislators of Eastern Oregon when this law was in committee? Where is the media of Eastern Oregon now?

Theoretically this whole program is supposed to improve the air quality of Oregon. But a study by Oregon State University observed: "For example, the cost of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by switching to corn-based ethanol was calculated to be more than 200 times higher than other existing policy options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions." So far the only ethanol plants in Oregon, or planned for Oregon, are corn-based ethanol plants.

I urge you to call, email or write your legislators and ask them to repeal this law.

Implementing HB 2210

How did this bill ever get passed?

Where is the media?


HOME ANOMALIES PACIFIC ETHANOL YOUR CAR HB2210 SB1079 Implementing HB 2210 How did this bill ever get passed? Where is the media?

	The implementation of HB 2210 is as ambiguous as the bill itself. Implementing the bill is the responsibility of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. That's right, what goes into your gasoline is the province of the Oregon Department of Agriculture now. Implementation is outlined in OAR 603-027. The final version is not finished yet. Of course HB 2210 mandates that the E10 program be in place within 3 months of the law going into effect, which was on or about 11 October 2007. The latest version of OAR 603-027 Draft is here. Since it is still only in draft form, it doesn't appear that the implementation rules and regulations will be in place by the time that the changeover to E10 was mandated by the bill. What was the Department of Agriculture doing during the trigger period? It is now 1 March 2008 and the OAR still isn't finalized and the conversion was supposed to be complete by 1 February 2008 at the latest. I have asked the Attorney General of the state of Oregon, twice, when he intends to enforce the law. I have never had a response or even an aknowledgement that he has received my inquiry. When you read OAR 603-027 you will immediately notice that it starts changing the meaning of the law. The definitions section 603-027-410 makes up new definitions that are not in the bill. There is even a definition of "Aviation Gasoline". HB 2210 has no effect whatsoever on aviation gasoline, even though it took three meetings between the Oregon Department of Aviation and the Oregon Department of Agriculture to come to that conclusion, all because one word, "leaded", is in the bill. Why are there new definitions? The biggest change comes in 603-027-420 Standard Fuel Specifications. Section (3) Gasoline Ethanol Blends Required (b) talks about phasing in E10 in three phases, by counties. This is totally ludicrous. The law is clear that the E10 program is to be done statewide in three months. Even if you were going to change the intent of the law concerning implementation, why would you introduce a phased approach in the section dealing with Standard Fuel Specifications? So after all is said and done, E10 will creep across Oregon during an eleven month period. Does this have anything to do with the fact that Oregon will need 150 million gallons of ethanol? I wonder where we are going to get the ethanol and how much is it going to cost? Or does it have to do with all of the modifications that are going to be necessary to the wholesalers equipment to mix ethanol with the raw gasoline stocks and certify the service stations, which will require new caps be installed on all tanks and may require flushing out an unknown number of service station tanks. Flushing out a stations tank is not a trivial job. It is expensive and requires shutting down the station. It is clear that the legislators did not think this through. There are a number of single pump gas stations in rural Oregon. They may not survive the economic requirements of this mandatory law. Flushing out an old tank may just not be worth it. Where were the legislators of Eastern Oregon when this law was in committee? Where is the media of Eastern Oregon now? Theoretically this whole program is supposed to improve the air quality of Oregon. But a study by Oregon State University observed: "For example, the cost of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by switching to corn-based ethanol was calculated to be more than 200 times higher than other existing policy options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions." So far the only ethanol plants in Oregon, or planned for Oregon, are corn-based ethanol plants. I urge you to call, email or write your legislators and ask them to repeal this law.