On January 19, 2017, the States of Kansas and Nebraska, joined by the Energy Future Coalition and Urban Air Initiative, filed a formal Request for Correction of Information, petitioning EPA to withdraw false estimates of ethanol’s emissions effects.
For years, EPA has required States to rely on inaccurate emissions factors predicting that ethanol increases pollution, even though ethanol’s pollution reducing qualities have been repeatedly demonstrated. These erroneous emissions factors originated with EPA’s fuel effects study known as the “EPAct study” and the Agency’s vehicular emissions computer model called MOVES2014. Prompt correction of these erroneous emissions factors is critically important because because it encourages federal and state fuel policies that impair the nation’s air quality.
The Request for Correction explains in detail the fundamental flaws in the design of the EPAct study that produced EPA’s inaccurate emissions estimates. The filing also sheds light on the origin of these design flaws—EPA’s collusion with oil industry employees in the design of the study, as revealed by emails and other documents BG&A obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request and related litigation.
The request is available here.