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Rep Anna Eshoo

House Approves Eshoo Measure to Limit Biofuels Emissions

February 8, 2007

February 8, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House approved legislation today by Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, directing the Environmental Protection Agency to consider strategies to minimize emissions when biofuels are blended, stored or transported.

"Biofuels are critical to diversifying our fuel supply and reducing our dependence on imported oil," Eshoo said. "As we ramp up our country's use of biofuels, we have to make sure that emissions from the infrastructure used to store, blend or transfer these fuels does not harm our environment."

Eshoo offered the legislation as an amendment to H.R. 547, the Advanced Infrastructure Research and Development Act, which will help get alternative biofuels to consumers more quickly and affordably and assist retailers in the transition to clean diesel fuels.

H.R. 547 authorizes EPA to initiate a research and development program to make biofuels more compatible with the existing petroleum storage and distribution system. As part of that program, Eshoo's amendment directs EPA to consider strategies to minimize emissions when biofuels are blended, stored or transported.

"We all understand that pollutants contained in gasoline and other motor fuels are released into the atmosphere as the result of combustion, but emissions also occur through evaporation while fuel is held in storage tanks or transferred on and off trucks," Eshoo said.

"In my view, it makes sense for EPA to examine strategies that will reduce these emissions as part of its R&D program," she said.

The House voted 242 to 185 to adopt Eshoo's amendment before voting 400 to 3 to pass H.R. 547.