Portman co-sponsors 'GAS' Act

As Americans grapple with high summer fuel costs, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, joined Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) in reintroducing the “Gas Accessibility and Stabilization” (GAS) Act today to reduce gas price spikes by improving the reliability, flexibility, and affordability of so-called “boutique fuels.”

The provision is also co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Dan Coats (Ind.), John Hoeven (N.D.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), and John McCain (Ariz.).

In order to help lower fuel prices, the GAS Act further broadens periods where the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can grant a waiver to a community to use whatever fuel they have on hand if there is a disruption. The waiver would be automatically approved if the EPA fails to respond to the request within three days. The bill also calls on the EPA and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct a Fuel Harmonization Study, as directed by the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005, to determine the status of boutique fuel programs and their impact on supply, reliability, and gas prices.

“As families across Ohio continue to struggle through a weak economy, the last thing they need to deal with is escalating gas prices,” said Portman. “By giving communities the flexibility to use different blends based on supply demands, this bill takes a commonsense step to reduce costs at the pump.”

“Simplifying our fuel blends just makes sense. Someone traveling across the state of Missouri could fill up with one blend of fuel in St. Louis, and a different blend of fuel in Kansas City. If one blend is in short supply, the other blend is not acceptable as a replacement – forcing consumers to pay more in different locations,” said Blunt. “This bill is a step in the right direction to help lower costs and provide more flexibility for consumers in Missouri and nationwide.”