The state House of Representatives has voted to eliminate an ethanol-blending mandate for gasoline sold in Pennsylvania.

Act 78 of 2008 required that all gasoline sold in the state contain at least 10 percent ethanol when in-state production of ethanol exceeded 350 million gallons.

State Rep. Seth Grove (R-York) said Pennsylvania has never come close to exceeding that threshold.

“This is another example of a failed, ineffective government mandate,” Grove said in a statement. “Consumers know that ethanol has lowered their fuel economy and can wreak havoc on older vehicles and small engines. We must continue researching viable alternative energy sources to decrease our dependence on foreign oil, but the ethanol blending mandate is not effective public policy.”

The mandate was supposed to be an incentive for investing in and producing ethanol in Pennsylvania.

The measure to repeal it, House Bill 471, will now be considered in the Senate.

Legislation (H.B. 471) to remove the requirement that gasoline offered for sale in the state contain a percentage of ethanol was approved by an overwhelming margin in the House of Representatives and will now be sent to the Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee for consideration. Currently, the state requires that “All gasoline sold or offered for sale to ultimate consumers in this Commonwealth must contain at least 10% cellulosic ethanol by volume . . .”

Please contact all members of the Pennsylvania Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee immediately to request support for H.B. 471!