'Renewables' Mandate Falters; Diesel Rule Delay Dying; Two-Fuels Seen

Diesel Fuel News, Oct 23, 2000

A bill to give ethanol and possibly "biodiesel" a guaranteed share of the U.S. motor fuels market seems to be dying as the U.S. Congress wrapsup for elections next month.

Also seen doomed is an attempt to delay finalization of U.S. EPA's highway diesel emissions/fuel regulations by at least a year, as Congress dropped a legislative "rider" that would have forced a delay (see Diesel Fuel News 10/9/2000, p1).

Meantime, EPA is hinting to oil trade groups that it's leaning toward a phase-in of ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) alongside today's 500 ppm sulfur diesel. Retailer group SIGMA says EPA's hinting that it may require different-sized retail dispensing nozzles to prevent "misfueling," but that could also involve very large costs for storing two fuels.