Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) introduced a bill on Thursday to reduce gas price spikes by improving the reliability, flexibility and affordability of boutique fuels.
The proposed bill, the Gas Accessibility and Stabilization Act, would broaden the periods where the Environmental Protection Agency 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.
An additional provision within the bill would require the EPA and the Department of Energy to conduct a Fuel Harmonization Study, as directed by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, to determine the status of boutique fuel programs and their impact on supply, reliability and gas prices.
“Simplifying our fuel blends just makes sense,” Blunt said. “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.”
The proposed bill has several Republican cosponsors in the Senate, including Sens. Dan Coats (Ind.), John Hoeven (N.D.), John McCain (Ariz.) and Rob Portman (Ohio).