Illinois Governor George Ryan testified that he is doing "everything in my power as Governor--in cooperationwith our congressional delegation to persuade Carol Browner, the EPA Administrator, that the use of ethanol should be encouraged and utilized as an important part of phase 2 of the reformulated gasoline program." Tom Skinner, Director of the Illinois EPA, discussed the success of the ethanol reformulated gasoline program in Illinois, both for the environment and consumers. "The federal reformulated gasoline program is one of the key elements in our strategy to reduce ozone in the Chicago area," said Skinner. "Between 1990 and 1996, the Chicago area has made major reductions in emissions of volatile organic compounds... Ethanol-blended reformulated gasoline has been one of the major strategies that enabled the area to achieve that cut, reducing volatile organic compound emissions by over 100 tons per day." Skinner recommended the oxygenate requirement be maintained because of its clean air benefits and that Illinois should be allowed to continue to use ethanol, adding that ethanol "should be phased in as the oxygenate for the rest of the country."