The Institute for Local Self-Reliance has released a report advocating the swift transition from MTBE to ethanol. The report, The Other Gasoline Crisis: Speeding Up the Switch from MTBE to Ethanol, challenges the opposition of some to the volatility waiver provided to ethanol blends. "Many in the environmental community oppose this," the report states. "They fear that increased hydrocarbon emissions lead to increased ozone levels and adverse public health impacts. Their position seems to be that the adverse impact of these increased emissions is so damaging that it outweighs the many undisputed environmental benefits of ethanol."

"We argue that volatility should be one of the factors evaluated by transportation fuel policy makers but should not be the single most determining factor. We further argue that although ethanol blends do indeed increase mass emissions, this has little, if any impact on ozone formation," the report states. "Finally, we argue that ozone concentration itself is a minor public health problem compared to the impact of particulate matter or other more toxic emissions where ethanol has a very beneficial impact."

The full report is available at : http://www.carbohydrateeconomy.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/Other_Gasoline_Crisis_Speeding_Up_the_Shift_Fr.htm