Reliable Fuels Act

The Reliable Fuels Act (S. 606) aims to overhaul the nation’s fuel standards by significantly increasing the use of renewable fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, in the American gasoline supply. The bill establishes a "Renewable Fuel Standard" that requires fuel producers to blend increasing amounts of renewable energy into motor vehicle fuel, starting at 3.8 billion gallons in 2006 and rising to 6 billion gallons by 2012.

For everyday citizens, this legislation would likely lead to a more visible presence of ethanol-blended gasoline at the pump and a phase-out of the fuel additive MTBE, which has been linked to groundwater contamination. To protect consumers and the environment, the bill directs the EPA to monitor air quality impacts and requires the Federal Trade Commission to oversee the ethanol market to ensure fair competition. Additionally, the act provides funding for research into new fuel technologies and offers "safe harbor" legal protections for renewable fuel manufacturers to encourage domestic production.