The computer model that the EPA uses to assess tailpipe emissions from automobiles is fundamentally flawed and biased against ethanol, according to a recently released independent study commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Association.

The model, known as the Motor Fuel Emission Simulator or MOVES model, has been under fire for almost a year after the Urban Air Initiative commissioned its own study in March of 2015 and found that the EPA's MOVES model inaccurately blames ethanol for an increase in air pollution from tailpipe emissions.

UAI joined with the states of Nebraska and Kansas and the Energy Future Coalition to file a lawsuit against the EPA challenging the model.

MODEL FLAWED: A second independent study has agreed that the MOVES model used by EPA to measure tailpipe emissions is flawed and unfair to ethanol.

The UAI contends that model wrongly blames ethanol for creating harmful tailpipe emissions, based on poorly designed test fuels, containing high levels of aromatic compounds such as toulene and benzene.  The petition calls upon EPA to undertake a new emissions study using real world fuels with the simple addition of ethanol.

http://urbanairinitiative.com/2015/03/legal-petition-calls-on-epa-to-start-over-on-how-it-assesses-vehicle-emissions/

The flawed data could jeopardize ethanol expansion in the future because states are required to use the MOVES Model to meet federal air quality standards and the model would lead them to believe that higher levels of ethanol would increase harmful tailpipe emissions.

"We now have two independent studies confirming what we've known all along, ethanol does not raise toxic emissions. In fact ethanol can help dilute some of the most toxic compounds in gasoline, reducing tailpipe emissions," said UAI Technical Director Steve VanderGriend.

"It's time for the EPA to realize that the MOVES Model is made up of bad data and to undertake a new emissions study using real world fuels with the simple addition of ethanol."

You can find more information here about how the MOVES model hurts ethanol. http://urbanairinitiative.com/category/moves-model/