EPA officials and environmentalists are raising concerns with plans by Midwestern states to permit a growing number of coal-fired ethanol plants as "minor" emissions sources not subject to federal rules,saying the plants' emissions may exceed thresholds for minor sources,which could prompt future agency enforcement actions.Many ethanol manufacturers are expanding their operations to meet growing demand for the renewable fuel due to a series of factors,including a growing number of state bans on methyl tertiary butyl ether(MTBE),an alternative fuel additive,along with high fuel prices and the recent energy law mandate for 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuel production by 2012.
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