April 7, 2025
SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION No. 26
DIGEST OF RESOLUTION
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the United States
Congress and the President of the United States to repeal the
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) ban on vented gas cans.
Tomes, Buck, Byrne, Johnson T,
Rogers, Alexander, Baldwin, Dernulc,
Goode, Raatz, Gaskill, Schmitt,
Doriot, Busch
(HOUSE SPONSORS — HOSTETTLER, LUCAS, BORDERS, HAGGARD,
IRELAND, COMMONS, MILLER D, ABBOTT, ZIMMERMAN,
PATTERSON, OLTHOFF, HEINE, SMALTZ, GORE, JACKSON C, SMITH H,
DEVON, BAIRD, SWEET)
March 10, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Environmental Affairs.
March 24, 2025, reported favorably — Do Pass.
March 25, 2025, read second time, adopted. Yeas 46, nays 1.
HOUSE ACTION
April 7, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Environmental Affairs.
SC 26—RC 1523/DI BB April 7, 2025
First Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2025)
SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION No. 26
1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the United
2 States Congress and the President of the United States to repeal
3 the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) ban on vented
4 gas cans.
5 Whereas, In 1937, the Ambi-Budd Presswerk in Schwelm,
6 Germany, developed the Armed Forces Unit Canister (also
7 known as a "Jerry Can"), a canister designed for soldiers to
8 carry 5.3 gallons of fuel in a comfortable and efficient way, in
9 preparation for the onset of World War II;
10 Whereas, In 1939, American engineer Paul Pleiss obtained
11 a "Jerry Can" and brought it back to the United States to be
12 reverse engineered for use by American soldiers, ultimately
13 supplying troops with over 19 million cans by 1945;
14 Whereas, Following the end of World War II, the humble
15 gas can established itself as a staple in almost every garage in
16 America, storing that little bit of gasoline needed for household
17 appliances, tools, and vehicles;
18 Whereas, For decades, the gas can sat undisturbed in its
19 perfectly acceptable vented form, allowing for smooth and
20 efficient pouring of petroleum;
21 Whereas, In 1999, the California Air Resources Board
22 adopted a regulation eliminating secondary venting holes in
23 portable fuel containers, claiming that it would reduce smog-
24 forming emissions by preventing spillage;
SC 26—RC 1523/DI BB 2
1 Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection
2 Agency (EPA) followed suit, announcing in 2007 that starting
3 in 2009, gas cans around the country had to be built with "a
4 simple and inexpensive permeation barrier and new spouts that
5 close automatically," as well as a self-venting opening and no
6 separate vents;
7 Whereas, Without the use of a separate vent to assist with
8 proper flow, this EPA regulation has led to gas pouring out of
9 modern gas cans in various uneven ways due to the spout
10 having to simultaneously pour and take in air;
11 Whereas, Gas can regulations have lead to increased risk
12 of fuel-related injuries, environmental pollution, excess
13 spillage, and even cans exploding on hot days and contracting
14 to unsalvageable degrees on cold days due to the relationship
15 between pressure, temperature, and volume within the gas
16 cans; and
17 Whereas, It is fitting to reassess whether the EPA venting
18 regulations are doing more harm than good and Americans are
19 overdue on having the small-but-mighty gas can returned to its
20 historic, separately-vented state: Therefore,
21 Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly
22 of the State of Indiana, the House of Representatives
23 concurring:
24 SECTION 1. That the Indiana General Assembly urges the
25 United States Congress and the President of the United States
26 to repeal the EPA's ban on vented gas cans.
27 SECTION 2. The Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed
28 to transmit copies of this Resolution to President Donald Trump
29 and each member of the Indiana federal congressional
30 delegation.
SC 26—RC 1523/DI BB 3
COMMITTEE REPORT
Mr. President: The Senate Committee on Environmental Affairs,
to which was referred Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 26, has had
the same under consideration and begs leave to report the same back
to the Senate with the recommendation that said resolution DO PASS.
(Reference is to SC 26 as introduced.)
NIEMEYER, Chairperson
Committee Vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0
SC 26—RC 1523/DI BB