EPA expands E15 rule

Posted on 21 January 2011

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today waived a limitation on selling gasoline that contains more than 10 percent ethanol for model-year 2001 through 2006 cars, SUVs and light pickup trucks.

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The agency also announced that no waiver is being granted this year for E15 use in any motorcycles, heavy-duty vehicles or non-road engines, including boat engines, because current testing data do not support such a waiver.

Although today's waiver excludes marine engines and other non-road engines, the National Marine Manufacturers Association said it continues to be concerned that EPA does not plan to take significant steps to address anticipated problems with consumer confusion and the risk of misfueling.

"EPA's decision to permit the use of E15 for even more on-road vehicles greatly increases the likelihood of misfueling for boats and other small engines," NMMA president Thom Dammrich said in a statement. "NMMA is very disappointed that EPA has decided to move forward with E15 without mechanisms in place to protect consumers from confusion at the gas pump, as well as the product failures that could be a likely result of misfueling with E15."

Today's decision comes on the heels of an Oct. 13, 2010 decision in which the EPA approved a waiver allowing the use of E15 for model-year 2007 and newer cars and light trucks. EPA granted the waiver after considering the E15 petition submitted by Growth Energy and 54 ethanol manufacturers in March 2009.

"Recently completed testing and data analysis show that E15 does not harm emissions control equipment in newer cars and light trucks," EPA administrator Lisa Jackson said in regard to today's decision. "Wherever sound science and the law support steps to allow more homegrown fuels in America's vehicles, this administration takes those steps."

In December, the NMMA filed suit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, challenging the EPA's earlier decision to approve E15 for model-year 2007 and newer motor vehicles. The NMMA joined the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers in a newly formed coalition called the Engine Products Group in pursuing this legal challenge.

The NMMA said today it will continue to seek relief in the courts, along with two other groups that have filed similar lawsuits.

Comments

This is all politically motivated and it won't stop until we take back our country and completely revamp the EPA.

The affects of 10% ethenol has done more harm than good and it results in more bad fuel needing to be disposed, more engine components needing replaced, more repair expenses to the equipment owners, less efficiency and generally more waste.

The waste far outweighs the good from burning ethenol.

They just don't get it and they never will.....

And we are stuck with the baffoonery.....

I fully support a viable alternative green fuel in lieu of gasoline. Ethanol is simply not it for many reasons. The push for ethanol is unfortunately all politically driven by money, and the consumers are paying the price. We need to continue to express our displeasure with elected officials at the voting booth.

What a travesty! Without appropriate identification on the pumps, how will one know what is being pumped into what ever fuel tank you are filling: gas can for the lawn mower, boat fuel tank, etc.

Hopefully, if marinas are forced to use this garbage, they will be astute enough to entier not stock it or appropriately identify the pump, and query the boat owner as to his understanding of what the consequences could be if he chooses to use it.

It will kill the recreational industry.

15% ethanol will increase my repair work 15% or more!

scamathol or E10 should never have been allowed to be used in open vented fuel systems as in boats offroad and small engines(auto systems are sealed) its wreeking havoc and expensive repairs as it draws the moisture from the air into the fuel tank some boaters are washing their fuel by adding water to the tanks to get the ethanol seperated out then pumping it out a bit drastic but effective

Clearly the EPA isn't finding faults in their research, if all they're checking on changes with is the emissions systems... the EMISSIONS SYSTEMS AREN'T WHAT WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT EPA! Hello??

This just pisses me off! It is hard enough to stay in the marine industry as it is, now add this load of crap to it....Tony is right maybe it is time to just go and play golf. It is time to VOTE THESE CLOWNS OUT. Put the grown-ups back in charge who have "real world" values and then FIRE the whole EPA!!

This is a ridiculous rulling by unelected "officials" in our government! I think we all know, or at least those of us with mechanical backgrounds know, how "wonderful" the EPA line of BS is. The 10% we have been stuck with is neither good on mileage (cars & trucks) nor sensibly economical without subsidation from our "all knowing" government. Now the EPA is shoving 15% alky down our throats and they do not care whether it is good for us, the vehicles, the boats or whatever! Please, in this next election, as in this past election.

THROW THE BUMS OUT AND IMPEACH THE REST! This must be done on not only the national level but right down to the local elected liberals in your town or city and that includes everybody in power and that further includes your local school boards. After all, where do you think all these idiots got their training? School. Think about it!

Can you say "corn lobby"? Lobyist control politics. Theye are only 100 senators. Lobyist only have to "somehow?" change the minds of 51 of them and they get whatever they want. Case closed.

Between over the air TV for free mandated out, property insurance in FL mandated through the roof and now my car and boat being parked due to mandated EPA.

Come on how many fuel stations will put in seperate tanks for 10 and 15. it will be all 15 just like no e fuel is gone.

Marinas aren't supposed to be selling no E fuel since 2010 wait till that is enforced.

It will be oars and a bicycle. sea and shore

Well now we can kiss goodbye to most vehicles warranties...including just about all new car warranties. They state that use of fuel with greater than 10% ethanol voids the engine warranty !!!!! Way to go politicians !!!!

No, Ms.Jackson is correct, note how she phrases it. "Recently completed testing and data analysis show that E15 does not harm emissions control equipment in newer cars and light trucks," That's right, the emissions crap they mandated will still keep working fine, the engines will be shot and we are using more energy to produce the ethanol than it has in it, but hey, the emissions controls won't be harmed on your broken engine. This bunch of clowns in the Administration is obviously in the pocket of the ethanol producers, wonder where all the anti-big business media hacks are?????

Idiots

Time to go diesel in the cars and the boat...

Hmm, let's see...Recession, slow to no credit, outboards that cost twice what they should because the EPA wants to help us, $2000. cats on sterndrives, NO cheap 3.0 stern drives, SeeBoatCost websites, Cash for Clunkers but NO cash for old boats, repair bills for engines and systems damaged by E10, and now...E15.

I think I'll go play golf....with my former customers.

It's real simple to fix this problem. Stop giving subsidies to corn growers growing corn only for ethanol production.

This whole E thing is just another way to get the farmers vote!!!

As a retired Mechanic I know what I say is true. It will be disasterous to allow expansion and an increase in the amount of ethanol in fuel ! It is with little surprise that E-15 is making headway due to the lack of sincere oversight of the politicized EPA. E-10 has caused damage to engines, reduces power and efficiency. Now the use of E-15 will be more devistating. Wow I guess petitions from the producers of this garbage fuel really do make a difference; while thousands of experts that say they are lying must be mistaken. Unless we stop this type of bs our future and the future of our children in what use to be a great nation is at extreme risk. God Bless us All !

Lisa Jackson is NOT an authority on anything, nor can her staff be called experienced in these science based regs....yet someone somewhere continues to allow her to speak as if she does.

The EPA should be stripped of it's budget, and allowed to become a corporation....then they can mandate whatever mousetrap they want and let the markets decide.

Idiot! Just like "% of that oil just disappeared" her saying that ethanol does not harm automotive systems is just her opinion, the facts do not support her position, yet she and the EPA prevail time and time again.

yvComment v.1.21.1

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