"Move to Increase Ethanol Blen
"Move to Increase Ethanol Blend Levels
Alarms Boat Owners
On March 6, 2009, a new pro-ethanol lobbying organization called Growth Energy and 54 ethanol manufacturers formally requested that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) increase ethanol blend levels in gasoline up to 15 percent (E15). As is required by law, EPA on April 21 wrote a Notice for Comment in the Federal Register, beginning a 30-day public comment period. On May 15, the EPA extended the comment period. The original public comment period was slated to end on May 21, 2009 but will now be extended to July 20, 2009.
Ethanol Advocates are mobilizing their forces to submit 20,000 favorable comments to the EPA requesting that the Agency grant a waiver for E15.
There are 18 million boats currently in operation in the U.S., and none of them has been designed, certified or warrantied to run on anything above E10, the current maximum legal blend level. Boaters know very well that increased ethanol blends will cause performance problems with their boats and engines, increase maintenance costs, potentially pose safety risks and increase air pollution. E15 will also void manufacturer warranties.
And yet, neither EPA nor any other federal agency has done a single test on the impacts of E15 on marine engines, fuel systems, or components. NMMA asks you to support a science first approach and urge EPA to deny the ethanol industry's E15 waiver request unless and until independent and comprehensive scientific testing is completed on a full range of marine engines and other products.
Click HERE to go the NMMA Action Center with more background information and links to submit comments on the proposal to increase ethanol blend levels."
"Move to Increase Ethanol Blend Levels
Alarms Boat Owners
On March 6, 2009, a new pro-ethanol lobbying organization called Growth Energy and 54 ethanol manufacturers formally requested that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) increase ethanol blend levels in gasoline up to 15 percent (E15). As is required by law, EPA on April 21 wrote a Notice for Comment in the Federal Register, beginning a 30-day public comment period. On May 15, the EPA extended the comment period. The original public comment period was slated to end on May 21, 2009 but will now be extended to July 20, 2009.
Ethanol Advocates are mobilizing their forces to submit 20,000 favorable comments to the EPA requesting that the Agency grant a waiver for E15.
There are 18 million boats currently in operation in the U.S., and none of them has been designed, certified or warrantied to run on anything above E10, the current maximum legal blend level. Boaters know very well that increased ethanol blends will cause performance problems with their boats and engines, increase maintenance costs, potentially pose safety risks and increase air pollution. E15 will also void manufacturer warranties.
And yet, neither EPA nor any other federal agency has done a single test on the impacts of E15 on marine engines, fuel systems, or components. NMMA asks you to support a science first approach and urge EPA to deny the ethanol industry's E15 waiver request unless and until independent and comprehensive scientific testing is completed on a full range of marine engines and other products.
Click HERE to go the NMMA Action Center with more background information and links to submit comments on the proposal to increase ethanol blend levels."