Nine U.S. senators are asking the U.S. EPA to reconsider its decision to approve E15 for use in vehicles 2007 and newer. A letter was sent to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson Jan. 6, signed by senators from Maine, Maryland, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Virginia, Tennessee and Texas, all states outside the Corn Belt and with no more than two ethanol plants.
The move came right before the EPA is expected to announce its decision on the use of E15 in vehicle models 2001-2006. The U.S. DOE delivered the final results of testing at the end of 2010 and the EPA said it would issue its decision soon. In addition, the <a href="http://www.ethanolproducer.com/articles/7371/epa-reviewing-comments-on-proposed-e15-label" target="_blank">comment period for a proposed label for E15</a> has closed and the agency said it will make a decision on the label in the next few months.
Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., authored the letter. Collins expressed her disappointment in the partial waver and alleged that many residents of Maine have already experienced difficulty in using E10 with older cars, snowmobiles, boats and lawnmowers. &ldquo;The EPA&rsquo;s decision to allow the use of an even higher level of ethanol&mdash;E15&mdash;for some types of vehicles fails to adequately protect against misfueling and will add unnecessary confusion at the gas pump for consumers,&rdquo; she said.
The letter asks the EPA to:
1. Reassess how E15 will impact consumers in contrast to other fuel introduction programs
2. Consider what level of misfueling could occur including availability and cost factors
3. Expand on how the public information campaign will prevent problems
4. Decide what steps will be taken if labeling and public outreach efforts don&rsquo;t work.
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The senators also want to know what the EPA will do to guarantee that E10 and straight gasoline will still be available. Engines that cannot use E15, such as boat engines, will still need those fuels and Cardin said he is concerned that E15 will push fuels with lower blends of ethanol out of the marketplace, he said, adding that Maryland has a multi-billion dollar maritime economy. &ldquo;Real protections must be in place to protect unsuspecting consumers should this decision to allow mid-level ethanol fuels into the market proceed,&rdquo; he said.
The Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy have said repeatedly that testing shows E15 is safe for use in all cars, even cars older than model year 2006. In addition, the EPA&rsquo;s waiver approval was only a preliminary step in getting the fuel to consumers and it will take a while before it is widely available to consumers. Until all the necessary steps are completed, such as certifying the fuel&rsquo;s octane rating, <a href="http://www.ethanolproducer.com/articles/7130/for-now-e15-still-illegal/" target="_blank">it is still illegal to sell E15 for use in anything but a flex-fuel vehicle.</a>
RFA has also pointed out that the EPA&rsquo;s approval of E15 is not a mandate for its use, rather an opportunity for retailers to offer additional choices at the pump. &ldquo;Until fuel blends containing more than 10 percent ethanol have been tested and approved for use in marine engines, watercraft and boat owners should not use these fuel blends,&rdquo; the association said.
Growth Energy said that E10 is likely safe for use in boats but tells consumers to check with the manufacturer before trying it out. The group does not address the use of E15 with marine motors on its website.

Nine senators wrote a letter to the EPA about E15.

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Nine U.S. senators are asking the U.S. EPA to reconsider its decision to approve E15 for use in vehicles 2007 and newer. A letter was sent to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson Jan. 6.

Nine U.S. Senators oppose E15, send letter to EPA

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Upcoming Events

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Nine U.S. Senators oppose E15, send letter to EPA