Situation overview:

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently gave approval for gas stations to start selling 15-percent ethanol-blended fuel (E15).
• E15 gas is now legal for use in cars, pickups and SUVs manufactured since 2001.
• However, E15 is not approved for off-road engines. This includes engines found in mowers, power washers, portable generators, leaf blowers and other commonly used outdoor power equipment.
• Engine manufacturers and leading trade organizations are concerned that many consumers will utilize E15 in outdoor power equipment and other non-approved engines, causing permanent and irreversible damage.

Read more from the article here.

According to the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), small engine-powered equipment is not designed to run on anything greater than E10. Improperly filling your lawn equipment with E15 could result in irreversible engine damage, in addition to exposing operators to a variety of safety risks.

The EPA has approved the first round of applications for registering ethanol use in making E15. As of April 9, there were 22 companies on the approval list. “This is the last federal hurdle before a fuel can be brought to market,” says Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the OPEI.

It’s up to you to avoid it

Although E15 is not approved for off-road use, consumers could still mistakenly put it in their lawn equipment. A label at the pump (see photo) is designed to warn consumers, but will likely prove to be largely ineffective, according to Kiser. Secondly, E15 will be less expensive than E10, encouraging today’s more price-conscious consumer to go for the E15.

“For the first time in history, the paradigm has changed,” Kiser says. “It has always been that whatever was safe to put in your car was safe to put in your equipment. Suddenly, in one fell swoop, that is no longer the case.”

More here.

In September 2011, members of the Engine Products Group (Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, National Marine Manufacturers Association, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and Global Automakers) filed a formal legal challenge to EPA’s “Regulation to Mitigate Misfueling” rule which was meant to address concerns about 15 percent ethanol blends and non-road products and older model-year vehicles.  The group asked the DC Circuit Court of Appeals to hold the misfueling rule challenge case in abeyance (i.e., suspend temporarily) until the E15 Waiver case is concluded.   The court will hear oral arguments on April 17.

“We are asking that the EPA do more to protect the consumer.   We need to educate the public on a new fuel entering the market that is about to fundamentally change how we purchase and dispense gasoline.  And, we need to ensure that consumers can still find E10 for the millions of product – lawnmowers, chainsaws, motorcycles, snowmobiles, ATVs and UTVs, boats and older cars – that still use an E10 legacy fuel,” said Kris Kiser, President and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute.  OPEI points out that the EPA’s prior experience with fuel transitions and misfueling demonstrates that labeling alone is insufficient to prevent misfueling.  As the EPA led the transition to unleaded fuels, the Agency reported a misfueling rate of nearly 15 percent almost ten years after the introduction of unleaded gasoline, and even with a physical barrier at the pumps.

“EPA’s hasty attempts to speed introduction of E15 before necessary testing is complete could endanger the safety of American consumers, threatening their vehicles and gasoline-powered equipment with possibly severe damage,” said American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers President Charles T. Drevna.

“EPA’s misfueling rule fails to require that service station pumps contain a warning label directing consumers to check their owner’s manual to determine the appropriate fuel for specific vehicles. This is a significant and unfortunate omission.  EPA’s misfueling avoidance measures cannot assure that misfueling will not occur, and do not mitigate liability concerns and the flaws in the way EPA promulgated its E15 waiver regulations,” said Michael Stanton, President & CEO, Global Automakers.

“Automakers believe that renewable fuels are an important component of our national energy security, but it is not in the longer term interest of the government, vehicle manufacturers, fuel distributors or the ethanol industry itself, to find out after the fact that equipment or performance problems are occurring from rushing a new fuel into the national marketplace,” said Mitch Bainwol, President & CEO, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

Members of the Engine Products Group share widespread concerns already expressed to EPA that, as practical matter, the “partial” waiver that applies to only certain model years of vehicles will be problematic for consumers, fuel suppliers, and retailers to implement.  Pump labeling alone is sufficient to prevent extensive misfueling, especially where labels are expected to overcome consumer habits that have prevailed for many years.  And, a labeling approach may not be effective in the face of other factors, such as lower price, when consumers are making fueling decisions.

Growth Energy, an ethanol industry trade group, petitioned the EPA in March 2009 to raise the limit on ethanol in gasoline from 10 to 15 percent. Several engine product and auto manufacturers as well as others urged EPA to be deliberative in its review process, assuring thorough and adequate testing to ensure that E15 would not harm existing products or pose safety risks. By approving E15 use in a small subset of engines on the road, there is a high risk that consumers will unknowingly or mistakenly put E15 in products for which it has not been approved.

In March 2011, auto, marine, motorcycle, outdoor power equipment, personal watercraft and snowmobile groups filed a petition for rulemaking today asking the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure the continued sale and availability of gasoline blends of no greater than 10 percent ethanol (E10) for the 400 million engine products used by tens of millions of people every day in the U.S.

# # #
AFPM, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (formerly known as NPRA, the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association) is a trade association representing high-tech American manufacturers of virtually the entire U.S. supply of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, other fuels and home heating oil, as well as the petrochemicals used as building blocks for thousands of vital products in daily life. AFPM members make modern life possible and keep America moving and growing as they meet the needs of our nation and local communities, strengthen economic and national security, and support 2 million American jobs.

The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) is an international trade association representing more than 80 engine and equipment manufacturers worldwide in the utility, forestry, landscape, and lawn and garden industry. OPEI is a recognized Standards Development Organization for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and active internationally through the International Standards Organization (ISO) in the development of safety standards. For more information, visit www.OPEI.org.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a trade association of 12 car and light truck manufacturers including BMW Group, Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz USA, Mitsubishi Motors, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo.

The Association of Global Automakers represents international motor vehicle manufacturers, original equipment suppliers, and other automotive-related trade associations. Our members’ market share of both U.S. sales and production is 40 percent and growing. We work with industry leaders, legislators, and regulators to create the kind of public policy that improves vehicle safety, encourages technological innovation, and protects our planet. Our goal is to foster a competitive environment in which more vehicles are designed and built to enhance Americans’ quality of life. For more information, visit www.globalautomakers.org.

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the nation’s leading trade association representing boat, marine engine and accessory manufacturers. Collectively, NMMA members manufacture an estimated 80 percent of marine products used in North America. NMMA is a unifying force and powerful voice for the recreational boating industry, working to strengthen and grow boating and protect the interests of its member companies. For more information, please visit www.nmma.org.

The manufacturers, represented by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute and 11 other trade groups, have petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to require the continued availability of gasoline with no more than 10% ethanol content.

Ethanol is a fuel additive made from corn. The EPA has approved a 15% blend for newer-model vehicles that could be available this summer, according to petitioners that represent Wisconsin engine makers Briggs & Stratton, Mercury Marine Inc., Kohler Co., BRP Inc., and companies in other states.

The higher ethanol blend, E15, could damage or ruin millions of engines, according to the manufacturers, because their products were not designed to run on fuel with more than 10% ethanol in it.

Overheating and engine performance are among the problems that face owners of boats, lawn mowers and other outdoor power products if they’re mistakenly fueled with E15.

“Misfueling is our primary concern,” said Kris Kiser, executive vice president of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute.

“People mostly buy gasoline based on price. If they can get E15 cheaper, that’s what they’re going to buy.”

Engine makers also worry that the higher ethanol blend will supplant access to E10 gasoline with 10% ethanol, the current fuel used across much of the country.

“Many gasoline stations may not be equipped to accommodate an additional fuel, leading them to choose between E15 and E10, and E15 will likely win out since it may be more profitable,” Kiser said.

The fuel additive is subsidized by a federal tax credit, which blenders can keep or pass on to consumers. Raising the blend to 15% will create new sales opportunities for the producers.

Wisconsin ranks 7th among ethanol-producing states.

Advocates say the marketplace, rather than engine makers, ought to determine what fuels are available.

Retailers will provide what consumers want, said Josh Morby, executive director of the Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance, which represents ethanol producers.

Ideally, Morby said, gasoline stations would have fuel dispensers where the consumer could choose what ethanol blend they want, ranging 10% to E85, which is 85% ethanol.

“It comes down to consumer choice, and right now the choice isn’t there for people to use E15,” Morby said.

The EPA regulates fuel additives, including ethanol. Monday, an agency spokeswoman said there was no date set for a ruling on the engine manufacturers’ petition.

The agency is writing rules for clear labeling on fuel pumps so that consumers won’t use the wrong blend when E15 becomes available. But engine makers say they expect misfueling, partly based on their past experience with fuel changes.

There was a misfueling rate of 15% when the U.S. made the transition from leaded to unleaded gasoline in the 1970s, according to engine manufacturers.

There are 70 million Briggs & Stratton engines in the United States that would be adversely affected by E15, said Briggs spokeswoman Laura Timm.

“It’s a significant concern for us, unless a mainline fuel (such as E10) remains available,” Timm said.

Not knowing what the next fuel blend will be makes it difficult for companies to design engines, she added.

There is technical and anecdotal evidence that even 10% ethanol blends have damaged boat engines, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

“We think the EPA has an obligation to make sure there’s a fuel available for boats and small engines,” said Christine Pomorski, spokeswoman for the association that represents Fond du Lac-based Mercury Marine and other boat-engine makers.

“Misfueling is our prime concern, and we foresee that consumers will be forced to fuel with E15 unless EPA requires stations to carry both legacy (E10) and new E15 fuels,” said Kris Kiser, speaking on behalf of the organizations. “Many stations may not be equipped to accommodate an additional fuel, leading them to choose between E15 and E10 fuels – and E15 will likely win out since it may be more profitable for them to carry. This means consumers might have no choice but to fuel with E15, and there will be little to prevent them from misfueling when they come in with a lawnmower, chainsaw, motorcycle, snowmobile, boat or older car.”

The organizations point out that the EPA’s prior experience with fuel transitions and misfueling demonstrates that labeling alone is insufficient to prevent misfueling.  As the EPA led the transition to unleaded fuels, the Agency reported a misfueling rate of nearly 15 percent almost ten years after the introduction of unleaded gasoline.

The petition for rulemaking, filed with the U.S. EPA, says that with a partial waiver ruling, EPA cannot ensure that E10 fuel will be available for the legacy fleet, and therefore, the petitioners request that EPA, consistent with prior precedent, ensure continued consumer choice by requiring the continued sale of gasoline blends of no greater than E10 fuel.

The petition says that EPA must assure continued availability of E10 for three specific reasons.

• There is a strong potential that the reduced volume of E10 fuel required in the marketplace might result in the elimination of supply, further eroding the availability of a fuel needed for millions of off-road, small engine equipment,
• EPA must create legal obligations that ensure that the conditions on which the waivers were based can be fulfilled, and
• EPA has enough evidence that emission control devices would be significantly “impaired” by E15 to support a requirement for E10.

A detailed fact sheet on the joint petition filing can be found at here.

Growth Energy, an ethanol industry trade group, petitioned the EPA in March 2009 to raise the limit on ethanol in gasoline from 10 to 15 percent. Several engine product and auto manufacturers as well as others urged EPA to be deliberative in its review process, assuring thorough and adequate testing to ensure that E15 would not harm existing products or pose safety risks. By approving E15 use in a small subset of engines on the road, there is a high risk that consumers will unknowingly or mistakenly put E15 in products for which it has not been approved.

About Global Automakers

The Association, formerly known as AIAM, serves as the voice of international automobile manufacturers in the United States. Today, it represent the U.S. subsidiaries of 15 motor vehicle manufacturers who produce 40 percent of all vehicles built in America and also account for 40 percent of total U.S. auto sales. For more information, visit www.globalautomakers.org.

About ISMA

The International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association – is a non-profit organization representing the four snowmobile manufacturers (Arctic Cat, BRP, Polaris, and Yamaha.)  The organization and its members support and interact with customer (enthusiast) associations throughout the world in protecting and promoting recreational public access for snowmobilers and in supporting and promoting safe, responsible snowmobile behavior.  The organization interacts with government agencies worldwide in advocating responsible regulation and positive market oriented standards.

About Motorcycle Industry Council

The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications and media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, development of data communications standards, and activities surrounding technical and regulatory issues. As a not-for-profit, national industry association, the MIC seeks to support motorcyclists by representing manufacturers and distributors of motorcycles, scooters, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts and accessories, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment companies, media companies and consultants.

The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office adjacent to Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914. Visit the MIC atwww.mic.org.

About NMMA
National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading association representing the recreational boating industry in North America. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters and anglers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.nmma.org.

About OPEI

The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) is an international trade association representing more than 80 engine and equipment manufacturers worldwide in the utility, forestry, landscape, and lawn and garden industry. OPEI is a recognized Standards Development Organization for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and active internationally through the International Standards Organization (ISO) in the development of safety standards. For more information, visit www.OPEI.org.

About ROHVA
The Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association is a national industry organization that promotes the safe and responsible use of ROVs. ROHVA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop equipment, configuration and performance standards. Based in Irvine, Calif., the not-for-profit association is sponsored by Arctic Cat, BRP, Kawasaki, Polaris and Yamaha. For more information visit ROHVA.org.

About SVIA
The Specialty Vehicle Institute of America^® promotes the safe and responsible use of all-terrain vehicles through rider training, public awareness campaigns and state legislation. Additionally, the SVIA works to preserve access to off-road lands and expand riding opportunities. The SVIA is a resource for ATV research, statistics and vehicle standards. Accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the SVIA develops standards for the equipment, configuration and performance requirements of ATVs.

Based in Irvine, Calif., the SVIA is a not-for-profit industry association sponsored by Arctic Cat, BRP, Honda, Kawasaki, KYMCO, Polaris, Suzuki, Tomberlin and Yamaha. Visit the SVIA online at www.svia.org. For safety information or to enroll in the ATV RiderCourse^SM nearest you, visit www.atvsafety.org or call (800) 887-2887.

Full list of participating organizations:

American Motorcyclist Association
Association of Global Automakers
Association of Marina Industries
BoatUS
International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association
Motorcycle Industry Council
National Boating Federation
National Marine Manufacturers Associations
Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
Personal Watercraft Industry Association
Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association
Specialty Vehicle Institute of America

Alexandria, VA – October 13, 2010 – The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) today advised outdoor power equipment users to be aware of new fuel coming on the market with higher levels of ethanol that could harm equipment sitting in their garages, tool sheds and maintenance buildings.  Over two hundred million pieces of outdoor power equipment could be at risk of product failure or voided warranty, including chainsaws, lawnmowers, utility vehicles, generators, snow throwers, trimmers, edgers, pruners, chippers, shredders and blowers.

This advisory comes after the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to approve higher levels of ethanol (E15 or 15% ethanol) in gasoline for use in only 2007 and newer automobiles.

Consumers need to be aware that until today, the maximum allowable limit of ethanol in gasoline was E10 or 10%.  That means, all engine products in use today, with the exception of “flex-fuel” automobiles, were designed, built and warranted to run on gasoline containing no more than 10% ethanol.  Use of E15 or higher ethanol blended fuels in any engine product, with the exception of a “flex-fuel” automobile, could cause performance issues, damage engines, and void the manufacturer’s warranty.

Consumer Advisory:  OPEI advises consumers of the following measures to protect their products and prevent voiding warranties:

• Consumers should read and follow the owner’s manual.  The owner’s manual will clearly explain what fuels can be used to ensure a properly functioning product.

• Do not put any fuel containing more than10 percent (E10) in small engine products (EPA’s decision only applies to 2007 and newer highway vehicles), unless otherwise stated.

• Consumers must check the pump to be sure that it is dispensing E10.  Some gas pumps at local gas stations may offer both E10 and E15, or have blender pumps that dispense mid-level ethanol fuels for “flex-fuel” automobiles.  Higher ethanol fuel (E15) may be less expensive than regular (E10) fuel, but putting E15 into an E10 approved product could cause product failure and void its warranty.

• Many consumers fill their vehicle gas tank and the gasoline can at the same time.  Be sure that the gas can is filled only with E10 fuel.

“The Department of Energy’s (DOE) own testing has shown that putting anything other than E10 in non-road, small engines can cause performance irregularities and equipment failure,” said Kris Kiser Executive Vice President at the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute.  “Consumers need to understand this or they could encounter performance irregularities, increased heat and exhaust temperatures, failure or unintentional clutch engagement when using outdoor lawn and garden equipment.”

Added Kiser, “Consumers should understand that current outdoor power equipment may be permanently damaged and could pose a safety risk if E15 fuel is used. Almost without exception, current equipment is not designed, built or warranted for mid-level blends.”

OPEI supports Congressional efforts towards energy independence and the use of biofuels, including ethanol, and manufacturers can design and build future equipment to run on specific blends.  However, current equipment was not designed to run on any fuel exceeding 10% ethanol.

Background
Growth Energy, an ethanol industry trade group, petitioned the EPA in March 2009 to raise the limit on ethanol in gasoline from 10 to 15 percent.  OPEI urged EPA to be deliberative in its review process, assuring thorough and adequate testing to assure that E15 would not harm existing products or pose safety risks.  By approving E15 use in a small subset of engines on the road, there is a high risk that consumers will unknowingly or mistakenly put E15 in products for which it has not been approved.

About OPEI
OPEI is an international trade association representing the $15 billion landscape, forestry, utility and lawn equipment manufacturing industry. OPEI is committed to ongoing efforts to ensure consumer safety and access to outdoor power equipment in order to maintain and enhance outdoor landscapes. OPEI works with federal, state and local groups to ensure that equipment operates efficiently, safely and is fully emission compliant. OPEI is a recognized Standards Development Organization for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and active internationally through the International Standards Organization (ISO) in the development of safety standards. For more information on OPEI visit www.OPEI.org.

Partial Waiver Shortcomings

• EPA has failed to document or estimate the rate of misfueling that would occur under its “partial waiver” and the resulting environmental and economic consequences on consumers, owners and operators and on engine manufacturers that could become unfairly subject to warranty claims for damaged products.

• In its waiver decision, EPA has failed to address how consumers would even have continued access to fuels containing no more than 10% ethanol.  Consumers would have no choice but to misfuel their products with E-15 if that is the only fuel offered by a gas retailer.

• In 2007, Congress prohibited EPA from approving a fuel waiver (for any fuels containing more than 10% Ethanol) unless the Agency determined that those fuels would not cause “any” failures (from on-road or non-road products) to meet their applicable emission standards over their useful lives in operation.

Legal Challenge
The petition filing is based on the following facts:

• The premature introduction of mid-level ethanol blends (as a general  purpose fuel) could result in unintended adverse impacts on the 250 million Americans who own and operate over 400 million motor vehicles, motorcycles, lawnmowers, chainsaws, recreational boats, ATVs, etc.

• Except for “flexible fuel vehicles” (FFVs), on-road and non-road engines are not designed to operate on fuels that contain more than 10% ethanol.  Fuels containing more than 10% ethanol could cause significant and permanent damage to these products, void their product-warranty coverage, create potential operating hazards, and increase emissions above applicable emission limits.

• In decisions issued on October 13, 2010, EPA recognized that E-15 blends can cause “engine failures from over heating” as well as emission increases and “emission (durability) impacts and material compatibility issues.”  Accordingly, EPA denied a broad waiver request to allow the introduction into commerce of 15% ethanol into non-road engines, vehicles and equipment as well as in older model year motor vehicles.  However, EPA conditionally approved based on inadequate tests the ultimate introduction into commerce of E-15 fuels into newer (2007 and later) model year motor vehicles.

Background

The main concerns are that:

1) almost without exception, current off-road equipment is not designed, built or warranted for mid-level blends and consumers could encounter performance irregularities, increased heat and exhaust temperatures, failure or unintentional clutch engagement which pose a safety risk, and

2) EPA had not put into place an effective, practical or enforceable mechanism to bifurcate the fuels market.  Instead, EPA’s approach is based on the assumption that gasoline retailers can somehow (through a “self-policing” warning label) keep E-15 fuels from being misfueled, even though there will likely be a significant price incentive to purchase these less expensive fuels.

Despite these serious concerns, in October, 2010, the EPA did indeed approve higher levels of ethanol (E-15 or 15% ethanol) in gasoline for use in only 2007 and newer automobiles.

A Team 4 investigation found increasing complaints about ethanol in gas and the effect it has on some engines.

What follows is a transcript of the report by Team 4′s Paul Van Osdol:

More Details:

(ALLIANCE FOR A SAFE ALTERNATIVE FUELS ENVIRONMENT)

Alexandria, VA – September 3, 2008 – The Alliance for a Safe Alternative Fuels Environment (AllSAFE), www.allsafe-fuel.org, today announced its support of a recently issued enforcement letter from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) addressing self-directed blender pumps at retail outlets and the risks involved when using fuel blends containing more than 10 percent ethanol.

The recent EPA letter states that “gasoline containing more than 10 percent ethanol may cause damage to certain emissions control devices and systems and increased emissions from gasoline-only vehicles and engines.  For this reason, the Clean Air Act prohibits retail gasoline stations from selling gasoline blended with more than 10 percent ethanol for use in gasoline-only vehicles and engines.”   The letter also states that EPA will be taking steps to investigate the retail distribution of non-compliant fuel.

“We are very pleased to see this letter go out from the EPA.  The proliferation of ethanol blender pumps at retail outlets in some regions of the country pose potentially serious problems for consumers and manufacturers alike,” said Kris Kiser, spokesman for AllSAFE.

At issue is the fact that current blender pumps allow users to select various levels of ethanol when dispensing fuel.  Yet, current law only allows ethanol levels from up to 10 percent (E10) for general purpose fuel and up to 85 percent (E85) for use in “flexible fuel” automobiles.  Many pumps are inadequately labeled, so consumers are often unaware that ethanol levels above 10 percent are only recommended for “flexible fuel vehicles.”  AllSAFE recommends that consumers check their owner’s manuals or with the manufacturer to identify the proper fuel for their vehicle or product.

“Current labeling fails to properly inform the consumer of the potential harm that a “mid-level” ethanol blend may do to an automobile, motorcycle, boat, chainsaw, lawn mower, ATV, snowmobile, generator or any other engine product,” added Kiser.  “It is not simply a recommendation, but in fact, it is a violation of federal law to dispense fuels with greater than 10 percent ethanol in anything but a flexible fuel vehicle.”

The Energy Independence and Security Act enacted last year by the U.S. Congress mandates the use of substantially more ethanol in the fuels marketplace.  The U.S. Department of Energy, EPA and industry have begun testing various ethanol blends on vehicles and engine products to determine their effects.  Only flexible fuel automobiles are designed to run on fuel blends above E-10.  Using blends beyond the legal E10 in vehicles and products not designed to handle higher ethanol levels will likely void manufacturers’ warranties and may result in safety risks to the user and performance irregularities.

“There are currently insufficient test data to permit a change in law allowing the general use of higher ethanol blends in conventional vehicles and products,” stressed Kiser.  “Without better consumer education, retailers may face a consumer backlash by using the wrong fuel in their products.  We do not wish to see a repeat of the consumer backlash against ethanol fuels that occurred in the 1970s during the oil embargo.”

ALLSAFE members do not object to increasing the overall amount of ethanol used in the nation’s gasoline supply as long as the amount of ethanol for sale to the general public does not exceed the legal and recommended 10 percent per gallon, or 85 percent per gallon for specially designed flexible fuel vehicles.

About AllSAFE
AllSAFE is made up of the national consumer, manufacturing, and gasoline retailer associations (listed below) that consume gasoline and ethanol fuel blends. AllSAFE speaks on fuel-related legislation for over 250 million Americans that own and operate over 400 million products, including recreational boats and marine engines, chainsaws, lawnmowers, motor vehicles, motorcycles, all terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, generators, and related vehicles and equipment. For more information, go to http://allsafe-fuel.org/.

AllSAFE Members
Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers Motorcycle Industry Council
American Motorcyclist Association National Association of Convenience Stores
Association of Marina Industries National Marine Manufacturers Association
Association of International Automobile Manufacturers Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
Boat Owners Association of the United States Personal Watercraft Industry Association
Engine Manufacturers Association Professional Landcare Network
Specialty Vehicle Institute of America

The DOE report, in fact, indicates that mid-level ethanol fuels could damage millions of forestry, lawn and garden, and other small engine products currently housed in consumers’ garages, boat slips, warehouses or being used by small businesses. Higher ethanol blends can cause performance irregularities and pose substantial safety and environmental hazards.

“The fact is that the use of E15 and higher levels of ethanol is a complex issue, and it can’t be rushed by efforts that overlook the impacts on consumer safety and economic interests,” said Kris Kiser, Executive Vice President at Outdoor Power Equipment Institute. “OPEI fully supports congressional efforts to increase the use of cellulosic fuels. We can design products to run on higher levels of ethanol.”

But, Kiser points out that existing small-engine equipment will likely experience performance irregularities and possible failure. Therefore the public’s awareness, education and safety should be at the forefront of any discussion of introducing new cellulosic fuel blends.

Added Kiser, “We need to acknowledge that current equipment — including boats, chainsaws, lawn mowers, snow mobiles, motorcycles, generators and other small engine equipment — may be permanently damaged and pose a safety risk if E15 fuel is used. Current equipment is neither designed, built or warrantied for mid-level blends.”

In a new report, independent environmental researcher Dr. Ron Sahu carefully critiques the DOE report that tested a small sample size of legacy vehicles and small non-road engines. DOE’s engine test results (but not the report’s summary) documents why the current push to E15 for existing equipment is not in consumers’ or the environment’s best interest:

• Engine exhaust temperatures rose to an extent that may cause premature engine and equipment failure,
• Safety hazards dramatically increased due to unintentional clutch engagement caused by high idle speeds,
• Products were damaged to the point they could no longer operate, and
• Numerous adverse operational issues arose – such as erratic engine and equipment operation, stalling of engines, and dramatic power reduction.

“The DOE study shows that of the 28 engines tested, all 28 had some significant problems with higher ethanol blends that the machines were not designed to operate on,” added Kiser.

OPEI will be submitting a letter to the EPA and DOE urging both agencies to utilize the existing formal waiver process. The process will provide the necessary studies and data to fully understand effects of introducing new fuel types into the marketplace. The studies also will provide information necessary to educate consumers about the use of mid-level ethanol fuels on existing and future products.

“OPEI is not anti-ethanol,” insisted Kiser.” We support congressional efforts to get the U.S. off foreign sources of oil. But, we will not put people’s safety at risk in the process.”

Kiser agrees that given adequate lead-time, outdoor power equipment manufacturers can and will build future products to run on higher than E10, “but we can’t put our customers safety and the economic environment at risk by putting higher blends into current equipment that simply aren’t built to run under those conditions,” noted Kiser.

Kiser also expressed concern that “current equipment on the market is designed to run on E0 to E10 fuel in order to meet EPA emissions and evaporative requirements. Changing the legal fuel may change the emissions profile, making it non-compliant.”

To read OPEI’s own study of the DOE testing report, click here.

About OPEI
OPEI is an international trade association representing the $15 billion landscape, forestry, utility and lawn and garden equipment manufacturing industry. OPEI is committed to ongoing efforts to ensure consumer safety and access to outdoor power equipment in order to maintain and enhance outdoor landscapes. OPEI works with federal, state and local groups to ensure that equipment operates efficiently, safely and is fully emission compliant. OPEI is a recognized Standards Development Organization for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and active internationally through the International Standards Organization (ISO) in the development of safety standards.