AllSAFE supports go-slow approach to more ethanol blends at the pump
With a website that looks like it was made in about four minutes, the Alliance for a Safe Alternative Fuels Environment (AllSAFE) is continuing its mission to make ethanol pumps less confusing for people pumping gas. It's no surprise that filling your tank with E85 when you car is not flex-fuel capable is not a good idea, and AllSAFE is supporting the EPA's recent enforcement letter that addresses gas stations selling gasoline blended with more than 10 percent ethanol. AllSAFE's press release quotes the EPA as saying that gasoline blends higher than E10 "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." While AllSAFE is in favor of better labeling on gas station pumps, the release (available after the jump) also has a pretty strong anti-ethanol feel: AllSAFE spokesman Kris Kiser is quoted as saying, "The proliferation of ethanol blender pumps at retail outlets in some regions of the country pose potentially serious problems for consumers and manufacturers alike." Nonetheless, AllSAFE's position paper states that the group is in favor of more ethanol in the nation fuel supply.
[Source: AllSAFE]
PRESS RELEASE:
Alliance for a Safe Alternative Fuels Environment
Self-Directed Blender Ethanol Pumps Create Confusion; Consumers and Retailers Require Better Education, More Oversight, says AllSAFE
- AllSAFE members welcome EPA's recent enforcement letter addressing the need for proper labeling, potential harm from 'mid-level' ethanol in gasoline-only vehicles and engines -
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- 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
American Motorcyclist Association
Association of Marina Industries
Association of International Automobile Manufacturers
Boat Owners Association of the United States
Engine Manufacturers Association
Motorcycle Industry Council
National Association of Convenience Stores
National Marine Manufacturers Association
Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
Personal Watercraft Industry Association
Professional Landcare Network
Specialty Vehicle Institute of America
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Steven 10:56AM (9/08/2008)
One of my cars is a 1995 Grand Am...I have been using nothing but E20 available at a local station here for almost 2 full years. This vehicle is way outside of any warranty, and has 128,000 miles. I get great fuel economy with the E20 and have not harmed this old vehicle in any way. when are they going to cease this ridiculous propaganda in regards to ethanol, it is absolutely ridiculous this type of stance regarding blends above 10%
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Whopper 1:33PM (9/08/2008)
One vehicle does not a scientific experiment make. Further, unless you are testing the vehicle for emission compliance, you don't know if it has been unaffected.
While your Grand Am is fuel injected, my 2002 Harley is carbureted; ethanol caused the molded plastic float to soften and made the engine run rich. An old style brass float solved the problem and I replaced the fuel lines as a precaution.
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Nixon 2:30PM (9/08/2008)
I think this group is looking out for the best interests of the future of Ethanol by getting these stronger warnings posted.
While it is fine that Steven runs his Grand Am on E20, the minute he has the slightest problem with his Grand Am and posts the problem on the net, it will be linked to by anti-ethanol activists. Even if the problem isn't related at all to running ethanol, it will be used as a scare tactic against Ethanol in general. I personally run about an E34 mix in my car, but I no longer discuss any details about it in public or on the internet. Because every time I talk about it, a gaggle of anti-ethanol idiots all chime in.
I think this group is trying to avoid this sort of anti-ethanol backlash that crops up every time folks talk about using ethanol in non-FFV's, from harming the reputation of using ethanol in FFV's.
The future for ethanol truly does lie in FFV's, and not in home brews. Especially in turbo FFV's, like the ones Volvo and Saab sell in Europe, but not here in the US. The use of ethanol home-brews in non-FFV's just increases the anti-ethanol noise out there, and I think this group understands that and this is their proposed solution.
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SteveCT 2:40PM (9/08/2008)
Ethanol isn't a solution, and just because it doesn't destroy our engines doesn't change the basic facts. Ethanol from food is simply wasteful, and cellulosic ethanol depletes our soil. Neither is environmentally friendly in the least.
The sooner we stop wasting our money on this utterly useless idea, the better. AllSAFE's efforts would be better spent trying to encourage EV quick-charging stations and ensuring that these have adequate safeguards.
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Paul 9:15AM (11/21/2008)
I run E-50 in 2 of my out of warranty cars with smoother running. Lower mileage, but it is cheaper and the cash goes to a farmer owned ethanol plant and not to foreign dictators who hate Americans . If you eat any non organic food you are guilty of everything that is "wrong" with ethanol. The food vs. fuel is gas company propaganda and the argument is a joke if you know anything about ethanol that you didn't learn from internet news stories. And why would people rather use coal to power their electric cars? Biggest pusher of electric cars are nuclear and coal power companies.
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