The US Renewable Fuel Standard and repeal, reform: The Digest’s 5 Minute-Guide

Concerns about E15 ethanol

Robert L. Darbelnet, President and CEO, AAA

AAA is not opposed to ethanol and we have not opposed the RFS. We are very concerned with the way that one particular new ethanol blended fuel has been brought to market and is being sold to consumers: E15.
AAA believes that ethanol blended fuels have the potential to provide drivers with a welcome choice at the pump, which supports American jobs, promotes American energy independence and can save Americans money.

In our view, the first step for a new fuel being introduced to market is thorough and thoughtful testing of how it will impact consumers and their vehicles…Next, it is critical to implement consumer education efforts to ensure that the new product is only used as directed….Finally, it is vital for regulators to work closely with industry stakeholders to ensure that manufacturers support federally-approved fuels marketed as safe to consumers….E15 has been introduced into the market without the successful completion of any of these necessary steps.

Supporters of E15 rightly note that the Department of Energy (DOE) rigorously tested the fuel for exhaust emissions and components…It was however neither the rigor nor the duration of this testing that fell short, it was the scope of impact that these tests were designed to capture. After reviewing this research, along with other studies that have been conducted, AAA’s automotive experts have concerns about reduced engine life and fuel pump failure from E15 use — factors that DOE testing was not structured to measure.
AAA would support E15 gasoline coming to market, but only following complete and conclusive testing demonstrating it was safe for approved vehicles and once necessary consumer awareness and protections were put in place.

AAA found that more than 95% of consumers have not heard of E15. In the best of circumstances, when filling up at a pump that dispenses the fuel, motorists have only a 3 and 5⁄8 inches wide by 3 and 1⁄8 inches high label (attached) to warn that they may be using a new product not designed for use in their vehicle. As AAA noted in our public comments submitted to the EPA in 2011, this label alone is insufficient. It is easily overlooked by motorists among the other stickers and signage on the pump and the final version is a watered-down and less attention-grabbing version of the initial label proposed by the EPA. The risk is only more alarming considering a recent survey referenced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association that found 35 percent of the current registered sellers of E15— six of the then 18 registered program sites — had not even bothered to label the pump at all.

In today’s Digest — RFS impact on the food sector; diversifying the fuel supply; the real problems and immediate relief; and “a way forward?” – all by following the page links below.