EPA Acknowledges That Ethanol Damages Engines
PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency has publicly acknowledged that ethanol in
gasoline can damage internal combustion engines by increasing
exhaust
temperatures and indirectly causing component failures, the
American Motorcyclist Association reports.
The EPA statements are found in a rule proposal issued by the
Federal Trade Commission regarding a new label for pumps that
supply fuel blends high in ethanol.
According to the EPA, "[e]thanol impacts motor vehicles in two
primary ways. First ... ethanol enleans the [air/fuel] ratio
(increases the proportion of oxygen relative to hydrocarbons) which
can lead to increased exhaust gas temperatures and potentially
increase incremental deterioration of emission control hardware and
performance over time, possibly causing catalyst failure. Second,
ethanol can cause materials compatibility issues, which may lead to
other component failures.
"In motorcycles and nonroad products [using E15 and higher ethanol
blends], EPA raised engine-failure concerns from overheating."
These EPA statements, contained in the FTC document, back the
long-held position of the AMA.
"The American Motorcyclist Association has fought the distribution
of E15 fuel blends in an effort to protect motorcycle and
all-terrain vehicles from the damage that ethanol causes," said
Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations. "Now the
EPA acknowledges that ethanol itself is harmful to emissions
hardware and other components on all motor vehicles. It is time for
the federal government to pause, take a hard look at this product
and change its entire approach to ethanol in fuels."
E15 is a gasoline formulation that contains up to 15 percent
ethanol by volume.
None of the estimated 22 million motorcycles and ATVs currently in
operation can use fuels with blends higher than 10 percent ethanol.
Doing so could void the manufacturer's warranty, in addition to
causing damage to the vehicle.
The AMA applauded the EPA's decision in its proposed rule to roll
back the requirement for wider distribution and use of E15 under
its Renewable Fuel Standard.
The AMA also is concerned about the continued availability of E10
blends and E0 fuels -- gasoline with zero ethanol content -- if E15
is allowed to permeate the marketplace.
About the American Motorcyclist Association
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world's largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders' interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.
