Pickerington,
OH - A bill requiring the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stop the use of E15 fuel until the
gasoline-ethanol blend is studied further has been introduced in Congress, the
American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports.
U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) introduced the bill, H.R. 875, on Feb. 28. The
measure would repeal the EPA's waiver decision approving the use of E15 and
would bar the agency from granting further decisions on the use of the fuel
until the EPA obtains an independent scientific analysis of the effects of the
E15 blend.
E15 is a gasoline formulation that contains up to 15 percent ethanol by volume,
and the EPA hasn't approved its use in motorcycles or all-terrain vehicles. The
EPA has approved its use in 2001-and-newer light-duty vehicles, which include
cars, light-duty trucks and medium-duty passenger vehicles.
The AMA has repeatedly expressed concerns to government officials and federal
lawmakers about possible damage to motorcycle and ATV engines caused by the
inadvertent use of E15 when the new fuel becomes widely available. The AMA
wants motorcycles and ATVs to be part of any scientific study on the effects of
E15.
Sensenbrenner said there have been several tests highlighting E15's harmful
effects on engines "but they have all been dismissed by the EPA.
"Therefore, we must force the EPA to stop the use of E15 fuel until the serious
safety, durability, performance and environmental concerns have been addressed,"
he said. "Throughout the 112th Congress, I introduced several bills to address
the risks associated with E15. And earlier this week witnesses from AAA, the
American Motorcyclist Association and the Coordinating Research Council all
testified to the Science, Space and Technology Committee that more testing is
needed.
"We have a responsibility to ensure that Americans using gas-powered machinery-whether
it be cars and boats or chainsaws and lawnmowers-are not put at risk due to
faulty fuel that has not been adequately vetted," Sensenbrenner said.
