At the end of November, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reversed its previous course and announced it had raised mandated ethanol volumes for 2017. The final ruling will require 15 billion gallons of conventional biofuel be mixed into the nation’s fuel supply — which is an increase from the 14.8 billion gallons that were first proposed in May.
The new 2017 standards coincide with levels Congress set in the 2007 Renewable Fuel Standard under the George W. Bush administration.
In a statement, NMMA president Thom Dammrich says that the EPA decision threatens the safety of millions of American boaters because it could produce fuel with levels of ethanol that are damaging to boat engines.
“EPA’s misguided decision not only denies the public choice at the pump to purchase ethanol-free fuels, but they are now increasing the spread of a dangerous, prohibited fuel blend that will cause damage to marine engines and raises serious safety concerns,” Dammrich says.
For more info on the 2017 fuel standards, visit epa.gov.
Ethanol Photo Courtesy of BoatU.S.
