AMA supports EPA delay on ethanol ruling

swadminJune 25, 2010

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) supports the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to delay its ruling on whether to allow the ethanol portion of blended gasoline to be increased from the current 10 percent to 15 percent, according to a statement from the AMA. On June 17, the EPA announced it would delay its decision on E15 gasoline until fall.

“This is encouraging news because much more research needs to be done to be sure that increased levels of ethanol in gasoline are beneficial, rather than damaging, to motorcycle engines and components,” Imre Szauter, AMA government affairs manager, said in the statement.

Growth Energy, an ethanol-lobbying group, asked the EPA in March 2009 to allow gasoline to contain up to 15 percent ethanol. The EPA had planned to issue a decision by December 2009 but then said a decision would come in mid-2010 before the most recent delay.

“The AMA supports the use of cleaner-burning fuels but we are concerned that, if the allowable level of ethanol is raised, it could result in premature engine damage or failure while a bike is being ridden on a highway,” Szauter said. “We are also concerned about any degradation in performance, fuel economy and rideability that may result from the long-term use of blended fuels with greater than 10 percent ethanol.”

The AMA is a member of AllSAFE, the Alliance for a Safe Alternative Fuels Environment, a group made up of associations that represent consumer and commercial users of ethanol blends, manufacturers of boats, vehicles, engines and equipment, and retailers who sell gasoline and ethanol-fuel blends.