Update: The public comment period has been extended to July 20, 2009

A pro-ethanol lobbying organization called Growth Energy and 54 ethanol manufacturers recently submitted a formal petition to EPA requesting a waiver under the Clean Air Act to increase ethanol blend levels in gasoline up to 15 percent (E15) by volume. As is required by law, EPA on April 21 published a Notice for Comment in the Federal Register, beginning a 30-day public comment period that closes on May 21, 2009.  There is enormous political pressure on federal agencies to allow a high blend level despite well-known problems with mid-level ethanol gasoline. 

We are asking all interested parties to submit comments to EPA arguing that the waiver petition be denied.  Although NMMA has been working with EPA and DOE to initiate testing on marine engines and equipment and has formally submitted a test plan for our sector, there has been no testing to date by any federal agency on the impacts of mid-level ethanol blends on marine products.  As you all know, marine engines are designed and certified to run on not more than E10, the current legal allowable blend limit.  Increasing the limit will likely bring marine engines out of compliance with federal clear air laws, damage marine engines due to higher temperatures, pose safety risks to boaters and sportsmen and likely mean warranties will be voided.    

We ask you to support a science-first approach and urge EPA to deny the ethanol industry's E15 waiver request unless and until independent and comprehensive scientific testing is completed on a full range of marine engines and other products. 

In the coming days we will be developing a template for comments to EPA, and we would encourage your organizations to send comments directly to EPA.  In the meantime, we have set up a grassroots advocacy toolkit linked directly to EPA that you can use to send in comments. 

We encourage you to direct your members to the Take Action website here and submit comments: http://capwiz.com/nmma/home/.