The Agricultural Act of 2014 signed into law by President Barack Obama today, Feb. 7, 2014, contains a provision that helps deter distribution of E15 fuels into the U.S. marketplace.
The American Motorcyclist Association considers this farm-bill provision a major victory for the owners and riders of the estimated 22 million motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles currently in operation.
Those vehicles could be damaged by the use of E15 fuel, a gasoline formulation that contains up to 15 percent ethanol by volume. Also, use of E15 can void owners’ vehicle warranties.
The Agricultural Act of 2014, which extends through 2018, prohibits the use of Rural Energy for America Program grant money to purchase and install ethanol blender pumps to dispense E15 at the retail level. Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack intended to use REAP funding to install 10,000 blender pumps by 2016.
"It is gratifying to see our efforts on behalf of U.S. motorcyclists and ATV riders achieve this level of success," said Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations. "We plan to continue to monitor the E15 issue, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to reduce the 2014 requirements under its Renewable Fuel Standard."
The AMA has worked since 2011 to prevent the distribution of E15 fuels, seeking independent scientific tests on their effect on motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle engines and fuel systems. After the introduction of E15 into the marketplace, the AMA fought its spread, because of concerns about inadvertent misfueling at blender pumps.
Although the EPA has approved E15 use in 2001-and-newer light-duty vehicles, which include cars, light-duty trucks and medium-duty passenger vehicles, the EPA has not approved its use in any motorcycles or ATVs.
More information on the AMA’s position on E15 may be found at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/rights/amafuelforthought.aspx.
