VERY IMPORTANT "Ethanol" Mercury Marine

The U.S. boating industry needs your help in PREVENTING THE EPA FROM ALLOWING AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF ETHANOL in gasoline.
Act Now
On March 6th, 2009 a new pro-ethanol lobbying organization called Growth Energy aligned with 54 ethanol manafactures and formally requested that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allow an increase of ethanol blend levels in gasoline to 15 percent (E15) As is required by law, the EPA on April 21 published a Notice for Comment in the Federal Register, beginning a 30-day public comment period that will close May 21, 2009.
Failure to stop momentum at this stage will almost certainly cause all engine companies and thier suppliers to redesign and re-engineer product lineups at a time when all of us can least afford it.

IMPORTANT FACTS
. Marine engines have not been tested with ethanol blends above E-10
. Some marine engines have experienced issues using E10, and additional problems would certainly be anticipated with higher levels of ethanol blends.
. Let the data tell the story! Tell the EPA to deny the E15 waiver until adequate testing has been conducted.

GO TO HTTP://CAPWIZ.COM/NMMA/HOME/ TO QUICKLY AND EASILY SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO THE EPA, URGING THEM TO DENY THE E15 WAIVER.

Beat them at their own game
Ethanol advocates are mobilizing forces to submit 20,000 favorable comments to the EPA, requesting that the agency grant a waiver for E15.

There are 18 million boats currently in operation in the U.S., and none of them has been designed, certified or warrantied to run on anything above E10, the current maximum legal blend level.
Boaters know that increased ethanol blends will cause performance problems with their boats and engines, increase maintenance costs, potentially pose safety risks and increase air pollution.
And yet, neither EPA nor any other federal agency has performed a single test regarding the impacts of E15 on marine engines, fuel systems or components. Marine engines and fuels systems are not designed, calibrated or certified to run on anything above 10 percent ethanol. We ask you to support a science-first approach and urge the EPA to deny the ethanol industry's E15 Waiver request until independent and comprehensive scientific testing is completed on a full range of marine engines and other products.

Once again, go to http://capwiz.com/nmma/home/ to submit your comments to the EPA .

For more information, contact NMMA Legislative Director Mat Dun at mdun@nnmma.or or call (202) 737-9760

Mercury Marine joins the National Marine Manafactures Association in urging you to participate in this effort.

Typhoon Service center also stands behind Mercury Marine and the NMMA to help make sure E15 will not be used until further testing!

I have noticed a lot of gas stations near our lake now have signs proclaiming "no ethanol". And our local marina recently had his large tanks filled,but the driver made an error,he filled them with ethanol blend. Marina owner was furious,made him send another truck to pump the fuel out and refill with no ethanol.We have always put gas in our newly sold boats at the BP across the street,recently noticed each pump has a small sticker that says"contains ethanol",but doesn't say how much.Asked the mgr,she didn't know. I will probrably change where I buy gas for boats in the future.

I just voted.
May 2, 2009

[recipient address was inserted here]


Dear [recipient name was inserted here],

Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0211


I am writing to strongly urge EPA to deny the petition submitted on March 6, 2009 by Growth Energy and 54 ethanol manufacturers requesting a waiver under Clean Air Act Sec. 211(f)(4) to allow ethanol-gasoline blends containing up to 15 percent ethanol by volume (E15). There is insufficient data to justify approving any increase in the ethanol blend limit, particularly for marine engines and recreational vessels for which there has been literally no testing done by EPA or the Department of Energy regarding durability, performance concerns, or emissions concerns associated with higher ethanol blends.

It is well-known that for marine and other small gasoline-powered engines that are designed, calibrated, and certified to run on not more than E10, higher concentrations of ethanol in fuel pose serious problems, including
(1) Performance issues, such as drivability (i.e. starting, stalling, fuel vapor lock); (2) increased water absorption and phase separation of gasoline and water while in tank; (3) fuel tank corrosion, leading to oil/fuel leaks; (4) increased emissions, because the ignition of E15 creates a higher temperature than straight gasoline or E10; (5) damage to valves, push rods, rubber fuel lines and gaskets. All of these concerns raise significant safety issues with any increased ethanol blend, particularly for boaters who operate in harsh marine environments, often miles from shore.

EPA must thoroughly and comprehensively test recreational marine engines, fuel systems and components and demonstrate that E15 will not defeat marine engine air emissions devices, poses safety risks to boating consumers, bring engines out of warranty, or otherwise damage the more than 18 million recreational boats currently in operation in the United States prior to approving E15. To date, such testing has not been conducted, nor will it be conducted prior to the waiver deadline of December 31, 2009.

Additionally, EPA should not approve a "partial" or "conditional" waiver allowing E15 or other increased ethanol blends for only certain vehicles.
This will cause enormous consumer confusion, misfueling, and put consumers and their products at risk. There is clearly insufficient scientific and technical data to justify granting the Growth Energy petition at this time. Again, EPA should deny this waiver petition unless and until sufficient testing is completed, and until it is affirmatively demonstrated that higher ethanol blends will not damage marine engines, their air emissions devices, or pose safety risks to consumers.

Sincerely,


Frank Civitano
732-477-6157

just go to: http://capwiz.com/nmma/home/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Magicfloat

I have noticed a lot of gas stations near our lake now have signs proclaiming "no ethanol". And our local marina recently had his large tanks filled,but the driver made an error,he filled them with ethanol blend. Marina owner was furious,made him send another truck to pump the fuel out and refill with no ethanol.We have always put gas in our newly sold boats at the BP across the street,recently noticed each pump has a small sticker that says"contains ethanol",but doesn't say how much.Asked the mgr,she didn't know. I will probrably change where I buy gas for boats in the future.

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The gasoline has 10 percent ethanol. All gasoline is produced with ethanol since 2008 except Jet Fuel. If Marina's are claiming no ethanol I would like to know were they are getting it? I know out west they have a few law suits against ethanol for melting tanks, destroying paints jobs and eating anything plastic. Now our goverment wants to go 15% say so long to big HP engines that will be like a time bomb going off.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shanghied Again

The gasoline has 10 percent ethanol. All gasoline is produced with ethanol since 2008 except Jet Fuel. If Marina's are claiming no ethanol I would like to know were they are getting it? I know out west they have a few law suits against ethanol for melting tanks, destroying paints jobs and eating anything plastic. Now our goverment wants to go 15% say so long to big HP engines that will be like a time bomb going off.

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A few stations around here advertise "no ethanol", and thats where I fuel up.

I talked to my marina guy today.He can request no ethonol,his distribitor has plenty of both most of the time.He thought no ethonol was maybe one or 2 cents more a gallon,he wasn't sure,but he refuses to buy anything else.

My big question is what about all the autos that are not designed to run on 15% ethanol. Those that are for example are deemed flexfuel by GM. Those that are not have a specific label warning not to use 15% ethanol blended gas.

Perhaps this will open pandora's box and finally force the availablility of ethanol-free gas.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pachanga

My big question is what about all the autos that are not designed to run on 15% ethanol. Those that are for example are deemed flexfuel by GM. Those that are not have a specific label warning not to use 15% ethanol blended gas.

Perhaps this will open pandora's box and finally force the availablility of ethanol-free gas.

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Any car with old EFI or Carb is screwed, My Bike has to have its carb rebuilt again! and its only 2 years old. THe E10 is killing the floats and if you think Verado's are having problems now with their fuel pumps wait till E15 someone at EPA needs to go back to school and say water and oil dont mix? Well Ethanol is water based and gasoline is oil based "DA" Freekin Idiots. Gasohal didn't work in the 70s, well its almost the same crap and I do mean crap!

Frank, we service a LOT of gas injectors in my shop.... last week we got in 5 or 6 sets from outboards alone, 3 of those sets involved siezed or damaged powerheads as a result of the alky crap. Every single week I see engine lockup failures on outboards. It's getting that bad.

Also, I read the latest Boat US magazine today, May 2009 issue, very GOOD article about a lawsuit just allowed by a Fla judge against 5 BIG name oil farms,,, this is gonna get sticky, in Fla the suit is absolutely valid to the law and it looks like it's going to turn into a class action BIG deal. There is also a clear picture showing the separation properties that E10 has when it sits for a short while. The pic is alarming.... find the issue and read it.

Jim

I did my part and sent the letter to Mr Caldwell!!!!

Letter sent!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BUIZILLA

Frank, we service a LOT of gas injectors in my shop.... last week we got in 5 or 6 sets from outboards alone, 3 of those sets involved siezed or damaged powerheads as a result of the alky crap. Every single week I see engine lockup failures on outboards. It's getting that bad.

Also, I read the latest Boat US magazine today, May 2009 issue, very GOOD article about a lawsuit just allowed by a Fla judge against 5 BIG name oil farms,,, this is gonna get sticky, in Fla the suit is absolutely valid to the law and it looks like it's going to turn into a class action BIG deal. There is also a clear picture showing the separation properties that E10 has when it sits for a short while. The pic is alarming.... find the issue and read it.

Jim

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Jim. We have seen more fuel pump failures in Verado's this year at least 9 out of 10 and its all because of the E10 its destroying the plastic floats. We have pulled water out of tanks from separation. I have seen a couple of Optimax racing engines fail, One blew the whole side out! carbs floats are sticking, jets are clogging. My bike sat for a year, I had to empty the tank and have to rebuild the carbs!! And they want to go to E15! WOW. I guess we have to buy electric cars and sailboats

Letter sent