AAA, EPA, GM trade barbs over ethanol
AAA, EPA, GM trade barbs over ethanol
Maybe it’s holiday stress, maybe it’s seasonal affective disorder, or maybe it’s just that the American Automobile Association is still really bitter that it lost on this issue in court in August.
AAA released a statement today calling for federal regulators to stop the sale of fuel that contains more than 10 percent ethanol. EPA-approved E15 — a mix of 85 percent gasoline and 15 percent ethanol — is supposed to only be used in vehicles made after 2000, but AAA says that it might still cause damage that warranties won’t cover, and that 95 percent of people don’t even know what E15 is.
The EPA was all, We’re trying! We’re making stickers!
General Motors called the EPA “irresponsible” (hee) and AAA “eloquent” (haa).
Then the Renewable Fuels Association was all:
If AAA weren’t so deep in the Big Oil politics, they would stop manufacturing concern about the efficacy of ethanol blend use and report enthusiastically about ethanol’s consumer gasoline price savings. Their misplaced concern today, that E15 should be further tested before being offered for sale reflects a pathetic ignorance of EPA’s unprecedented test program before approving E15 for commercial use. The fact is E15 has been the most aggressively and comprehensively tested fuel in the history of the Agency. The miles driven on E15 equate to 12 round trips to the moon and back without a single failure, unless you want to count the deer that was killed on the test track!
Considering that only about 10 stations in the country offer E15 and others aren’t jumping at the opportunity, maybe AAA will quit spinning its wheels on this issue soon. Just think of all the fuel it’s wasting …
Susie Cagle writes and draws news for Grist. She also writes and draws tweets for
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