BoatUS delivers anti-ethanol message with 24,000 signatures to EPA

The Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has delivered over 24,000 comments from recreational boaters to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to urge the agency to stop adding more ethanol to the nation’s petrol supply.

BoatUS had asked the boating public to add their voice to a proposal to increase the amount of ethanol to be blended into the nation’s gasoline supply for 2017.

The proposed ethanol blending levels would see the introduction of E15, or petrol with a 15% ethanol content, into the US fuel market.

“A sticker on the pump mixed in with all the other labels may be the only warning for E15 petrol” said BoatUS president Margaret Podlich.

The association says most marine engines are built to only work with up to 10% ethanol and that it is illegal to use petrol containing more than 10% ethanol in any marine engine.

The national boating advocacy, services, and safety group has voiced its concern for the potential for misfuelling, which could put boaters at risk by using fuel that will damage their engines.