Ethanol waiver following Harvey

Yesterday (August 31) the EPA issued a waiver allowing additional ethanol in gasoline as a result of the impacts on refining due to hurricane Harvey. The waiver effects 12 states in the southeast US and DC. I suggest anyone in those states who are concerned about the effect of ethanol on small engines should purchase sufficient gasoline to hold them over prior to the ethanol enriched gasoline getting to their areas.

 

Do you know which states? how much ethanol? ... or a link to the article?

 

Don't know how to respond to this. There are clear warnings on almost all motor vehicles not to use gas with a enthanol content higher than 10%. So who is responsible for damaged engines? Sounds like they're adding insult to injury. It's bad enough that the storm caused extensive damage, but now the powers that be say it's OK to add an element that can cause more damage to our cars.

 

Thanks for bringing this up. I did some looking, here's some links:

https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/fuel-waivers

EPA waives emission rules in 38 states amid fears of fuel shortages

So in summary, it looks like you could see up to E15 in the following areas: "all east coast states located in PADD 1 – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; all midwestern states located in PADD 2 - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wisconsin; and all Gulf coast states located in PADD 3 – Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas."

As I read it, it looks like they are still required to label the fuel appropriately, and can't just put E15 in the pure gas or E10 pump -- though we all know that what's supposed to happen and what does happen are two different things.

 

It said in the 2nd article that the pumps must clearly be labeled so nobody puts E15 in the wrong model year vehicle - what is the right model year? Everything I've read states that many of the manufactures will void the warranty if it's used in any of their vehicles other than flex fuel. E-15 is not to be used in my 2010 Jeep or my wife's 2016 Nissan, owner's manual states that it will void the warranty.

 

GM has had flex fuel engines for quite some time (since 2002) They can run up to E85. Here is a handy list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexib..._United_States