Is the EPA’s ethanol requirement a bad move?

Aug. 1, 2013

Do you see ethanol-related damage on the vehicles you repair? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants more ethanol in the nation’s fuel supply. The U.S. Supreme Court is backing the EPA.

The EPA has mandated that ethanol usage in fuel increase to almost14 billion gallons in 2013. It was nine billion gallons in 2008. The mandate is part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which was expanded by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

Many tire dealers may be seeing the effects of ethanol in fuel already. In addition to causing corrosion on engine parts, ethanol in engines can cause heat damage and dissolve plastics and rubber.

What can individual states do to oppose the EPA’s mandate? What states are taking action? And what does the Specialty Equipment Market Association have to say about the issue?

Find out by reading Modern Tire Dealer Senior Editor Bob Bissler’s blog, Is the EPA off base with its ethanol fuel mandate?

Do you see ethanol damage in your repair facility? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment!

To learn more, see Trending at the pump: ethanol gas and auto repairs.