WASHINGTON As Memorial Day weekend approaches later this month and people start heading out to the beaches and on the water, the Renewable Fuels Association is launching an ad campaign today to correct misinformation regarding ethanol usage in marine engines. The campaign kicked off with a two-page ad in the latest issue of Marina Dock Age, which is delivered to nearly every marina in the United States. A copy of the ad can be found here. The campaign will also feature educational outreach and further ad placement in news outlets throughout the country. There has been a lot of misinformation perpetuated by biofuel opponents surrounding boating and ethanol, said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen. For nearly 30 years, 10 percent ethanol (E10) has been used in all types of marine engines and the fuel blend is approved for use by all major marine engine manufacturers, including Honda, Mercury Marine, Kawasaki and Johnson/Evinrude. As a bonus, ethanols higher octane ratings increase engine performance, in addition to it also being the lowest-cost, cleanest-burning fuel on the planet. E10 is safe for marine engines. Period. Any organizations that say otherwise are not telling the truth, Dinneen added. It is important to remember that while E10 is approved for use in all marine engines, higher ethanol blends, such as E15, are not. EPA has approved the use of E15 in all 2001 and later model year vehicles, but only for on-road vehicles. But as EPA requires E15 and higher ethanol blends to be clearly labeled at the pump, and mandates that E10 also be available at any station offering E15, boaters need not be concerned. Through more than four years of E15 sales, there has not been a single case of E15 misfueling in a marine engine. For more information on boating and ethanol, please check out this FAQ document that RFA has previously issued.
