E15 Consumer Protection Bill Reintroduced

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Earlier this month, Representative Lois Frankel (D-FL-21) and Representative Austin Scott (R-GA-08), members of the Congressional Boating Caucus and advocates for the recreational boating industry, reintroduced bipartisan legislation to more clearly define and label fuel blended with more than 15 percent ethanol (E15) at pumps to protect consumers from using fuel that could damage a boat engine.

The National Marine Manufacturers Association is calling for industry support of the legislation.

The Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act addresses a policy priority for the recreational boating industry and would better protect engines negatively affected by E15—such as those in recreational boats—by clearly labeling E15 at the pump and warning consumers about the harmful impacts of using the wrong fuel.

E15 expansion in the marketplace has led to widespread misuse, resulting in compromised emissions controls, increased safety concerns, and financial burdens to consumers. E15 destroys engines in a wide range of commonly used consumer products, including recreational boats, yet most Americans are unaware that E15 poses a threat to their engines.

“With EPA once again expanding the availability of E15 during peak boating season, it is long past time for Congress to take action and protect consumers from the dangers of misfuelling,” said Callie Hoyt, director of federal government relations at the NMMA. “The destructive properties of E15 when used in boats, lawnmowers, generators, and other small engines remain the same, yet the majority of Americans are unaware, at no fault of their own. Thankfully, Representatives Scott and Frankel have spearheaded important legislation to clear up the misinformation around E15 and protect millions of American consumers at the pump.”

Take action on the industry’s grassroots platform, Boating United, and urge their members of Congress to support the bipartisan Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act.

For more, contact Callie Hoyt, NMMA’s director of federal government relations, at choyt@nmma.org.