[Ducati] Proposed Increased Ethanol Levels in Gasoline

[mike major]

I just returned from a family visit in south eastern Montana and ethanol was
a hot topic there.  Most seem to agree that it is good for the farmer in the
short turn but my relatives are very wary of getting too dependant on it as
they believe it will turn out, like most of the other Ag. panaceas that made
a lot of money for the first people in but the late arrivals get the shaft.
There are boosters trying to get an ethanol plant built in just about every
community but the possibility that corn based ethanol will be replaced by
something better in the future indicates a need for caution.  Later,
Moonbeam



On 7/3/07, Veloce916 at aol.com <Veloce916 at aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> July 3, 2007
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> >From the AMA:
>
>
> AMA Concerned About  Proposed Increased Ethanol Levels in Gasoline
>
> The American Motorcyclist Association has expressed concern  about
> unanticipated consequences of proposals that might allow gas  stations to
> increase the
> level of ethanol in the fuel they sell.
> Currently, pump gasoline in the United States can contain up  to 10
> percent
> ethanol, which is used to increase octane, reduce carbon  monoxide
> emissions
> and provide an alternative to petroleum-based fuels.
> But now, the state of Minnesota is seeking permission from the  U.S.
> Environmental Protection Agency to allow the sale of fuel that  includes
> 20 percent
> ethanol. And that has led to concerns about the  effects on motorcycle
> engines,
> which manufacturers say are only certified  to run on fuels containing the
> current 10 percent blend.
> The difference could be significant, since burning ethanol  creates more
> heat
> than conventional gasoline, which has the potential to  damage air-cooled
> motorcycle engines. In addition, fuel systems on bikes  may be susceptible
> to
> corrosive effects of higher concentrations of  ethanol in gas. And while
> ethanol
> helps reduce carbon monoxide levels in  engine exhaust, it can also
> increase
> the levels of oxides of nitrogen, one  of the components of smog.
> "The AMA supports the use of cleaner-burning fuels, but we are  concerned
> about premature engine damage or failure while a bike is being  ridden on
> a
> highway if the allowable level of ethanol is raised to 20  percent," said
> Imre
> Szauter, AMA legislative affairs specialist. "We are  also concerned about
> any
> degradation in performance, fuel economy and  rideability that may result
> from
> the long-term use of blended fuels with  greater than 10 percent ethanol."
> The proposal currently under consideration comes from  Minnesota, but the
> AMA
> notes that an EPA waiver would open the door to the  sale of 20 percent
> ethanol blends across the country, without any  evaluation of the
> long-term
> consequences. With the limited number of  choices at gas stations, that
> could force
> out existing blends and leave  some riders without a suitable fuel choice
> for
> their vehicles.
> "Until studies show that a 20 percent ethanol blend won't  damage
> motorcycle
> or ATV engines, and won't make motorcycles emit more  nitrogen oxides than
> are
> allowed by the EPA, the AMA can't support the  Minnesota proposal,"
> Szauter
> said.
> The AMA is a member of AllSAFE, the Alliance for a Safe  Alternative Fuels
> Environment, a group formed to ensure that new bio-based  fuels such as
> ethanol
> are promoted in a thoughtful manner. AllSAFE is made  up of associations
> that
> represent consumer and commercial users of ethanol  blends, manufacturers
> of
> boats, vehicles, engines and equipment, and  retailers who sell gasoline
> and
> ethanol-fuel blends.
> For more information on ethanol-fuel blends, go to _www.allsafe-fuel.org_
> (
> http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=wzwx9bcab.0.psly9bcab.vw9ldxbab.28131&ts=S0256&p=http://w
> ww.allsafe-fuel.org/) .
>
>
>
>
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