In a point/counterpoint piece in Saturday's Argus Leader, EWG Midwest vice-president Craig Cox faced off against the Renewable Fuels Association's Bob Dineen.

Wrong for consumers, engines and environment

Craig Cox • July 25, 2009

Despite lavish subsidies and mandates to use ethanol, the corn ethanol industry wants more government help.

Its powerful Washington lobby is pulling every lever it can find to persuade the Environmental Protection Agency or Congress to increase the maximum amount of ethanol permitted in gasoline from 10 percent to 15 percent.

This change would vastly expand the market for corn ethanol, but is a lose-lose proposition for consumers.

Fact is ethanol blends reduce gas mileage. A 2009 Department of Energy study found that E15 lowered gas mileage by a whopping 5 percent.

Worse yet, higher ethanol blends can impair engine performance.

It's also well established that burning E15 can seriously damage small and off-road engines such as those in snowmobiles, outboard motors, lawn mowers and chain saws. That's why the Engine Manufacturer's Association, Boat Owners Association of the United States, International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, Outdoor Power Equipment Institute and National Marine Manufacturers Association all oppose the move to E15.

These organizations cite a string of studies documenting the threat E15 poses to operators of recreational and motor vehicle engines, from snowmobilers in the Black Hills to walleye fisherman on Lake Oahe.

But all of us who drive cars and trucks could have problems, too.

Virginia authorities have logged more than 500 complaints this summer from drivers who have experienced engine problems after inadvertently pumping higher ethanol blends into their vehicles. Moreover, higher ethanol blends worsen air pollution by accelerating the breakdown of catalytic converters.

The corn ethanol industry must answer two questions:

-- Why is the ethanol industry so intent on short-circuiting Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency scientific tests that aim to quantify the extent to which higher ethanol blends will contribute to engine damage and air pollution?

-- Who will pay when high ethanol blends damage engines?

The ethanol industry claims there's no need for more testing because existing studies prove that E15 is safe. The truth is, the great majority of scientific studies - including a major DOE report - contain considerable evidence that it's not.

The ethanol industry appears to be unwilling to step up to the plate and accept at least some responsibility for taking care of its customers when their cars, trucks, boats or snowmobiles break down because of damage inflicted by E15.

It appears that consumers, in these tough economic times, will be stuck with bills to repair damaged engines so they can drive to a second job or take a break from their busy work weeks to go boating, fishing or snowmobiling.

If we need more research to satisfy questions about the extent to which higher ethanol blends will damage engines and pollute the air, let's get on with it. In the meantime, Americans should just say no to E15.