With E15 now available from June to Sept, The United States Coast Guard is warning boaters to use caution at the pump.
Michael Baron, a Recreational Boating Safety Specialist for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Ninth District, said E15 designates the amount of Ethanol in the fuel.
“It designates that there is a 15% mix of Ethanol in the gas,” Baron said. “There was an ordinance by the US (Environmental Protection Agency) that had prohibited the sale of E15 gas between June and September because E15 gives off more ground-level ozone.”
In an effort to lower gas costs, President Joe Biden has temporarily lifted the Clean Air Act ban on E15 for vehicles 2001 and newer.
While E15 is harmful to the environment in higher temperatures, Baron said boaters may not know they’ve filled their boats with E15 until it causes problems.
“They can’t handle this corrosive, it’s a more corrosive mix and so it’s dangerous to run it because it causes damages to the engine,” Baron said. “It causes it to run a lot hotter than it normally would.”
If E15 sits in a fuel system too long, Baron said it can break down components and cause gas leaks and fires.
When filling your boat at the pump, look for the orange warning label designating E15 gas.
“They should be looking for an orange label, OK, there will be an orange label that will say that this gas contains, you know, whatever percentage blend of Ethanol in this thing, and that’s supposed to be on the pumps,” Baron said.
