KENNESAW, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) and Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21), members of the Congressional Boating Caucus, introduced the Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2018 on May 16. The bipartisan legislation would more clearly label harmful and corrosive E15 ethanol blended gasoline at pumps across the country, which would better protect engines in boats, motorcycles, pre-2001 model year vehicles and outdoor power equipment.
“Many consumers assume that all products sold at gas stations are safe for use, which is not the case when it comes to fueling marine engines with E15 fuel,” said Martin Peters, Senior Manager, Government Relations, Yamaha Marine Group. “We are extremely thankful to Congressman Scott for his leadership on this issue, and we appreciate Congresswoman Frankel’s support in the effort to help prevent 141 million recreational boaters from fueling their boats with an unsafe fuel.”
The Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2018 would require more detailed labeling of gas pumps that dispense E15 fuel, or fuel with a 15 percent ethanol, 85 percent gasoline blend. E15 fuel has been determined to not be suitable for small engines in outdoor equipment and non-road products as E15 can cause corrosion, reduced fuel storage, and less engine lubrication resulting in engines to overheat. Examples of impacted equipment include items such as lawn mowers, weed eaters, generators, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicle (ATVs), and boats, among others. E15 can also cause issues for vehicles, especially those produced before 2001.
“As we are presented with more choices at the gas pump, it is imperative that American consumers know exactly what kind of fuel they are putting into their engines,” said Congressman Scott. “Gas pumps today are riddled with confusing labels that fail to adequately warn consumers of the dangers of fueling small engine equipment with E15. For this reason, with the support of Congresswoman Frankel, I introduced the Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2018. By making fuel pump labels easier to decipher and coordinating public education programs, this legislation can save consumers time and energy at the pumps and avoid headaches and costs down the road.”
Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and around the world. Yamaha Marine Group, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,000 U.S. dealers and boat builders with marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard brand to have earned NMMA®’s Customer Satisfaction Index (C.S.I.) Award every year since its inception. Visit YamahaOutboards.com.
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