News
ACE applauds proposed ethanol rule, label changes
The American Coalition for Ethanol is applauding the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed changes to E15 labeling at the pump and equipment compatibility rules.
ACE Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty said the bright orange label and description for E15 was discouraging drivers from choosing it.
“People look at it and wonder why it’s different and are hesitant to use it,” he said. “So, when E15 came out, it had this big orange label that the put on it and people thought they couldn’t use it. Also, when they saw the ‘E’ in E15, they assumed it was the same as E85 and that that was only for flex fuel vehicles.”
The new labeling would put E15 in line with other unleaded fuels. Lamberty tells Brownfield the EPA’s proposed changes to equipment compatibility rules will make it easier for stations to carry the fuel as an option.
“Most of the equipment that is underground, and that’s what EPA regulates, most of the tanks and lines and all of the stuff that’s underground right now is already compatible,” Lamberty said.
He calls the need for infrastructure changes to be able to pump E15 a ghost story. Lamberty said the new rules would make it easier for stations to prove their tanks are compatible with ethanol.
Start thinking about a more important existential threat to ag – the loss of natural gas for Haber-Bosch extraction of N from the atmosphere for ammonia fertilizer. “Farmers need to lend N to city folks, but then get it back.”