The use of E15 was approved by the EPA back in April, which meant it was only a matter of time before the selling of E15 was approved. That time has come.
Recently however, the EPA did admit that the use of E15 in older vehicles (model year 2001 and back) could cause costly damage to the engine. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute released a statement that E15 is indeed dangerous to vehicles older than model year 2001 and that it is also harmful to outdoor power equipment, boats and marine engines, and other non-road engine products.
Even though sale of E15 has been approved, don’t expect it to be available at gas stations in a timely fashion. It will probably take some time before the biofuel blend makes its way to gas stations across America.
“For the first time in American history, fuel used for some automobiles may no longer safe for any non-road products. It may, in fact, destroy or damage generators, chain saws, utility vehicles, lawn mowers, boats and marine engines, snowmobiles, motorcycles, ATVs, and more,” said Kris Kiser, President and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, one of the industry groups who have been sending warnings to the federal government about E15.