The Ethanol Papers - Paperturn manuscript - Flipbook - Page 342
routinely experience problems, what information do you have - other than
any oil-industry anti-ethanol biased research - that shows that E15 underground storage tanks experience problems that are greater and/or more
frequent than underground storage tanks that are used for diesel, E10
gasoline, E85, or gasoline that contains no ethanol?
“5. In addition, in regard to paragraph 8, how does this potential problem
relate to vehicle engine damage, and wouldn't it be fair to say that combining the two points is just an irrelevant red-herring warning?
“6. Does AAA agree with the overall level of warning that FOX News issued - which they based upon the AAA editorial - about E15, or did they
overstate your concerns?"
I did receive a reply shortly thereafter:
“Lauren Fix is neither an employee or spokesperson of AAA and her
views are independent of ours. We did not work with either Fox or her
prior to the interview. AAA’s views are expressly stated on our website.
“In regards to your specific questions, I have passed them along to our
engineering team to review. In regards to question four, I can say that the
warning regarding storage tanks was made by the Renewable Fuels Association to fuel retailers and was not from research conducted by AAA.
They would therefore be in the best position to say why they made that
recommendation.
In response to this reply, I then wrote:
“Thanks for your quick reply and clarification confirming that Lauren Fix
has no official relationship with AAA.
“While I look forward to receiving the AAA engineering team's comments,
I'm troubled by your response to my question #4 regarding the storage
tanks. You wrote, "...the warning regarding storage tanks was made by
the Renewable Fuels Association to fuel retailers and was not from research conducted by AAA. They would therefore be in the best position
to say why they made that recommendation." However, the AAA story
called for the suspension of the sale of E15 because you claim that it
damages the engines of most gasoline-powered vehicles, and you offered as part of the proof that the ethanol industry concedes that there
