The Ethanol Papers - Paperturn manuscript - Flipbook - Page 343
are problems. Let's face it, engine damage is the crux of the story; it is, in
fact, the salient part of the entire denigration effort by the oil industry and
anyone associated with them to stop ethanol: The (false) claim that ethanol damages engines.
“RFA didn't issue a warning that consumers shouldn't use ethanol as an
engine fuel and then cite a storage tank issue as the reason. The storage
issue has absolutely no bearing on ethanol's capability as an engine fuel.
AAA took the RFA warning out of context and made a leap that should
never have been made. It would be like someone using the warning that's
printed on plastic bags (the suffocation warning) to claim that carrying
groceries in the bag makes the items being carried dangerous to eat. One
thing has absolutely nothing to do with the other. It is entirely possible
that a fuel can be the safest, most efficient, and economical fuel to use in
an engine but requires some degree of care when storing. Would AAA
recommend that people stop drinking milk because if it's not refrigerated
it could render a person seriously ill?
“As I pointed out previously, gasoline also requires care when storing,
and is far more dangerous than alcohol. Why not issue a recommendation
that all gasoline sales be suspended until the explosion/fire/storage/pollution problems related to gasoline are solved? If AAA or Mr. Darbelnet
were so unclear as to the issues regarding ethanol underground storage
that you can't respond to my question, then it should never have been
included in the story, regardless of whether ethanol damages engines or
not. If AAA is objective on the overall issue of ethanol versus gasoline, as
is alluded to in the editorial, then a big mistake was made.”
Michael Green’s reply was:
“Our engineers will take a look at your questions and I appreciate your
feedback. I must say that your very strong advocacy of E15 seems uncharacteristic of an independent news source.
“Our main concern from the beginning is regarding consumer warranties.
Nearly every automaker is on record saying that your car’s warranty will
be voided if you use E15. This is of serious concern to AAA and should
be of concern to anyone that owns a car. AAA believes that ethanolblended fuels have the potential to provide motorists a clear choice at the
pump that supports jobs, promotes energy independence, and reduces
