Ben's Boat Repair

Ethanol- Why you should care

 

Teresa Porter, Shop Manager

 

     For ten years now, I’ve been hearing about corn ethanol and biofuels, and how important they are to our country’s energy security and independence. For the past five years, I’ve been seeing the damage firsthand. You see, as the Shop Manager, I’m the one tasked with handing you pistons that have holes in them and explaining how an eight-year-old government mandate put them there. Most people don’t understand the connection between K Street and Main Street, so I’ll simplify it as much as possible.
    K Street, located in Washington, D.C., is the primary source of the evil cancer that has turned our democracy into an oligarchy. It is home to thousands of lobbyists paid big bucks to convince your Congressman to vote a certain way on certain bills. Sure, there are good groups, but the bad far outnumber the good. The secondary source of this cancer is voter apathy, a lack of constituent participation in government, and misinformed voters. There are an average of 23 lobbyists for every elected official on the hill. These lobbyists use campaign dollars to persuade your elected official to vote certain ways on certain bills. If your representative never hears from you, how can they represent you? And if you keep re-electing the puppets, they will never learn that 600,000 constituents are more important than the corporation that bought them a TV ad a few weeks before the election.
    You see, back in 2007, Rep. Nick Rahall and 198 cosponsors introduced the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). It passed the House in January 2007. It was introduced to the Senate in June, kicked around, combined with other bills, and then kicked between the House and Senate for a few months before becoming part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Bush signed it just before Christmas in 2007.  The RFS was supposed to increase the production of clean renewable fuels and lower energy costs to consumers. It was 822 pages of yawn, but most people might remember it as the bill that changed our light bulbs (temporarily). Well, it also changed our gas with a mandate that required a “gradual” increase in ethanol content through 2022.
    So far, we’ve been pretty fortunate. Although the US currently has the production capacity, there is a lack of commercially viable biorefineries available. This is why we’re still running E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gas) and not E15 (15% ethanol, 85% gas) or E20. E15 has made it to some gas stations in the north, but so far the results have been very damaging for old cars, outdoor power equipment, and especially boats. Even some newer cars (non-flex fuel) have seen serious engine damage. Many auto manufacturers and boat manufacturers have produced warnings to consumers that use of E15 will void their warranty. Boat manufacturers have designed newer engines with internal components that will better withstand the abuses of E10, but E15 is just too much.
    So, why is E10 eating your engine and your wallet? Ethanol is grain alcohol. It burns hotter and leaner, it’s more corrosive, emits more nitrous oxide and formaldehyde, damages tanks, pumps, rubber and plastic system components, has a lower fuel mileage, and is hygroscopic. A lot of boaters still don’t use fuel stabilizers, they don’t have fuel/water separators, and they typically don’t top off at the end of the day. The more surface area of the inside of the fuel tank that is exposed, the more moisture can grow. The result is an excessive amount of water that causes stalling, rough idle, hesitation, even vapor lock and hydrolock. The longer the boat sits, the greater the risk of phase separation. There is nothing in the world that can reverse the effects of water contamination or phase separation. The only thing you can do is pump it out and start over with fresh gas.
    Phase separated fuel has layers of what can best be described as goo, water, and gas. The goo and water are sucked up by the pickup tube in the tank and delivered through the fuel system. If you’d like to see pictures, there are a few here. The result is all the little passages in the carburetor getting clogged up and causing driveability issues.
    So, what can you do to slow the inevitable? Using ethanol-free gas is the best way, but it’s hard to find. According to buyrealgas.com, the closest place to buy ethanol-free gas is at the Lone Star Marina on the other side of Corsicana. You can also use fuel stabilizers, and there are aftermarket kits available to install fuel/water separators. You can also get involved politically.
    Currently, there are three pieces of legislation that aim to slow or reform the RFS. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (VA) introduced House Bill 704, the RFS Reform Act of 2015, in February. It was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and then referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power. The bill currently has 55 cosponsors, including several from Texas. Representative Bill Flores (our guy) isn’t one of them, but he is a member of the subcommittee, along with fellow Texans Vice Chair Pete Olson, Joe Barton, and Gene Green. The Chair of the Subcommittee is Ed Whitfield (KY). There are two Senate bills, 577 and 934. Senate Bill 577, the Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2015, was introduced by Sen. Pat Toomey (PA) in February, then referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. The bill currently has three cosponsors. Senate Bill 934, the Phantom Fuel Reform Act, was introduced by Sen. Jeff Flake (AZ) in April, and then referred to the same committee. This bill currently has one cosponsor. Majority Chair Jim Inhofe (OK) and Minority Ranking Member Barbara Boxer (CA) both chair the Senate Committee on Environmental and Public Works.
    The National Marine Manufacturers Association held its annual American Boating Congress this past May. The organizers declared “Mission Accomplished” and say they made “significant strides”, but two months after the conclusion of the three-day event, these bills have made no progress. Only four cosponsors signed onto 704 after the event. No additional cosponsors have signed onto the Senate bills.
    You can find contact information at house.gov, senate.gov, an Android app called Congress, and at bensboatrepair.com. Or, if you’re not fond of the internet, come by the boat shop. I’ll be happy to help with addresses, stamps, envelopes, whatever you need.
“You can’t ignore politics, no matter how much you’d like to.” –Molly Ivins

 

(Submitted to West News July 2015)

 

Contact Info:

HOB- House Office Building; SOB- Senate Office Building

House: Washington, D.C. 20515, phone 202-225-xxxx

Senate: Washington, D.C. 20510, phone 202-224-xxxx

 

Rep. Bill Flores, 1030 Longworth HOB, phone 6105, @RepBillFlores

Rep. Pete Olson, 2133 Rayburn HOB, phone 5951,

Rep. Joe Barton, 2107 Rayburn HOB, phone 2002, @RepJoeBarton

Rep. Gene Green, 2470 Rayburn HOB, phone 1688,@RepGeneGreen - also a member of the Congressional Boating Caucus

Rep. Ed Whitfield, 2184 Rayburn HOB, phone 3115, @RepEdWhitfield

Sen. Jim Inhofe, 205 Russell SOB, phone 4721, @InhofePress

Sen. Barbara Boxer, 112 Hart SOB, phone 3553, @SenatorBoxer