HARRISBURG, Pa. (Aug. 13, 2015) — Legislation to remove the requirement that gasoline offered for sale in Pennsylvania contain a percentage of ethanol was approved on a 23–3 vote by the state House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is urging its members to “contact all House members to request support for H.B. 471,” which is advancing onto the House floor for debate.
Currently, the state requires that “all gasoline sold or offered for sale to ultimate consumers in this Commonwealth must contain at least 10 percent cellulosic ethanol by volume,…” according to SEMA, which said that after a stop in the Appropriations Committee, the bill will then be considered in a vote by all House members.
H.B. 471 recognizes that ethanol fuels cause problems with fuel pumps and fuel gauges, as well as other engine performance issues, especially over a period of time when the vehicle is not used, SEMA said. The association has long cited the inherent problems caused by ethanol use and has campaigned against it.
Current high performance specialty parts along with pre-model year 2001 cars and parts may be most susceptible to corrosion, according to the Diamond Bar, Calif.-based trade group, which added that the House bill also “acknowledges that ethanol has been shown to decrease fuel mileage.”
It also noted that the legislation “recognizes that the life span of vehicles and equipment can be dramatically reduced with the wrong fuel and that owners could be confronted with break downs. Anti-corrosion additives are available for each purchase of gasoline but can become expensive, burdensome and require consumer education.”