WASHINGTON, June 4, 2013 – API filed a brief with the Supreme Court regarding EPA’s approval of a blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline (E15) that has been shown to damage millions of cars on the road today.

“E15 could leave millions of consumers with broken down cars and high repair bills,” said Bob Greco, API group downstream director. “It could also put motorists in harm’s way when vehicles break down in the middle of a busy highway. We are asking the Supreme Court to step in and protect consumers by striking down EPA’s dangerous E15 mandate before it’s too late.”

E15 can damage engines and cause vehicles that use it to break down—even vehicles that EPA has approved to use the fuel—according to Coordinating Research Council’s (CRC) testing (here and here). Auto manufacturers have said they will not honor warranties when E15 causes damage.

“Ethanol and other renewable fuels play an important role in our transportation fuel mix,” Greco said. “But we cannot allow a mandate for ethanol that exceeds what is safe for consumers. We call upon EPA to immediately finalize the 2013 ethanol mandate and also lower the 2014 ethanol mandate to protect consumers from the introduction of E15.”

Greco said that despite evidence of incompatibility problems with service station equipment and incomplete automobile testing, EPA approved E15 for 2001 model year and newer cars and light trucks. He said that API is part of a broad coalition of food, livestock, consumer, and environmental groups that have opposed EPA’s approval of E15.

API is a national trade association that represents all segments of America’s technology-driven oil and natural gas industry. Its more than 500 members – including large integrated companies, exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms – provide most of the nation’s energy. The industry also supports 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers $85 million a day in revenue to our government, and, since 2000, has invested over $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.