The extended waiver will cover both cars and trucks, but, as a concession to those opposing the higher ethanol fuel, it will not apply to motorcycles, heavy-duty vehicles or engines which are not used on the roads.
The official reason for the waiver not applying to these types of vehicles and engines is that the test results don't support the use of E15. The same tests, claims Charles Drevna, president of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association (NPRA) and one of the opponents of E15 large scale adoption, haven't managed to prove the worthiness of the fuel in cars and trucks either.
The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM) also expressed its disapproval of the waiver extension, saying that the EPA acted prematurely. AIAM has already taken the whole debate to court, asking for the E15 decision to be rejected, while the NRPA is asking the president himself to step in and overturn the decision.
“Before any new fuel is introduced into the marketplace for use in current vehicles and engines not warranted or certified for such fuel, we believe comprehensive, independent and objective scientific testing must be completed to show that the fuel will not increase air pollution, harm engines, or endanger consumers and that there are adequate protections to prevent misfueling,” said AIAM in a bitter statement.
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