Ethanol fight gets revved up

Critics say increasing percentage of additive can cause equipment to malfunction and destroy engines

Picture a chain saw calmly idling. But then its blade suddenly starts spinning on its own, as if someone had goosed the throttle.

The power equipment industry warns that such a scenario could happen if the federal government agrees to increase the percentage of ethanol mixed into gasoline. Upping the ethanol content would add more oxygen to the fuel, causing the engine to idle at a higher speed and literally fooling the chain saw into acting as though its clutch were engaged.

“For us, it’s principally a safety issue,” said Kris Kiser, executive vice president of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute. “We make bladed and clutch equipment that is inherently dangerous.”

Wednesday a coalition backed by the power equipment, petroleum, boating and automobile industries voiced concerns to the Senate Clean Air and Nuclear Safety subcommittee that a higher ethanol mix could destroy engines and void warranties on vehicles designed for a 10 percent ethanol blend.

Chicago Tribune