In an effort to reduce carbon emissions from boats and automobiles, a number of states will soon pass legislation requiring gasoline to consist of a 10-percent ethanol additive (E10). While this is positive news for the environment, it does raise several concerns for boaters.

Ethanol is a solvent that doesn’t mix well with MTBE fuel in some tanks, resulting in a short shelf life. It also can potentially overburden filters, scour fuel systems, break down fiberglass fuel tanks and quickly absorb water from humidity. Boaters should take these side effects into consideration when making the switch from traditional fuel to the new E10 gas.

The Oregon State Marine Board details a list of precautions at www.oregon.gov/OSMB/news/E10.shtml boat owners should take when introducing E10 into their fuel tanks.