Ethanol actually hurts sportsmen.

• Position: SPORTS

Byline: Mark Blazis

COLUMN: OUTDOORS

More ethanol, more problems.

We don't get something for nothing, though certain interests try to make us believe that. Working in the Amazon several times each year, I see the ceaseless conversion of rainforest to enormous bio-fuel fields, particularly sugar cane, all being done at great cost. The irony is that these once-pristine, wildlife-rich areas have been leveled to make ethanol for our vehicles, supposedly to help the environment.

There's something fundamentally wrong with that. Ethanol may have political and economic benefits, but it's counterproductive to the environment when it destroys it.

Ethanol may be helping big-money interests, but it's hurting some local sportsmen, too. And there's a plan to add more ethanol to our fuel beyond the current 10 percent level. This would affect many local boaters and users of other all-gas-powered vehicles and equipment, as well. It would also destroy more rain forest, divert food-corn to fuel-corn and drive up cereal, bread, meat and other food prices. Owners of lawn mowers, chain saws, leaf-blowers, all-terrain vehicles, generators and boats also need to be concerned about repair and replacement costs that may result from using higher levels of ethanol.

Politically, adding more ethanol was a convincing argument. It added to our nation's fuel supply by 10 percent and was a response to Middle East oil forces.

One problem for boaters, though, is that ethanol is a solvent. This addition, seemingly minor, has damaged many boats' fuel systems, including gas tanks, fuel lines, and seals, in some cases causing total engine failures. Ethanol has proven costly to many boaters.

Storage of higher ethanol fuel is also a potential problem. After several months, the fuel can attract moisture. Most cars won't have a problem with this if owners regularly fill their tanks, but smaller engines such as emergency generators, run the risk of not starting.

The U.S. Coast Guard's Office of Boating Safety is also concerned about the deterioration of fuel system components, ethanol's effect on clean air devices, and the risk of fires and explosions on recreational boats.

Before we add any more ethanol to our fuel, we need to evaluate all the peripheral costs that are not initially apparent. Some advocates of ethanol suggest we have two different blends at the pumps to compensate for various gas engines that might not work well with the proposed higher blends. That solution could be...