The Domestic Fuels Act of 2012, a bipartisan bill introduced March 30 in both houses of Congress, includes a provision that would make it illegal for a retailer to be held responsible for damages that could occur as a result of misfueling by consumers, so long as the retailer has complied with the U.S. EPA’s misfueling regulations. The proposed legislation would protect retailers against potential liability should consumers use E15 in small engines, vehicles produced earlier than model year 2001, or in any other nonapproved engine and would also prevent retailers from being held liable if the consumer’s use of a fuel voids the vehicle/small engine warranty.
