HAVE A GREAT THURSDAY READERS!

Every once in awhile I get an e-mail from a reader asking if it is true that the Louisiana labeling law requiring posting a label on gas pumps that sell ethanol gas is expiring this year. I addressed this in an article I wrote last year, but I thought it might be worthwhile to re-post the article. The information I listed in this article is still accurate today. It is still Louisiana LAW that a gas pump which dispenses ethanol gasoline MUST have a prominently posted label indicating the gasoline contains "Up to 10% ethanol". Here is the article.

One thing which I did not include in the article, is that if you suspect a station is selling ethanol gasoline, but there are no labels on the pump, please call Mr. Richert Williams, the Louisiana Director of the Fuels program in the Department of Agriculture at 225-922-1380 in Baton Rouge. He will send out an inspector to test the stations gas. If it does contain ethanol, and is not labeled according to Louisiana law, he'll be given a written warning giving him a week to have the labels installed. The fine for failing to label can be as high as $500/pump/day for violating the labeling law.

Ethanol Labeling Still Required on Fuel Pumps in Louisiana

By "Pete" Landry

January 18, 2010

Several fishermen have e-mailed me with a concern that they were told that ethanol gas-pump labeling was no longer required in 2010 or beyond. I researched this concern and this is what I is what I learned.

I spoke with Mr. Richert Williams, director of theLouisiana Department of Agriculture's Fuels Program, the week of Jan. 4, 2010, and explained to him that there was a rumor floating around that beginning in 2010 the labeling on gas pumps selling ethanol gas would no longer be required in Louisiana.

This is NOT TRUE according to Williams.

It is a Louisiana State law developed by the Department of Agriculture and approved by the Louisiana Legislature that any gas pump selling ethanol fuel must be labeled. Williams gave me the link to the state labeling law.

Personally, I don't think it is tough enough, however. I'd like to see a the penalty for failure to post the ethanol label written directly into this labeling law. Williams told me that there is a penalty involved, but that it is in another section of the law. Anyone interested in reading the Ethanol Gas Pump labeling law, click on this link: http://doa.louisiana.gov/osr/lac/07v01/07.doc (this is a rather lengthy MS Word document). I did learn that the penalty for failure to install the warning labels on ethanol gasoline pumps is $500/pump/day. If you suspect that a retailer is selling ethanol fuel but does not have the warning labels installed, call Mr. Williams at his office in Baton Rouge at 225.922.1380 and file a complaint. He’ll send out an inspector to test the station’s gasoline for ethanol.

Scroll down to page 348, section 337, titled "Gasoline - Alcohol Blends."

However, if you don't care to wade through their rather lengthy Web site, I copied and pasted the exact law below:

§337. Gasoline-Alcohol Blends
A. A dispenser of motor fuel containing greater than 1 percent but no more than 10 percent ethanol by volume shall have a label on both sides of the dispenser stating "contains ethanol" or "contains up to 10 percent ethanol," or "may contain up to 10 percent ethanol," or similar wording approved by the commissioner.

1. These labels shall be located on the upper 50 percent of the dispenser’s front panel in a position clear and conspicuous from the driver’s position, in a type at least 12 millimeter (1/2 inch) in height, 1.5 millimeter (1/16 inch) stroke (width of type).

2. The color of the lettering shall be in definite contrast to the background color to which it is applied.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 3:4608, 3:4673, and 3:4680.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of Agro-Consumer Services, LR 34:2550 (December 2008).