SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/126035
and engine and product failures with E15, and a variety of interests (lawn and garden, auto, power sports, motorcycle and marine equipment) have come out against the use of E15. Insisting on the right to protect consumers before they get hurt economically or personally, The Engine Products Group filed a petition on March 25, 2013, asking the US Supreme Court to review the DC Circuit Court of Appeals' August 2012 decision that none of the trade associations or parties had standing in the case. The group is challenging the EPA decision to grant partial waivers approving the sale of gasoline containing E15 for 2001 model year and newer passenger cars and light trucks. The Court of Appeals dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction in August 2012. This appeal to the Supreme Court reflects the seriousness of this issue for the outdoor power equipment and small engine industry. We feel strongly that this challenge to the E-15 partial waiver needs to be considered on its merits, and not held back on a procedural issue. In the meantime, other movements are underway to halt E15 sales. • AAA's (Triple A) has called for the sale and use of E15 to be suspended until additional gas pump labeling and consumer education efforts are implemented to mitigate problems for motorists and their vehicles. • Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) introduced H.R. 875, which would require the EPA to stop the use of gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol until its harmful effects are investigated further. • The Coordinating Research Council released a January 2013 report outlining fuel test results that show E15 fuel can damage fuel system components. • OPEI has formed an industry task group to study the best and most effective ways to communicate the challenges and risks associated with using E15 to the public. WHAT YOU SHOULD DO RIGHT NOW Turf managers should visit www.OPEI.org/ethanolwarning for more information and make sure employees are clear on the dangers of fueling up outdoor power equipment with anything greater than 10 percent ethanol fuel. Specifically, turf managers should: • Read and follow the owner's manual. The owner's manual will clearly explain what fuels can be used to ensure a properly functioning product. • Not put any fuel containing more than10 percent (E10) in small engine products, unless otherwise stated. • Check the gas pump to be sure that it is dispensing E10. Some gas pumps at local gas stations may offer both E10 and E15, or have blender pumps that dispense mid-level ethanol fuels for "flex-fuel" automobiles. Higher ethanol fuel may be less expensive than regular E10 fuel, but putting E15 into an E10 approved product could cause product failure and void its warranty. • Not assume that the fuel they put in their vehicle can also be dispensed in their gasoline can. Be sure that the gas can is filled only with E10 fuel. n Kris Kiser is president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, an international trade association representing 90 small engine, utility vehicle and outdoor power equipment manufacturers and suppliers of consumer and commercial outdoor power equipment. Toro Pro Force blowers make debris gone with the wind The new Toro Pro Force is the most powerful single nozzle turbine-type debris blower in its class. This air power provides fast removal of grass clippings, leaves, aeration cores, or other unwanted debris from your sports fields, golf course or other maintained turf areas, and hard surface areas such as park trails, parking lots or golf car paths. The Toro Company Turf Tidy 3000 The Turf Tidy 3000 from Redexim North America is one of the most versatile machines built today. It incorporates dethatching, flail mowing, core collection and debris clean up applications into one machine. The Turf Tidy's fully floating cutting head follows the grounds' contours, ensuring accurate cutting and pick-up. The unique turbo fan makes a clean sweep of leaves, pine needles, paper, aeration cores and grass clippings. The large hopper means less time emptying and its high lift allows greater clearance when tipping; it will easily dump into a utility vehicle or dumpster. The large turf tires mean less ground pressure even with a full hopper. Redexim North America Wiedenmann sweeper/blowers To aid in the clean-up process, there are some new machines on the market that help with this clean-up process. The new Super 600 high dump is a heavy-duty sweeper/verticutter/flail mower collection system by Wiedenmann which is much like the Super 500; however, it has an increased hopper capacity of approximately 80%. The multi-purpose head allows for sweeping, verticutting, and flail mowing while collecting clippings into a 5.9 cubic yard hopper with a high dump reach up to 83". Another new product to aid in the clean-up process is the Mega Twister blower, which has approximately 14,500 CFMs and can swivels 270⁰ on the ground. A third new product for sweeping artificial turf is the new Terra Clean 100 ground driven sweeper. The rotary brush of the Terra Clean 100 brings debris and some crumb rubber or infill onto a vibrating screen that separates the debris from the crumb rubber. The crumb rubber is redistributed back onto the field. This machine can be used either indoors or outdoors with just about any type of tow vehicle. Wiedenmann North America www.stma.org SportsTurf 41