The LA Times reports on a recent lawsuit concerning the state mandated blending of ethanol into gasoline. It seems boat owners with fiberglass fuel tanks were not warned by the gas companies about the dangers of ethanol in such tanks.

Starting in 2004, all gasoline sold in California is required to carry 5.7% ethanol as a replacement for the now banned fuel additive methyl tertiary butyl ether, or MTBE, previously required for air quality reasons. Some boaters were unaware of the ramifications of the switch.

Lawrence Turner, stuck with more than $35,000 in ethanol-related damage to his boat, decided to fight back. Last week, the Studio City resident sued Chevron Corp., Exxon Mobil Corp. and eight other gasoline producers and distributors in U.S. District Court, arguing that the companies sold gasoline at marinas without warning boaters of ethanol's harmful consequences.

Ethanol-blended fuel destroyed the boat's fiberglass fuel tank, and mechanics had to cut through the hull and remove the ruined tank piece by piece. A new, aluminum tank was being installed last week. Engine repairs are still to come.

"As I reflected on the situation, I thought about the fact that there were never any warnings from the fuel companies that the product they were selling could damage the tank that it was going into," said Turner. "What if people pulled up to their local gas station [in their cars] and all of the sudden their gas tank started dissolving?"