NMMA Reacts to EPA Renewable Fuel Standard
On behalf of boaters, NMMA urges White House to act swiftly for a final rule on the RFS.
On Friday, August 22, as a part of the EPA’s work to finalize the Renewable Fuel Standard, the agency submitted the Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) to the Office of Management and Budget. This number, which is not currently publicly available, will mandate the amount of ethanol that is blended into the U.S. fuel supply. The National Marine Manufacturers Association continues to advocate on behalf of the recreational boating industry and is actively engaged in this process to ensure that boaters continue to have access to the fuel they need.
NMMA’s Nicole Vasilaros, director of federal and legal affairs, says, “NMMA is encouraged as the EPA takes a step forward by sending the 2014 RVOs to OMB and urges the White House to expedite this already delayed process. Our desire remains that the final rule will adequately ensure the availability of E10 and E0 in the marketplace — failure to do so will breach the blend wall and flood the market with E15. Mid-level blends are prohibited for use in marine engines, and studies have proven that misfueling will lead to significant engine damage and failure. NMMA will continue to work with the White House to ensure the broad availability of E10 and E0 on behalf of the recreational boaters who require it in order to enjoy our nation’s waterways.”
The snuffbox mussel is inconspicuous, yet in many ways is a lie-in-wait predator. But instead of eating her prey, she uses the unsuspecting victim as host to her young. Mussels have a fascinating life history. Mussel babies, called glochidia, need to attach to the gills or fins of a specific type of fish to complete their life cycle. Snuffbox moms with babies sit in the bottom of a stream with their shells open somewhat to display their mantle (their fleshy body inside the shell). A fish swimming by will see that nice, soft flesh and think it’s a free meal. The fish will swim down and try to take a bite of the mussel’s mantle. Once the snuffbox feels the fish poke it, it grabs on to the fish’s head – for the snuffbox the particular fish host is a logperch. Mussels don’t have eyes, so it is purely by feel that the mussel grabs the fish. The mom snuffbox then shoots her microscopic glochidia at the fish’s head so that her young can attach to its gills. The glochidia mature within a few weeks and then drop off the host fish and live out the rest of their life on the stream bottom among the rocks. The glochidia don’t hurt the fish, and the process provides a great way for mussels to move away from their parents – it’s a free ride out of town. 
The snuffbox (Epioblasma trquetra) is a remarkable mussel that is in danger of becoming extinct. Unfortunately there are many threats to this species. Dams affect their ability to move both upstream and downstream, which can isolate populations. Mussels live most of their lives in a very small area, so toxins and poor water quality can easily harm them. Invasive species have also played a role in the decline of snuffbox. Zebra mussels often use any hard surface to attach to, including native mussels like the snuffbox, which end up suffocating because they can’t open their shells. 
Lake sturgeon, the only sturgeon species common to the Great Lakes basin, are the largest freshwater fish native to that system. Lake sturgeon can be considered a near-shore, warm-water species preferring water temperatures in the range of mid-50 to low-70 degrees Fahrenheit and depths 15 to 30 feet (although sturgeon in the Great Lakes are often found at greater depths). Lake sturgeon are benthivores, which means they feed on small invertebrates such as insect larvae, crayfish, snails, clams and leeches they find along the bottom of lakes and rivers. 
