Ethanol industry wants same rubber stamp BP got (more Ethanol in gasoline)

Baltimore Sun>Home>Business ^ | July 4, 2010 | Jay Hancock

[sickoflibs]

This time it's the powerful "renewable fuels" industry saying that regulators are needlessly worried and that everything will work out fine.

Desperate because they've built too many ethanol plants, these corn growers and agri-processors are pushing government to increase the amount of ethanol allowed in gasoline by half. If they succeed, the miles per gallon you get from your car or truck will drop. And companies such as Archer Daniels Midland and Exxon will pocket millions more in undeserved taxpayer subsidies.

"Our ethanol industry shouldn't have to continue to be restricted from development," said Rep. Adrian Smith, a Nebraska Republican (more than $300,000 from agribusiness since 2006).

Hazardous exhaust could increase. And your engine might be damaged.

But Big Ethanol and its paid-for members of Congress are blasting the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy for taking extra time to study the change.

Ethanol itself requires huge amounts of energy to produce. It delivers poorer mileage than pure gasoline. Pesticide- and fertilizer-greedy corn is bad for the environment.

Ethanol production capacity has increased nearly sevenfold since 2000, thanks to a devil's cocktail of government mandates, subsidies, trade barriers and overbuilding. Now the industry wants regulators to increase the allowable blend of ethanol in gasoline from 10 percent to 15 percent, which would effectively boost ethanol sales by 50 percent.

[sickoflibs]

Here's one that you can't blame solely on democrats. The corn/ethanol industry greased lots of palms in Washington and Bush promoted this as an viable alternative or a way to get one in the near future. I call it the "great renewable energy hoax". Even environmentalists have turned against ethanol. It shows how Washington can make things worse by 'doing something' about a problem. In this case voters were mad about high gas prices and wanted something done but ethanol is MUCH more expensive than gasoline. It was the exact opposite of what they wanted but they demanded 'action'.

[Venturer]

Everything goes up. The price of food, the price of fuel, the cost of replacing the rubber parts of the fuel system Ethanol eats up.

[org.whodat]

You nailed it, any rino republican that votes form this ripping off of the tax payer needs to be drive from office. The only profit these AHoles in the ethanol business make is the government tax payer subsidy. This is the government forcing you to buy a product and people say they cannot force you to buy health insurance. Where are the cases against government for forcing you to buy ethanol.

[sickoflibs]

The ethanol hoax ping!

[BookaT]

Another 10% decrease in mileage. Ethanol is not good.

I guess they are trying to do anything to use the massive surplus of inedible grain we produce each year instead of growing real food.

Ever seen a movie called “King Corn”? Kind of interesting.

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.

[Pessimist]

Yup.

The farm lobby is a pretty disingenious bunch.

They like to portray farmers as rugged individualists, but the aggragate truth is something else entirely.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”You nailed it, any rino republican that votes form this ripping off of the tax payer needs to be drive from office. The only profit these AHoles in the ethanol business make is the government tax payer subsidy. This is the government forcing you to buy a product and people say they cannot force you to buy health insurance. Where are the cases against government for forcing you to buy ethanol. “

The federal power to tell us what we must buy started with Roosevelt packing SCOTUS and then the 1960s civil rights act as well as SS and medicare to some degree(those are considered income taxes I guess).

But the real problem is that the more Washington wastes and screws things up, the more that voters want them to ‘fix’ other problems. And they seem to believe that Washington can fix any problem given the ‘right’ leader.

[struwwelpeter]

If the gas gets any weaker I’m going to have to cut the grass with scissors. I wish Hank Hill would get around to inventing a propane chainsaw.

[The Great RJ]

I looked at the owners manuals of my vehicles and they won't burn more than a 10% ethanol mixture. Is the government going to pay for repairs to my vehicle and voided warranties caused by using 15% ethanol?

I was at a town hall meeting with Sen. John Thune (R-SD) a stanch ethanol advocate. He was asked why if farmers are so gung ho for ethanol why are there not any farm implements that use ethanol for fuel? He had no answer.

[TLI]

The manual on my pickup is "perfectly clear" that it can take E-10. It does not say E-15 and if the enviro-Nazis and the corn hucksters push that I will be looking for a very vocal lawsuit to jump in on.

A couple of magnetic signs stating my opinion of the issue will be in the immediate future. Better than bumper stickers as you can remove them when the vehicle is unattended and bigger to facilitate a complete message. Nothing like having folks put a face with an opinion…

I will also be looking for the closest 100% gas to the DFW area.

.

[nascarnation]

Based on the gigantic looking corn crop here in Indiana right now (like nothing I’ve ever seen before) some of those prices ought to be under control.

As for the rubber parts, all my outdoor power equip is from the 70s and 80s, and I have a nearly stock 1967 Chevy. All of these have run on 10% ethanol fuel for decades without issues related to fuel.

I’m not a farmer or ethanol pimp, have no dog in this fight, but at least wanted to offer my experience.

[WOBBLY BOB]

I loves me some gummed up 2 strokes.

[WOBBLY BOB]

“T-Paw” (Guv Pawlenty) is another corn-fuel lovin’ Pubbie.

Gotta watch out for the corn mafia,you know.

[Venturer]

I am glad the corn crop there looks good. An early drought has wiped out the corn here in Md.