Posted on 08/24/2013 4:50:00 AM PDT by Kaslin
The problems continue at President Obama's Environmental Protection Agency. Under fire for their leadership using private email addresses to illegally conduct official business and enacting new regulations through coordinated lawsuit settlements with outside environmental groups, the EPA shows no sign of slowing down in Obama's second term.
Last month, in an attempt to deflect attention from scandals at the IRS, the NSA and the embassy in Benghazi, the Administration has turned its attention to the issue of climate change.
At the center of their new environmental policies is the EPA's Renewable Renewable Fuel Standards, which mandates the use of ethanol and biofuels in the production of gasoline. This a prime example of misguided government regulation, as it punishes companies to use a type of hybrid fuel - known as cellulosic biofuel - which does not yet exist on the commercial market. In addition, drives up prices at the gas station for consumers (10 cents/gallon in 2011), while simultaneously driving up cost of food.
Record-high corn prices have also led to increased pressure on other grains such as wheat and soy - both of which have jumped in prices and are found in animal feed and numerous food products. Experts at the agriculture investment house Rabobank estimate there will be a historic 14% jump in overall food prices in the next year. As our economy recovers, this is the last thing struggling families should have to endure.
In 2012, during the worst drought for farmers in 50 years, the RFS diverted more than 50% our nation's corn supply into ethanol production. As corn is part of many foods you and I enjoy every day, even many left-wing global hunger advocates are opposed to the use of corn in fuel. Destroying food to be used in inefficient forms of fuel is bad policy with serious repercussions.
In June 2012, three senators - John Barrasso (R - Wyoming), Mark Pryor (D - Arkansas), and Pat Toomey (R - Pennsylvania) launched a bipartisan effort to get rid of renewable fuel standards entirely. According to Sen. Barrasso, "The Renewable Fuel Standard is fundamentally broken and beyond repair. Instead of delivering meaningful environmental benefits, it's driven up food and fuel costs for American families. This flawed program will also inevitably lead to widespread lawsuits against American manufacturers. When Congress enacts bad policy, the right response is to scrap it and start over."
It is clear that these fuel standards aren't working for consumers or refiners. Policy makers should focus on building more oil refineries and approving things such as the Keystone XL pipeline to transport tar sands oil from Canada into our country. The Renewable Fuel Standard should be repealed.
How "environmentally conscious" was the waste of a small engine and the attachments which enabled me to cut grass with it?
When I run 91 octane (real) gasoline, I get 18 MPG. The best I get with 87 octane 10% ethanol is 15 MPG.
I will use the real deal until I no longer can. Then I will pull that engine and put in something different, but I won't buy a new spy vehicle to record and report my activities.
Ethanol-free gasoline stations.
http://pure-gas.org/
OK!! Everybody pay attention!
Lesson for today:
1. The sun is 1,300,000 times as big as the earth.
2. The sun is a ball of fire that controls our climates.
3. The earth is a rock.
4. The earth is a speck in comparison to the size of the sun.
5. Inhabitants of the earth are less than specks.
Study Question: How do less-than-specks in congress plan to control the sun?
I’m experimenting with pure (100%) gasoline. My last 2 fillups are with 87 octane regular 100% gasoline, and I’m tracking my mileage after each fillup. I calculate it manually (miles driven / gallons) rather than rely on the dashboard gauge which is not quite as accurate.
I’m going to watch it over a few fillups, then compare to my mileage that I’ve been getting using 91 octane “normal” gas (up to 10% alcohol). I suspect that the higher BTU rate of the pure gasoline will at least equal the mileage enhancement that comes with my engine’s adjustment to the higher octane of the 91 I’ve been using (my engine computer does take advantage of higher octane by adjusting the mixture/timing for the slightly slower burn speed of higher octane fuel).
BTW, I always treat my lawn mower gas with Sta-Bil to help keep it fresh and to help deal with some of the negative effects that alcohol can have on the fuel system of some small engines. Haven’t had any problems with my mower, tractor, or weed-eater.
Levy an export fee on shade.
Repeal the Law of Gravity.
Flunkies with parasols.
Pass the Work At Night Act (WANA).
Require sunblock for everything.
And finally, the old standby, Smoke and Mirrors.
Anything is possible with enough hubris, just ask 'em!
Interesting map—none within 50 miles of me.
I’ve been down that road with a Toyota Corolla. My experimentation occurred during the first big runup in gas prices, in 2008. Gasoline containing no ethanol does provide better gas milage. At the time it was somewhat difficult to locate without paying a premium for the “white gas” typically found at marinas, but there are stations advertising ethanol-free now, still with a price premium but not nearly so much. I took it a step further and experimented with acetone (the nearly pure kind not paint remover or nail cleaner, those would varnish the cylinders and ruin the engine). After a little trial and error, building up and then backing off, I settled on 1oz. per ten gallons at fill up. That in my experience worked, too, with an overall increase in the 15% range that persisted. Doesn’t work with ethanol in the gas, though. No benefit. Different engines behave differently, so there’s no hard and fast amount as far as using it as a fuel additive.
Liberals just want children to die.
I’m all for removing the corn ethanol subsidy. Those plants with paid-down capital structures will be fine and only take it because it’s offered. But his argument about food prices in 2012 is specious. The cost of corn in human foods is so small as to be negligible and when you buy a nice juicy ear of corn on the cob, you do realize it’s not the same thing that cows eat, right? Consumers have suffered FAR more significant cost increases in the amount we’ve had to pay for PETRO FUELS (gasoline) which is not due to supply and demand or gov’t subsidies whatsoever.
Compare the price of gas at the pump when GWB left office and today and everyone will quit whining about corn subsidies instantly.
Prayer?
Unfortunately there’s no ethonol-free gasoline station close to us.
Relative lost a lawnmower same way; there is an additive that you can put in the lawnmower w/the ethanol gas, but don’t know what it’s called.
Year on year % increases do not reflect cumulative effects. If the graph showed food prices normalized to a start year, the curve would be significantly different.
same here
ObaMessiah is the sun
and
Mooch is the Moon
Question: If my car uses 87 octane rating and the ethanol free ratings are 89 91 is the 89 rating save for my car? I have a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
Why, are you afraid it won't "ping" enough?
According to my mechanic yes. I run 91 premium in my 87 rated pickup to avoid ethanol and he says it shouldn’t hurt and in fact will improve gas mileage.
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