Citizen~Earth~Watch

Ethanol Fuels "Small Town News" Into MSM Election Coverage

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 03:23:00 +0000

The issues of energy security and bio-fuels are certain to be hot topics in the upcoming presidential campaign which seems to start earlier each go-round, now providing an unprecedented 2 years to choose our next leader. Normally I would find the idea of nearly 2 years filled with very un-presidential mud-slinging and campaign ads extremely depressing, however, if the ethanol scam is finally exposed as a political whitewash that PAC money has bought and paid for, then it will be well worth the 2 years of suffering we are all sure to endure until November, 2008.

Small towns across America are standing up to the massive ethanol propaganda machine and during this election cycle the truth demands to move beyond "Small Town News" and the blogsphere, forcing its way to the forefront of even the "Main Stream Media" by the sheer magnitude of its impact on the planet and our daily lives.

As is often the case, it is the people on the front lines, the ones most immediately affected by ethanol, who are asking the hard questions. Questions most politicians would rather dance around. The MSM makes it easy for them by repeating tag-lines ("reduce America's dangerous dependence on foreign oil", HA! by about 5% in 15 years!) and catch phrases ("cleaner burning", HA! If you don't count increased VOC's and Formaldehyde coming out of your tailpipe, or the increased pollution of trucks and trains transporting it, or the increased pollution of the distilleries manufacturing it, or....) as though they were actual facts. (yeah, I know, "What else is new?!") When full consideration is given to the numerous and serious negative impacts ethanol could have on our lives, it becomes clear why bringing small town news to the MSM is crucial to the future we will leave our children. As always, the truth has the potential to alter everything. So, without further delay, on to the "Small Town News."

The majority of new ethanol distillery construction is happening in rural America. It's unnerving how similar the tactics are across the country. I'm fairly certain there is a special "Dog-and-Pony" handbook given to developers as they make their way across the country selling their snake-oil to unsuspecting map-dots communities. The common scenario goes something like this: Developers (often with ZERO experience in the ethanol industry) make sweet talk with local corn growers (usually through co-ops or associations), they join forces to convince local officials ethanol will resurrect their lagging economy, pressuring them to move quickly through the approval process if they want to benefit from this "rare opportunity", often implying other towns are "waiting in line" to cash in on the Big E-Rush if they drag their feet with such trivial matters as "safety".

From Iowa, the Des Moines Register:

"A ($10,000.00) taxpayer-paid consultant's evaluation of the health and environmental effects from a proposed ethanol plant in Des Moines won't be made public until a special meeting Monday, just before city leaders vote"
"Consultants often are allowed months or even years to complete complicated reviews. Schmidt had roughly a month because of a strict schedule that requires a vote by Monday"

"At least one resident says the timing seems like a deliberate tactic to limit public discussion of the consultant's findings."
"City Manager Rick Clark said the timing is necessary to prevent further delays that could jeopardize the roughly $200 million project and about 50 jobs that come with it."
"City leaders say delays could entice investors of one or both of the remaining proposals to yank their plans."

Since when do legitimate businesses insist the welfare and concerns of the community in which it wishes to be a "Good Neighbor" (as they ALL claim to desire) are unimportant?! Ethanol developers' timetables are driven by their knowledge that there is a limited amount of free money available from the Congressional Subsidy Trough; first come, first served. No guarantees what the new Congress will do; they could be cut off with but a moment's notice.

Having been subjected to the same subliminal threats right here in Paradise, I urge all concerned citizens to ASK QUESTIONS! It is quite possibly the surest way to send these shysters packing BEFORE they drain your community resources; pollute your air, water and ground; and completely destroy the exceptional quality of life enjoyed in rural America. Investigate what being a "Good Neighbor" means to an ethanol company. The last thing they want is for informed citizens to expose their "Dirty Little Secrets", and other residents' testimony.

Communities nationwide are seeing citizens join forces to inform the public and oppose decisions that might otherwise force them to accept a horrendous risk to their family and community well being. These are the people who realize the very serious harm they will be subjected to if they don't stand and fight the rubber-stamp-it mentality driving the ethanol bandwagon. Their quality of life; feelings of peace and security, acquired through years of home ownership and community relations, all completely disregarded for the benefit of a very few.

Another point not often talked about in the media is the complete disruption to the rural lifestyle enjoyed before ethanol moves to town. Even with rail access, truck traffic will easily increase by 200 or more semis every day. Starry nights will be a thing of the past as distilleries store huge quantities of toxic (and apparently to some criminals, desirable) chemicals that need to be kept under close scrutiny with the use of industrial outdoor lights. Bird and cricket songs, too, will be silenced for miles as ethanol distilleries operate 24/7, 365 days a year and are so loud that, on what should be a quiet Summer evening, one can literally drive 5 miles from the "Good Neighbor" and still hear the droning noise; again, 24/7, 365 days a year! Imagine your family's homestead being just a few hundred yards away. Birthday parties and family BB-Q's with the new stench and noise? Not likely with this new neighbor. And even though the "D-n-P" Handbook suggests comparing the stench to "baking bread", a more accurate description is that it reeks of stale alcohol and rotting corn! Maybe because that's exactly what it is: Alcohol and fermenting (rotting) corn mash! How many politicians can grasp the horror of being told after all the years invested in your community, raising your family, preparing for your retirement in the home built with sweat and love, that now after all that, to be told: "you don't matter?" Can they even imagine??!

How many Washington politicians have given serious (or any) thought to the extreme danger forced on the families and small communities ethanol distilleries are invading? These are often rural areas with very small, volunteer fire departments. They aren't the type of facilities likely to have hazmat gear and big, modern ladder trucks capable of reaching the huge stacks (that developers invariably request variances for) and not equipped with the expensive, specialized foam necessary for battling chemical fires.

All ethanol distilleries require massive quantities of highly toxic chemicals to be stored on site and transported regularly by truck and rail in and out of the facility. Often times the tracks are in dire need of improvement and country crossings are not adequately marked with lights and safety arms. The team that brought the ethanol show to Paradise had no idea how many of the crossings were unmarked. Likewise, they had no idea that nearly all of the trains and trucks would pass directly in front of a prison located just a few miles away. Needless to say, developers had no comment on evacuation plans for prisoners, residents, or children at the 2 schools located just 2 miles from the proposed site. Lack of communication and forethought could cost the health and lives of simple folks, yearning for the safety and comfort of a quiet, small-town life.

From Newark, Ohio:

"Unpleasant odors, health risks, pollution and the risk of fires or explosions are concerns of some residents who live in a subdivision near the site of a proposed ethanol plant in Newark."
"One would think that everyone in Newark, Heath and Granville would be very concerned about this--the stench from the factory 24/7, pollution and health issues, potential loss of property value, the fact that we're in the evacuation zone should there be a problem at the factory, water consumption and disposal, increased train and truck traffic."

Many of these distilleries receive "brownfield" designation, translating into considerable tax breaks. (some are granted 10 years of ZERO taxes!) The designation also often includes the added benefit of being exempt from some of the clean up that would otherwise be required if the site has previous contamination. (The proposed site 1/2 mile from my house has rusty, leaking fuel tanks buried underground that any other developer would be required to remove; there is also a swamp/wetlands area in the back that the developers would have polluted with their 95+ degree discharge water, guaranteed to destroy the natural eco-systems) Because they receive tax credits on top of mandated use, on top of subsidized corn, infrastructure and vehicles; no other single item costs taxpayers more! NONE! It has been heavily subsidized by the States and Feds for decades; are you feeling a lot of benefit for the billions of tax dollars wasted every single year???!

Armed with facts, and in spite of the madness and myths perpetuated by the MSM, citizens are exercising their right to protect their family and way of life.

From Missouri, the Ozark's local News-Leader:

"Foes of a proposed ethanol plant in Webster County have flatly rejected a settlement offer from the company hoping to build it.
Gulfstream Bioflex Energy owners offered the settlement Monday in hopes of avoiding a costly March 6 trial that will focus on the plant's potential to harm the area's underground water supplies."
"In previous court hearings, GBE officials have said the $165 million plant could use more than a million gallons of water a day to produce fuel-grade ethanol."

The folks in Webster County did their research and filed suit before the damage was done, because as others have learned the hard way, they knew their wells could go dry or become contaminated and they would be left with little or no recourse. Citizens who's water is contaminated with MTBE, ethanol's predecessor, are prevented from seeking real justice according to the Senator from New York.

"I join many of my colleagues in expressing dismay about the MTBE provision in the legislation.
First, the bill provides a retroactive liability waiver for MTBE producers. This provision turns the so-called polluter-pay principle on its head. It basically says to communities from New York to California: Guess what; we may have contaminated your groundwater, we may have contaminated your wells, and we are not going to help you clean it up."
"As bad as the MTBE liability waiver is, the bill doesn't stop there when it comes to the MTBE producers. Unbelievably, the bill provides $2 billion in grants to MTBE producers."

Water is the most precious and least renewable resource at risk if the ethanol train keeps rolling out of control. The Midwest already strains the aquifers serving America's Breadbasket, especially considering the drought we have experienced the past several years. Huge corporate ag and animal (CAFO) operations use more water than nearly every industry, except maybe the ethanol sector! Water rights in the West are more valuable than land. How much are we willing to risk just to maintain our addiction to consumption? How long do we expect to be able to remove fresh water at the rate of hundreds of billions of gallons every single day?? "Peak Water" would come much more quickly than "Peak Oil's" best hope.

From Wisconsin, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

"We are already seeing more soil erosion from corn and beans; growing more of these crops, driven by the appetite for biofuels, will send more topsoil into our rivers and streams"
"These crops not only demand a lot of fuel to produce; they tax water and soil"
"There was nothing said about conserving soil and water in this blind rush to replace crude with corn"
"Not only are the crops from which we produce ethanol thirsty and erosive, but the ethanol plants themselves consume huge quantities of water. A conservative estimate from Minnesota shows that for every gallon of ethanol it produces, an ethanol plant (Distillery!)* will use four gallons of water."
"We need to ensure that there is ample water and healthy soil left in Wisconsin to grow the trees and grasses that offer true sustainable energy production"
(*emphasis added by author)

As I've said before, I find it strangely curious that the equally important water issues related to ethanol are nearly always overshadowed by the food/corn issue. Could it be that because water isn't linked to money, it is somehow not worthy of the same amount of "air-time"? I wonder what would happen if these industries had to actually pay for the water the deprive all citizens of?? What might happen if the general public knew ethanol doesn't help our air quality, as is often repeated as gospel in the MSM? (it only slightly decreases CO2 emissions, yet it increases smog pollution) What if everyone knew how much water would be consumed and polluted by increased ethanol production? What if everyone knew the truth? Will the truly clean and eternal energy sources of wind and solar finally be given their due?

It is through my favorite pair of rose-colored glass that I see a flourescent lit future, powered by the free and unending breezes up here in Summit City.

From my backyard to yours and beyond........

Pledging Allegiance To Ethanol

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 17:53:00 +0000

Great news for drivers yesterday: Oil prices fell to under $50 a barrel for the first time since May, 2005. But what's good for Americans, isn't so good for ethanol producers, as their stocks continued their downward spiral. Oil prices must remain high to make ethanol look good because ethanol is more expensive than gasoline. According to securities analyst Patrick Forkin III in yesterday's "Business Week" :

"Typically, what you can look at is ethanol trades at about 50 cents per gallon more than the wholesale price of unleaded gasoline"

Wall Street investors are acutely aware of the ethanol industry's instability and the enormous risk that goes along with investing in a sector that, even after decades of government assistance, still cannot produce a viable product that will earn money for investors. Commodity traders are known risk-takers, (much of their success is determined by the weather) however, savvy investors simply aren't interested in an industry that has NEVER proven itself in the financial world.

However, according to Business Week:

"There may be good news on the way for ethanol producers, Forkin said. The Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee wants a biofuel and biodiesel support program, and when President Bush delivers his State of the Union address Tuesday night, he is expected to discuss alternative energy sources. "It will make Wall Street breathe a little easier on the ethanol producers, the biofuel and biodiesel producers," Forkin said."

We can always count on the Feds to put the needs of American citizens above the desires of their top PAC contributors, right? Only in the world of Grimm and Aesop. Democrats and Republicans share this shameful legacy of helping their friends to prosper while hurting the Americans who elected them. As politicians pledge their allegiance to ethanol, it is the people of the world who will pay a high price for their selfish, socialist policies.

Archer Daniels Midland is the largest producer of American ethanol and one of the largest in the world. Here are a few choice comments by ADM's founding father, Dwayne Andreas from a "Mother Jones" interview:

Andreas announces that global capitalism is a delusion. "There isn't one grain of anything in the world that is sold in a free market. Not one! The only place you see a free market is in the speeches of politicians. People who are not in the Midwest do not understand that this is a socialist country."
"We're the biggest [food and agriculture] company in the world," Andreas explains. "How is the government going to run without people like us? We make 35 percent of the bread in this country, and that much of the margarine, and cooking oil, and all the other things."
"Did somebody dream there is some way that the government doesn't need us?" Andreas continues. "What in the hell would they do with the farm program without us?"

So which party does ADM support? The winning one, of course!

In a related article from MoJo:

"During the 1992 presidential election, when George Bush (Sr.) was trailing Clinton, Bush proposed gasoline volatility standards that favored ethanol products as the additives to make the "reformulated gasolines" called for in the 1990 Clean Air Act. At about the same time Bush received a series of ADM payments culminating in a $400,000 check for a single fundraising dinner in April 1992."
"When Bush's prospects began to fade, Andreas started shipping money to Clinton, discreetly at first, then more dramatically once he was elected. (His total contribution of $270,000, as of mid-1994, makes him one of Clinton's largest benefactors, according to Common Cause.) The largest installment, a $100,000 check for a presidential dinner, came in June 1994.Clinton shied away from tampering with volatility standards, as Bush had. Instead, just days after receiving the $100,000 check, the Clinton administration simply ordered that 30 percent of the gasoline sold in America's nine most polluted cities contain ethanol-based additives by 1996."

ADM has been playing this game with American tax dollars for decades. The previous quotes were made in 1995 and while ADM has a new CEO, some habits are hard to break. Patricia Woertz' experience as a Chevron VP bodes well for continuing ADM's legacy as a welfare junkie.

From Zimbio, the "Peoples Guide to Patricia Woertz":

"there is no doubt that the giant ADM will be in the headlines in 2007. They not only are in the "right" sector of the economy but they also have two glamourous (sp) assets: a CEO like Patricia Woertz and a "best friend" such as Barack Obama"
(entry dated 12/29/06)

What does media darling Obama have to say on the subject? From an interview with "Harpers" :

"....after winning, the notoriety that I received made raising money relatively simple, and so I don’t have the same challenges that most candidates do now, and that’s pure luck. It’s one of the benefits of celebrity.”
"Obama sat with his arms and legs crossed, one foot tapping the air. Progressive candidates generally have a harder time raising money, he said, and at times some of them will “trim their sails” on behalf of the people who are financing them. “When I say that,” he was hasty to add, “I want to make sure I’m not saying all the time. I’m just saying there are going to be points where donors have more access and are taken more into account than ordinary voters.” The solution he supports is some form of public financing for campaigns, combined—since big donors “are always going to find a way to get money” to candidates—with some reduction in the cost of running for office; for example, by providing candidates with free political advertising."

I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I really wanted to believe the Illinois Senator would bring some much needed integrity back to U.S. politics so that we might regain some of the respect squandered by those who came before him. It is so, so disappointing to see him following the same dark path as his predecessors. Illinois ranks second in ethanol production and third in the amount of farm subsidies handed out to agri-business giants. Obama appears determined to continue the status quo, further padding the pockets of "donors" who allow him access to corporate jets and increase his "celebrity" status, at the expense of "ordinary voters."

Obama excuses his behavior by responding that he reimbursed ADM the full fare for his flights on their private jets, but that doesn't explain why he feels the need to spend countless private hours with ADM executives instead of flying commercial with the "ordinary voters." If he is truly concerned about "America's dangerous addiction to foreign oil", why is he hob-nobbing around on fuel-wasting, highly-polluting private jets??! How long before Oprah realizes that this man she so heartily supports has a big "biofuel" plan that will surely take food from the mouth's of African children that she works so hard to empower?

Brazil's increased production of sugar cane ethanol has caused sugar prices worldwide to skyrocket during the past year and we're now seeing the same thing with corn, as prices soar to a 10-year high.

Still questioning the relationship of ethanol and food? ADM, Cargill and ConAgra are all described as America's largest food processors, but they are also among America's top ethanol producers. It is disturbing to see so much of the world's health and well being in the hands of companies whose only goal is to increase profits for investors. Even more disturbing is the fact the it is American politicians who blindly allow, and even encourage this abuse of human beings all over the Planet.

Waste Not, Want Not: The Cellulosic Dilemma

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 19:36:00 +0000

I have been truly perplexed at the lack of conversation regarding cellulosic ethanol from an environmental stand point. There has been talk of possible candidates for this not-ready-for-prime-time pipe-dream, but not much on the real implications, at least not in the way folks are catching on to the food-for-fuel problems associated with corn ethanol.

I'm talking about increased interference with natural processes that will undoubtedly have far-reaching and many unknown implications. Some of the ideas are just downright idiotic. As an example, the idea of using leaves removed from forest floors as a cellulosic ethanol feedstock! Hello??!! Those trees are practicing self-sustainable agriculture. That "forest waste" is nourishing the earth so that the tree can feed itself. Just as crazy is the idea of "agricultural waste", which performs the same function on a farm. Its called "mulch" and we also use it for compost and animal feed. We LOVE it and we don't want it "wasted" in some fuel tank!

As Environmental Working Group President, Ken Cook, so wisely states in his "Mulch" blog,

"That vegetation--referred to it as 'agricultural waste' in media accounts from time to time--is currently left in corn fields after the grain is combined (well over 90 percent of the corn ground). It's about the only thing preventing even more of the Midwest from ending up in the Gulf of Mexico. It's mulch. To an aggie, calling it 'waste' is like calling topsoil 'dirt'."

Well put! People simply need to move beyond the idea that we can grow our fuel sources. There are far too many environmental problems associated with this big-ag-planted idea: Genetically modified crops (for "better yield"); vastly increased irrigation and use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides; increased CAFO operations near ethanol distilleries; huge water usage issues with any type of ethanol because water is the main component of all ethanol; serious air pollution associated with producing and fueling vehicles with ethanol, the list could go on and on.

For the health of people and our Planet, we need to look to the sources that always have been, and probably always will be, available: The Sun and The Wind. Beginning to shift now is very doable with the technology we have and all future government policy should be focused on expanding those industries, not building a billion dollar ethanol infrastuctue.

Just one example of the endless possibilities and their benefits: the winds blowing across the Great Lakes could be harnessed to provide 100% of Michigan's energy, with breezes to spare. (Michigan currently generates 2/3 of its electricity from 20 coal-fired facilities)

As noted recently in the media (here ) and (here ), our new Democratic Congress has serious work to do on the Federal Farm Bill due to be rewritten this year. From church leaders to international allies, hard questions are being asked, and the answers of some Legislators could affect their chances of a Presidential nomination. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) has been the target of my disdain recently, in part because of my extreme disappointment that he is turning out to be just another corporate patsy. His recently introduced energy bills cater to his state's big ag producers (who collect billions in farm subsidies ) and to America's and the one of the world's top ethanol producers, Archer Daniels Midland, headquartered in Illinois. Such a shameful path for a seemingly intelligent and compassionate man to follow. Reminds me of a favorite quote of mine:

"If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters."

There are crucial differences between representing your state's interests and being the leader of one of the most powerful countries in the world. And make no mistake, the US farm (and energy) policies influence markets and living conditions worldwide. Many of the MSM darlings looking at presidential runs are far too committed to the same old corporate controlled Congress and therefore have extreme ethics issues that would make them lousy presidents.

Food and Ethanol Companies: One in the Same

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 20:23:00 +0000

Continuing the topic of an earlier post regarding the ethanol industry's "Dirty Little Secrets", there is more to the "Food vs Fuel" debate than many realize.

From Georgia's, "Atlanta Journal-Constitution":

"Demand for corn jacks up the price of corn feed used by the beef, pork and poultry industries, as well as myriad products that depend upon corn-based additives. Consumers could pay more for Corn Flakes, Coca-Cola, milk and salad dressing, food companies warn."

The unspoken insanity is that the "food companies" warning of higher food prices are also the owners of the ethanol companies driving the prices up with their demand for the world's corn!

Archer Daniels Midland, Cargill, ConAgra Foods; they are among America's top food producers and they are also the top ethanol producers!

What's wrong with this picture?!

Dirty Little Secrets

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 09:37:00 +0000

With its connections to Global Warming, highly subsidized Farm and Energy Policies, and the upcoming Presidential elections, there is certain to be immense scrutiny of the hotly debated ethanol issue in the coming months. Hopefully enough to expose at least some of ethanol's dirty little secrets, so we can put an end to this shameful charade. Our time, money and natural resources need to be focused on clean energy and sustainable living practices.

Some points of contention:

Water

There is so much focus on the "food vs fuel" and "energy gain vs energy loser" debates that the water issue is often overlooked. Yet, it is central to many environmentalists because there are several crucial issues related to this finite and life sustaining resource.

From a recent news article in Illinois' Daily Journal:

Like officials of Champaign and Urbana, the mayor of Paxton has expressed concern about the impact of ethanol distilleries on the Mahomet Aquifer, from which Paxton draws its public water supply.
In the Champaign-Urbana case, it is concern about The Andersons grain company proposing an ethanol plant at its U.S. 150 grain elevator facility that would use 1.86 million gallons of water a day from the aquifer. Further, the water would be discharged into streams that don't help recharge the underground aquifer.
At Paxton, the issue is a proposal to sink a well into the aquifer a half mile west of the wells for the town of 4,500 and pipe it 15 miles west to a ethanol plant planned at Gibson City by the firm "One Earth Energy."
"It would be a big concern of anyone if you didn't have water to drink for your town," Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold said Wednesday. "They're talking about pumping a million and a half gallons a day half a mile west of our wells. We're pumping 650,000 gallons a day."

Read that out loud, 1.86 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER A DAY!! That's just 1 distillery! Corn doesn't turn into liquid by magic. It's our most precious resource, not just corn, that we're so casually burning up in our fuel tanks.
The water that would be "discharged into streams" is usually over 95 degrees which destroys the natural eco-system and promotes the growth of harmful bacteria. Most distilleries locate near lakes and rivers so they can avoid the cost and hassle of installing "retention ponds"; pumping their waste water into our lakes and bays is so much cheaper for them.
Corn being a crop that requires more water than most, will compound the water usage problem immeasurably.
Further, water from rain or irrigation coming in contact with these fields of genetically modified corn is instantly contaminated by the heavy applications of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, washing even more chemical soup into our ground and water supplies.
Water is indisptutedly the major ingredient of ethanol and it is NOT renewable. However, it is free to ethanol distillers who suck it from the earth for huge profits.

"Clean Burning"-"Reduces Global Warming"

Another huge 1/2 truth being fed to the public is that ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline and therefore helps reduce Global Warming.

Most scientific studies agree, using ethanol in a vehicle does release slighty less GW causing CO2 than straight gasoline, however, it increases dangerous smog and cancer causing emissions such as VOC's and aldehydes (as in formaldehyde!). These types of emissions hang in the air close to the ground triggering "smog alert warnings" in cities nationwide. (CO2 is problematic in the upper atmosphere)
The distilleries themselves contribute heavily to increased air and water pollution that wouldn't exist without increased ethanol production.
Factoring in the increased smog pollution of the vehicles burning it, the distilleries manufacturing it, the trucks & trains transporting it, and the agribusiness giants producing GMO crops, it is clear there is no such thing as "clean ethanol."

And the truly disgusting part: The Federal Government AND ethanol proponents know this is true!

As partially explained by Ed Wallace in an article from Business Week:

In the mid-'90s the Clean Air Act of 1990 kicked in, mandating that a reformulated gasoline be sold in the nation's smoggiest cities. So the Clinton Administration again tried to create an ethanol industry in America, by having the Environmental Protection Agency mandate that fully 30% of the oxygenates to be used in gasoline under that program come from a renewable source. But members of the American Petroleum Institute had already geared up for the production of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE), their oxygenate of choice. The ensuing lawsuit was argued before the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on February 16, 1995.

The EPA took the position that it had been given a mandate to find ways to conserve the nation's fossil-fuel reserves, so it needed a renewable fuel -- and ethanol neatly fit that bill. But there were problems with that argument, not least of which was the fact that the judges could find no charter or mandate from Congress that gave the EPA the statutory right to do anything about fossil fuel, reserves or otherwise.

Even more damaging, the EPA's own attorney admitted to the judges that because of its higher volatility, putting ethanol into the nation's fuel supply would likely increase smog where it was used. One of the judges, on hearing that the EPA was actively promoting a substance that could in fact diminish air quality, wondered aloud, "Is the EPA in outer space?" (emphasis added by author)

The judges ruled against the EPA in 1995 and we began our dirty relationship with MTBE. Which leads us to the real reason we are seeing increased use of ethanol now. In all their infinite wisdom, the justices were blind to the fact that MTBE would lead to widespread contamination of our country's water supply. MTBE is now (or about to be) banned in at least 38 states. That left fuel blenders in a quagmire because the government requires they add an oxygenate to the fuel supply of our smoggiest cites. Under heavy pressure from the ultra powerful agribusiness lobby, the government resumed its marathon ethanol dance of mandates, subsidies and tax credits, consummated with the Energy Bill of 2005.

High Octane

One of the more irritating "pro ethanol" talking points is that it is a "high octane" fuel. They proudly point to NASCAR drivers who are joining their crusade, and no doubt ethanol is great for racing high performance stock cars. But, it Is a WASTE OF MONEY for consumers. Or so says the Federal government:

From the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Alert:

At the Pump: Use the Octane Level You Need
• Your owner’s manual recommends the most effective octane level for your car. For most cars, the recommended gasoline is regular octane. In most cases, using a higher octane gas than the manufacturer recommends offers no benefit. Unless your engine is knocking, buying higher octane gasoline is a waste of money.

"Reduces Our Dependence on Foreign Oil"

The Federal Government themselves verifies this is not true. It's not even a possibility!

From remarks by Agricultural Secretary, Mike Johanns:

Today, more than 100 (ethanol) plants now produce a combined total of more than 5 billion gallons per year. More than 70 additional plants are under construction, expected to increase our production capacity by 8 billion gallons. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a lot of corn.
Just in the last year, the amount of corn used for ethanol production rose from 14 percent to 20 percent

According to those figures, committing more than 40% of our corn crop to ethanol production will net us a possible 13 billion gallons of fuel. Problem is, Americans consumed more than 140 billion gallons of fuel in 2005!
Don't forget to factor in that ethanol has fewer BTU's, so that 13 billion is equivalent to only 8.5 billion gallons of gasoline.
American farmers simply CANNOT meet the demand created by Federal RFG regulations. We will be forced to import even more ethanol than we do now and the most likely source will be China, as they are the world's #3 producer, behind Brazil and the U.S.

So much for all that "National Security" ethanol is buying us. So much for "renewable", environmentally friendly nonsense!

Who in our new "Green" Congress will have the courage to speak the truth? Do we have any real mavericks representing us? We shall see......

Obama Leads The Way

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 06:51:00 +0000

There is a Great Green Hope that the new Congress will address the related issues of Energy & the Environment with the urgency they deserve. Hope that our leaders will end the days of corporate welfare and acting as mouthpieces for big-money campaign contributors. But if Senator Barack Obama's (D-IL) newly introduced legislation is any indication, we'd better hope the incoming freshmen & women don't follow the footsteps of the media darling because he is leading the way down the same old dead-end path.

According to press releases this week from Obama, he has joined ranks with Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Richard Luger (R-IN), to open the new Congress with their "BioFuels Security Act" and "American Fuels Act of 2007". Both center around the increased use of ethanol and bio-fuels. It is their contention that the proposed policies will " greatly decrease our nation's dangerous dependence on foreign oil', "strengthen farm income" and help us "become truly energy independent". In the name of "national and economic security for our nation", they shamelessly pull our patriotic heartstrings while pandering to familiar members of the "Good 'Ol Boys Club."

In a nutshell the legislation would offer more tax credits to agribusiness giants like ADM and ConAgra, increase tax credits to automakers and continue to provide industrial agriculture with a mandated customer for their environmentally unkind commodity. It is no secret that farm lobbyists wield great power in Washington and no group wants to see increased use of ethanol as much as farmers do. Certainly not environmentalists who know ethanol seriously harms our planet on multiple levels. Wall Street investors recognized long ago that without government subsidized crutches, the ethanol industry doesn't have a leg to stand on. And despite rhetoric about "national security", increasing use of ethanol will do absolutely nothing to increase the security of American citizens. Well, unless you're afraid of Canada.

Yes, those frightful, war-mongering Canadians are the United States' #1 supplier of evil "foreign oil". Surely, educated Legislators know this, right? Surely they know that, according to the DOE, more than 80% of our imported oil is supplied by 12 countries; 6 of them located in our hemisphere. Are they asking us to believe that decreasing our oil imports from Mexico (#2) and Venezuela (#4) will somehow assure us "national security?" Not likely. It is much more likely that the Senators know "dangerous dependence on foreign oil" makes a nice sound-bite in a Press Release.

According to the Department of Energy, less than 20% of our imported petroleum comes from the presumably "dangerous" Persian Gulf. Might the Senators be using propaganda and fear tactics to disguise corporate welfare? Ethanol will never have a significant impact on oil use, but increasing its subsidies will keep legislator's top contributors happily suckling our tax dollars from the teats of Congressional Policy.

In 2005, 3.9 billion gallons of ethanol were produced from corn in the United States, representing a paltry 2.8% of the 140 billion gallons of gasoline consumed by Americans. Current U.S. Energy Policy provides billions of dollars in incentives and mandates bio-fuel use increase to 7.5 billion gallons by 2012, which amounts to less than 5% of our annual oil consumption! The mandates in these new Bills would achieve (at best) displacement of 10% in 13 years time while costing American taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars! And that doesn't include the cost of environmental damage inflicted by ethanol.

This is the best "global and economic security" our tax dollars can buy? No matter how much money Congress throws at the ethanol industry, their goals hinge on new "technology" or "feedstock" because they already know homegrown corn will never quench our thirst for fuel. In fact, there are NO requirements that we even use American ethanol, which will force refiners to increase the amount we import.

The U.S. and Brazil are the top 2 ethanol producers in the world, with Brazil providing a good portion of our imported ethanol. (90% in 2004 ) Brazilians destroy eco-cleansing rain forests to plant sugar cane for ethanol faster than our thirst can be quenched; our lesser suppliers are mostly small nations (Jamaica, Costa Rica) with limited ability to increase production. Yet they too, destroy important eco-systems to cash in on our government imposed lust.

The worlds third top producer of ethanol is China; maybe they would be interested in feeding an American ethanol addiction. Somehow, replacing a "dangerous addiction to foreign (Canadian/Mexican) oil" with a possible dependence on Chinese ethanol doesn't sound like "national and economic security for our nation." It seems the Senators have missed the point of "Green voters" entirely: We need to decrease our energy use, NOT switch addictions! Especially not to an unsustainable, highly polluting, short-term fix like corn ethanol!

The only way to "become truly energy independent" is to reduce consumption by increasing energy efficiency and to encourage truly clean, sustainable energy alternatives. Yet, the Senators' legislation does nothing to address either of these critical points. I suppose it would be too simplistic to suggest they send a $5 certificate (to purchase a compact fluorescent light bulb) to every household in the U.S.? Lasting 10 times longer and using 1/3 the energy of conventional bulbs, "switching 1 bulb in every home would prevent enough pollution to equal the removal of one million cars from the road." If just a portion of the billions being wasted on ethanol and big ag subsidies were instead invested in promoting clean, self-renewing energy, sustainable agriculture and an energy efficient infrastructure, we could easily achieve energy independence and make significant progress towards reducing life-threatening pollution.

If Congress absolutely cannot overcome the urge to send a fix to the junkies in the auto industry, then at least let our tax dollars force them to increase the fuel economy of passenger vehicles and focus on electric hybrids, not gas guzzling FFV SUV's. Washington enticed Detroit into producing ethanol capable Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs), yet the vast majority of them are guzzling gas because its easier and cheaper than E85. (auto makers get their tax credit either way) The last thing Americans need is to subsidize more of the same from Detroit. Increasing fuel economy to 40 mpg is the most critical step towards reducing global warming and could reduce oil consumption by 4 million barrels per day! (more than we import from the Persian Gulf!) Investing in gas-electric hybrids makes infinitely more sense than continuing to subsidize the phony "green" campaign coming out of Detroit.

American lawmakers began throwing big subsidies to the ethanol industry decades ago in hopes we actually could improve our fuel security. But all we have done is create another corporate welfare baby that can't sustain itself. Each of the Senators sponsoring this Legislation is old enough to remember the gas rationing days of the 70's, when serious ethanol subsidies began. Those were urgent times when the odd or even number on your license plate determined which day of the week you could purchase fuel. We called on farmers and ethanol producers to do their best to help the country. Are they suggesting that after all these decades and billions of dollars, the ethanol industry hasn't done all it could to perfect their process and provide a viable fuel? Are we to believe there is some magic secret waiting just around the corner that will suddenly make ethanol environmentally friendly & energy efficient? After 30 years we have learned ethanol pollutes on multiple levels, using it to fuel our vehicles cost more than gas and it does nothing to improve air quality.

There is only one reason we continue to be subjected to the ethanol scam: The farm lobby is among the most powerful in Washington. Corn prices are at a 10 year high. Farmers LOVE ethanol. These good 'ol boys in Congress are caving in to good 'ol boys back home who are accustomed to receiving more than their fair share of government subsidies. (click for more info )

There is no dark, looming threat from our suppliers of "foreign oil", nor do we move any closer to energy independence by drowning our sorrows in corn liquor. Obama and friends are correct when they state, "We have the capacity and ingenuity to decrease our dependence on foreign oil". Yet, this newly proposed legislation demonstrates some Senators continue to lack "the political will" necessary to foster meaningful change. It remains to be seen if we have elected true leaders in the Freshman class or if clean, renewable energy will continue to be cast aside in favor of the same old politics as usual.

energy Environment politics global warming ethanol biofuels government Pollution Subsidies Agriculture

Hot Fuel-Less Energy

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 05:39:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 14, 20062:47 PM
CONTACT: Public Citizen(202) 588-1000

Groups Charge Big Oil With More Than $2 Billion in Consumer Fraud: Hot Motor Fuel Pumps Less Energy; Petroleum Retailers Overcharge Motorists for Overheated Fuel and Pocket Taxes Paid by Consumers

WASHINGTON - December 14 -
Truck drivers and motorists in seven states filed a complaint Wednesday against
seventeen oil companies and gasoline and diesel retailers for overcharging
at the pump for fuel heated above the industry standard. This “hot fuel” provides less energy than a standard gallon and bilks consumers of more than two billion dollars nationwide, according to information released at a telephone press conference held today to announce the lawsuit.
“Automobile travel and small truck traffic will be heavy during this holiday
season,” said Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook, who participated in the
press conference. “This lawsuit comes at a particularly appropriate time to
expose a system that has been quietly picking money from the pockets of citizens
throughout the country.”
For decades, fuel retailers have been overcharging drivers by selling gasoline or diesel that is warmer than the industry standard of 60 degrees. Like all liquids, the volume of fuel expands and contracts when the temperature changes. Hotter fuel has less energy in each gallon than cooler fuel. Regardless of whether fuel temperature rises due to radiant heat from the sun or the refinery process, the results are the same: consumers pay more for less energy.
Those who buy fuel in bulk, such as the U.S. armed forces, have temperature-adjusted purchase agreements with the oil industry. In fact, fuel is adjusted for temperature all along the distribution line except at the end point, when it is delivered to individual consumers. With U.S. retail pumps, motorists never know how much energy they will receive from a gallon of motor fuel. By some estimates, retailers are shortchanging drivers 760 million gallons per year.
The class-action lawsuit charges the petroleum retailers with
breach of sales contract and consumer fraud and seeks relief for motor fuel
consumers in the states of California, Texas, Florida, Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia. It calls for remedies in the form of
restitution and the installation of temperature correction equipment for pumps that dispense gasoline and diesel fuel. The seventeen companies charged in the suit are

Alon USA, Inc., Ambest, Inc., Chevron USA, Inc., Circle K Corporation,
Citgo Petroleum Corporation, ConocoPhilips LLC, Costco Wholesale Corporation,
Flying J., Inc., Petro Stopping Centers, L.P., Pilot Travel Centers LLC,
Inc., 7-Eleven, Inc., Shell Oil Products Company, LLC, Tesoro Refining and
Marketing Company, The Kroger Company, TravelCenters of America, Inc.,
Valero Marketing and Supply Company and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
For Big Oil, hot fuel overcharges add up to huge, ill-gotten windfalls. To add insult to
injury, the oil industry also benefits from state and federal tax loopholes
related to overheated fuel. Gasoline and diesel fuel is measured and taxed
at the time it is bought at wholesale. Any additional amount of taxes paid
by motorists at the pump buying hot fuel does not go to federal and state
governments to repair our highways, roads and bridges – it goes straight into the pockets of the oil companies and retailers.
But the oil industry’s opinion about temperature-adjusted motor fuel pumps at the point of retail sale depends on where it is standing. While it opposes temperature
compensation in the United States, it embraces it in Canada, where it stands to
lose money from selling “cold fuel” that has more energy than the standard
gallon. The industry has voluntarily implemented the use of temperature
control equipment at retail pumps in Canada and supported legislation there
to make the technology mandatory at the point of sale.
“Although the industry claims that the cost of hot fuel amounts to pennies for individual consumers, it really adds up to a $50 tax on every car in the country,” said
John Siebert, project manager of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers
Association (OOIDA) Foundation and a participant in today’s conference call.
“We joined this lawsuit because it’s hard enough to make a living out here,”
said Becky Rushing, who along with her husband Mark is part of an owner-operator
trucking team that represents two of the millions of motorists that constitute
the class in this case. “We see truck drivers every day who have to give up
their trucks and get off the road without these oil companies taking advantage
of us, too.”
“Ultimately, Congress needs to protect U.S. consumers against
the industry-wide practice of hot fuel overcharges – but in the absence of
government protections, the only solution is for consumers to band together and
force a remedy through the legal system,” said Claybrook.

To read Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook's
statement, click here.
To read independent truck drivers Mark and
Becky Rushing's statement, click here.
Original Here: Public Citizen Press Release 12/15/06

energy

Tools For The Citizen Activist

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 04:19:00 +0000

Tools For The Citizen Activist
There was a time when I trusted business leaders & elected officials to make intelligent decisions for the well being of people & our planet, but no more. It is our duty as citizens to be involved in our communities & our government. When you witness poor leadership or are affected by bad policy decisions, it is crucial to remain involved & educated so that you may protect your family, home & community. I am not an expert, but I can share with you my experience and information I found helpful when faced with the daunting task of fighting Big Government & Big Money.

If you have no experience at a given task it is easy to feel intimidated; the old adage "Knowledge is Power", is sometimes very true. Yet, knowledge is only powerful if you know what to do with it. In my efforts to prevent an ethanol distillery from becoming my neighbor I was overwhelmed with information, but I had no idea what to do with it. Sharing it with the Township Board proved fruitless; the "good-ol'-boys-club" had already decided what our community wanted. I had no experience in local government and couldn't even determine the process the developers needed to follow. Through trial & error I discovered if you are persistent, you will likely find sympathetic people to guide you.
Here are some tips & web info I found helpful:

Regularly attend local government meetings (Township, Village, County, etc) Ask for copies of the minutes, ask questions; remember: they work for you!
Obtain a copy of your local Zoning Ordinance. There may be a nominal fee, (mine cost $5.00) but it is well worth it. As an attorney friend explained to me, a Master Plan is sort of a vision thing, but the Zoning Ordinance is the "bible" of rules that each municipality writes for itself to govern by, and that residents & business owners must adhere to.

Document everything! Phone calls, meetings, research, names, dates; get a notebook and keep track of it ALL.
Always be professional. Always be polite. It can be very difficult to control emotions when you feel threatened or misunderstood, but you lose all credibility if you lose your temper.
Know your facts! Documenting your facts; being able to prove what you know, will build credibility & confidence. Knowing with absolute certainty that my facts were correct empowered me to stand up in a room full of corn farmers & challenge 3 ill-prepared developers hoping to dazzle us with their dog-n-pony show.
That same confidence led me to call a local newspaper reporter & his editors to inform them they had printed false & misleading information. Big mistake! Their position was that the public understood the front page article in question was an "interview" with the developer! (a former Michigan State Representative) The reporter actually told me he doesn't "have time to verify every detail"! Lesson: Choose your battles wisely and always maintain a good relationship with the media, especially in a small town. The media can get your message out to the masses or silence you.
Ask for help! There are good people in business, government & civic organizations, seek them out, let their expertise help you. I literally got out the phone book & just started calling locals for support & advice. Environmental groups, college staff, attorneys, county employees; all can offer useful information and most are more than happy to help.
There is power in numbers; get your family, friends & neighbors involved in your campaign. Get your message on the Internet at your own web site or by e-mail, asking everyone to "keep on forwarding".

Web Tools to Make You Smarter

This site allows you to convert all the usual stuff: area, speed, time, temp, currency, & cooking measurements, but also converts torque, computer storage & data transfer rates, mass & volume flow rates & more!
Convert Just About Anything Here

The BioTech Dictionary is a community based project to provide short, simple explanations of bio-tech terms. Easy to use!
The Bio-Tech Dictionary

Scorecard is "The Pollution Information Site".
Get an in-depth pollution report for any county; covering air, water, chemicals, and more.
Scorecard

The Right-to-Know Network, a service provided by OMB Watch, provides free access to numerous environmental databases. With the information available on RTK NET, you can identify specific factories and their environmental effects, and assess the people and communities affected.
The Right To Know Network

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) web site provides a wealth of information & has an easy to use "hyper-glossary".
MSDS Hyper-Glossary

Citizen Activist Organizations

Public Interest Research Group In Michigan (PIRGIM)
Mission Statement: "When consumers are cheated or the voices of ordinary citizens are drowned out by special interest lobbyists, PIRGIM speaks up and takes action. We uncover threats to public health and well-being and fight to end them, using the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposés, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation. PIRGIM’s mission is to deliver persistent, result-oriented public interest activism that protects consumers, encourages a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic government."
Includes a "Citizen Activist Tool Kit" section.
PIRGIM

To find your local PIRG, visit the United States Public Interest Research Group's web site.
USPIRG

Community & Environmental Defense Services
CEDS exists solely to help people defend their community and environment from the impact of sprawl and other flawed development projects. We are a nationwide network of attorneys, planners, environmental scientists, traffic engineers, political strategists, fundraisers, and other professionals. Our Mission: "To help citizens win Smart Growth victories." Lots of self-help info; raising money, avoiding mistakes & more.
Community & Environmental Defense Services

MLUI is an excellent resource for citizen involvement. Want to know which division of the Department of Environmental Quality oversees water quality? How about some help planning meetings and strategy? We are building a toolkit that grassroots activists can use to become more effective in the public policy debate. Included are sample letters, organizing tips, email addresses of key state regulators and lawmakers, and useful Web sites.
Activist Tool Kit

Most importantly, never lose hope! There may be days that you wonder if your efforts matter; they do! Activism begins in our own backyard, and all our yards are connected.

Conservation
Subsidies
government
politics
energy
Environment
global warming
Pollution
ethanol
Citizen Activist

Pollution Is:

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 22:42:00 +0000

Pollution Is:

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - Compounds that contain carbon and hydrogen (hydrocarbons), which have adverse health effects. VOCs are found in everything from paints to cleaning fluids and are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs are a major contributing factor to ozone and a primary emission concern relating to ethanol facilities.

Ozone - Formed in the atmosphere when VOCs in the air react with nitrogen oxides and sunlight through a photochemical process. Ozone in the upper atmosphere is beneficial, helping protect the earth from the sun’s dangerous ultraviolet rays. However, ground level ozone is a reactive gas that, according to EPA studies, affects the normal function of the lung in otherwise healthy humans. Ozone is a major component of smog.

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) - Created when fuel is burned at high temperatures, NOx are considered major contributors to smog. More than 1/2 of all NOx sources in the U.S. are derived from motor vehicles.

Particulate Matter (PM) - Particles found in the air, including dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) - A colorless, odorless gas formed when carbon in fuel is not burned completely, meaning there is insufficient oxygen to allow complete conversion of carbon to carbon dioxide. It is a component of motor fuel exhaust, contributing about 56 percent of all CO emissions. According to EPA, about 4 percent of CO sources are industrial processes.

Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) - VOCs with additional harmful properties. The effects of HAPs are more severe than that of VOCs.

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) - A colorless gas with an odor. It is a liquid when under pressure, and it dissolves in water very easily. SO2 in the air comes mainly from activities such as the burning of coal and oil at power plants.

Known Dangers & Incidents at Ethanol Distilleries

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 18:19:00 +0000

Fires & explosions, chemical spills & leaks, air & water pollution, learn more here:

Ethanol Incidents

Communities Opposing Ethanol Distilleries

Pt. Kembla Fire

Pt. Kembla Investigation

*****************************************************************************

October 22nd, 2006 – Massive rail cleanup in New Brighton
Investigation begins into derailment of 23 Norfolk Southern tankers carrying ethanol
by Dennis B. Roddy – Pittsburg Post–Gazette

Badger State Ethanol
"Good neighbor?" Read resident's testimony here:
Ethanol Distillery Neighbors Concerns

Profits and Patriotism

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 06:41:00 +0000

From the News Wire:

The following excerpts are from an Op/Ed piece in the Des Moines Register, written by Bruce Rastetter of Iowa Falls. Rastetter is the CEO of Hawkeye Renewables, Iowa's largest ethanol producer and the nation's third largest producer of ethanol.
"The time has come for Iowa to lead a transformational change in our nation's energy consumption that will result in a safer country. Iowa produces more corn and biofuels than any state in the nation, and therefore we stand at the epicenter of both food and energy supply - pivotal components of our national security.

Like any growing industry, the ethanol industry faces challenges that must be addressed to ensure its continued growth and ease our reliance on foreign oil.
Because of the direct benefit to our national security, the government should continue to play a key role in shaping public policy that advances the cause of renewable fuels. Through responsible regulation to ensure a clean environment via use of biofuels, ensuring the continuation of the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC), and assisting in developing a solid infrastructure and delivery system for ethanol, the government can not only help the entire renewable fuels industry, it will also keep our air clean, provide economic benefit to farmers and Americans, and position America to be more energy self-sufficient.
Original here: Des Moines Register

Increasingly across the country articles like this are doting the editorial pages of "news" papers, but they would be more appropriately filed under the "Investors Wanted" category of the "Classifieds" section. Possibly the "Truth in Advertising" standards block that option for ethanol producers bent on profiting from the gullibleness of the public. What Mr. Rastetters fails to make clear to his readers is that his company is desperate for investors, but lacking any rational business reason to invest in ethanol, he must resort to pulling our patriotic heartstrings: In the name of "National Security" and feeding our people, real Americans must support ethanol and corn growers.

Mr. Rastetters' problem is that investors want to see the proof in real numbers, which don't support increased ethanol production, so he must plea with the government for more money. Apparently the billions appropriated in last year's Energy Bill wasn't enough to satisfy his lust for our tax dollars. Rastetter had planned to maximize his cash-cow in September, until, at the last minute he withdrew Hawkeye Renewables' IPO due to poor performance of other ethanol producers who had recently gone public. ( Reuters ) Unlike the politicians in Washington, Wall Street investors understand fiscal responsibility!

Fiscal responsibility be damned, ethanol producers attempt to convince us increasing ethanol production will enhance our national security by decreasing our "reliance on foreign oil". (Gosh, I thought the war in Iraq was over WMD's, not oil! Oh, that's another blog.....) Rastetter fails, however, to tell us just how much security all those billions of tax dollars are buying us. In 2005, 3.9 billion gallons of ethanol were produced from corn in the United States, a whopping 2.8% of total gasoline sales by volume! Last year's Energy Policy mandates ethanol use increase to 7.5 billion gallons by 2012, which amounts to less than 5% of our annual consumption! And a portion of that meager 5% is actually imported! I guess I define "National Security" a little differently than the CEOs of big agri-businesses looking to profit from our patriotism.

Americans consumed 140 billion gallons of gasoline last year and that's the number that needs to be reduced. Not by increased support of the losing ethanol proposition as we have done for the past 30 years, but with sensible change to the way the problem is approached. We will only see meaningful return on our investment of tax dollars if we create long term changes that will continue to benefit our economy and our environment. One of the most important changes that should take place immediately is to increase C.A.F.E. standards to at least the levels imposed across Europe & by most industrialized nations. The technology for cleaner, higher mileage vehicles has long been in use, but U.S. automakers are addicted to the protections provided by Washington's enabling policy decisions.

The time has come to recognize that protecting the stockholders of a very few companies is putting the health & welfare of our country at risk. As citizens of this great country we are sick of being duped by politicians advancing an agenda that has nothing to do with "National Security" and everything to do with profit margins of their friends. We voted for change and we expect to see it! Contact your State & National Representatives & tell them you do NOT support increased ethanol use , but instead demand they move to increase C.A.F.E. standards, increase public transportation and invest in truly clean energy sources.

Subsidies
government
politics
energy
Environment
global warming
Pollution
ethanol
biofuels

Links for December

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 17:32:00 +0000

Interesting articles & web sites for the month of December, this list is updated throughout the month. (New links added at the end of post)

From The New Yorker: "Our current policy is absurd even by Washington standards: Congress is paying billions in subsidies to get us to use more ethanol, while keeping in place tariffs and quotas that guarantee that we’ll use less."
Original here: "Deal Sweeteners"

The Sierra Club's on-line Newsletter, jam packed with news, fun, and ideas for living "Green".
"Explore, enjoy & protect the Planet"
Original here: The Sierra Club Insider

From CNN: "Ethanol is a product that would not exist if Congress didn't create an artificial market for it. No one would be willing to buy it," McCain said in November 2003. "Yet thanks to agricultural subsidies and ethanol producer subsidies, it is now a very big business - tens of billions of dollars that have enriched a handful of corporate interests - primarily one big corporation, ADM. Ethanol does nothing to reduce fuel consumption, nothing to increase our energy independence, nothing to improve air quality."........In a flip-flop so absurd it'll be a wonder if it doesn't get lampooned by late-night comedians - not to mention opponents' negative ads - McCain is now proclaiming himself a "strong" ethanol supporter" (Also, see Archives "Links" post, 11/06)
"John McCain's Farm Flip-Flop"

From CNN: "The claim by prominent Washington lawyer Carter Phillips that the federal government had changed course in regulating emissions from coal-fired power plants is simply not true and a paper trail of the industry's own documents proves it, the groups say."
Original here: "Environmental Groups: Lawyer Deceived Court"

From The Journal Star: "Recently, this column listed several scientific, economic and political facts about to take the shine off ethanol’s apple. It was offered as a caution to hopped-up farmer-investors throwing buckets of money, either real cash or contracted cheap corn, at the many ethanol schemes now roaring down nearly every county blacktop. Reaction to that column was stunning."
Original here: "No Easy Answers to Ethanol Dilemma"

From The American Institute of Biological Science: "The environmental impacts of corn ethanol are enormous. They include severe soil erosion, heavy use of nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides, and a significant contribution to global warming. In addition, each gallon of ethanol requires 1700 gallons of water (mostly to grow the corn) and produces 6 to 12 gallons of noxious organic effluent."
Original here: Green Plants, Fossil Fuels, and Now Biofuels

For a wealth of information, follow this link to read and/or download all or part of the "Biomass Energy Data Book", produced by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy. This handy PDF document shows where the government is spending some of our tax dollars. Very interesting reading!
Original here: Biomass Energy Data Book

From the same source, the "Transportation Energy Data Book" is equally interesting.
Original here: Transportation Energy Data Book

From Harvard Magazine: "Can we move beyond an energy policy running on hype and hot air? The promised benefits of ethanol prove to be largely ephemeral. It is urgent that we understand the realities before proceeding headlong toward corn-based ethanol as the solution to American energy woes."
Original here: The Ethanol Illusion

The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world. UCS combines independent scientific research and citizen action to develop innovative, practical solutions and to secure responsible changes in government policy, corporate practices, and consumer choices.

Original here: Union of Concerned Scientists
The Energy Justice Network understands that energy issues have profound impacts on many other environmental issues from agriculture to waste. We recognize that low-income communities and communities of color tend to be the most seriously impacted by polluting energy systems and we support a comprehensive, environmental justice approach. Read their updated Ethanol Fact Sheet (3 page PDF)
Original here: http://www.energyjustice.net/ethanol/factsheet.pdf

From the Nature Conservancy: Nine great tips to reduce Global Warming. My favorite this month is #3: "Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. These energy-efficient bulbs help fight climate change because they reduce the amount of fossil fuels that utilities burn. You will save 100 pounds of carbon for each incandescent bulb that you replace with a compact fluorescent, over the life of the bulb."
They make terrific Holiday Gifts wrapped up in a hand-made, cloth shopping bag!

http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/activities/art19630.html

Friday Fun With Hal

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:58:00 +0000

Writing today from the bowels of computer hell, as my computer has been punishing me for the past 2 (or has it been 3??) days in ways that no broken-English-speaking AOL tech in another country can offer a reprieve from. Many of you may not believe in such silly superstitions, but I am convinced that naming my computer "Hal" was a very serious mistake! Maybe you're 1 of those prejudice people who believes that nonsense about "A computer is only as smart as the person operating (or programing) it." But I am telling you, "ITS ALIVE, AND ATTACKING MY SANITY!!!" And it wasn't my fault!

I was being a good girl, removing unused programs. The prompt said this AOL program hadn't been used since August, so of course I don't need that, right? WRONG!! One little click of the mouse & bah-da-boom, bah-da-bing, there went all my AOL software! No amount of "System Restore" attempts can un-do the REALLY DUMB mistakes! Once Hal has control, he doesn't give it up easily!

I managed to re-load AOL, but I can't access my Security Center, and I'm still trying to re-set all my personal settings. When I finally got to talk to an AMERICAN ENGLISH speaking tech, he made me feel lots better by saying he had NEVER encountered this type of problem! (maybe I should have explained Hal is real & living in my computer) Security Center is prompting me to sign in, but the window doesn't have a "Submit" button, only "Cancel". WTF????? Mr. Tech Support said not to worry, happens to the best of them. Sure. OK. I guess if I can believe Hal lives in my computer, I can also wrap my head around the idea that Mr. Tech will fix the problem, right? Maybe I'd be better off renting "2001-A Space Odyssey", I can't remember all the details, but I'll bet my salvation is in there somewhere.

My brain is too fried to work on my blog or anything else today, so I just thought I'd share my (humorous?) little drama with you. Are you ROTFL yet? Yeah, me, too.........NOT!!!! :-)

Ethanol Subsidies Need Evaluation

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 04:25:00 +0000

From the News Wire:

"Study Says Ethanol Subsidies Need to be Critically Evaluated
Associated Press-

MUNCIE, Ind. - A recent study by energy subsidy analyst, Doug Koplow, states that government subsidies for the ethanol industry need to be more critically evaluated.
He questions whether the ethanol subsidies are the best way to reduce dependence on foreign oil.
"This is simply unsustainable, and likely reflects a mix of reasonable corn prices, historically high gasoline prices, and very generous state and federal subsidies"
Indiana has at least 11 ethanol plants announced or under construction. In January 2005, the state had just one working ethanol plant.
The government supports ethanol production in several ways, including a federal excise tax. Indiana has an additional ethanol production tax credit and tax credit for retailers who sell E85 ethanol.
Koplow estimates that government support for ethanol could reach $8.7 billion a year by 2010. He said the subsidies should be scrutinized and researched to see if they are cost effective. "

Original: http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/local/16156540.htm

Our newly elected Congress will soon be given the opportunity to show their true colors and for the sake of our planet, let's hope those colors are Green. Our nation simply cannot afford to waste billions of dollars every year perpetuating the ethanol myth and other bad energy policies. Nor can our planet continue to sustain the abuse inflicted by human beings.

Congress has forced us to spend billions propping up the environmentally unfriendly agribusiness of corn. Billions more as seed money to ethanol producers, billions to blenders who add it to the gas, and even more billions for infrastructure! All that in addition to State & local tax incentives. The payoff for all our billions of hard earned tax dollars is supposed to be an environmentally friendly hero to rescue us from Foreign Oil. The truth is, the payoff is going to a handful of big businesses behaving like corporate welfare babies. The ethanol industry is not in its infancy and there is no excuse for them to continue suckling free mother's milk from Congress.

If ethanol were a viable product the private business sector would have jumped at the chance to quench our thirst when Congress mandated its use. But the truth is, ethanol is a dirty, low return comodity whose popularity ebbs and flows are a direct result of Congressional mandates, not sound environmental or business decisions.

The goal is to produce 7.5 billion gallons of ethanol per year by 2012, less than 6% of our yearly fuel consumption! That's energy independence? A few days worth of imported oil is hardly worth it when that money could be better spent decreasing auto emissions by increasing our C.A.F.E. standards (at least to European levels) and decreasing our overall oil consumption.

If our new Congress is as green as many hope they are, we can expect to see the subsidized poisoning of America reach its demise and a focus on truly clean energy independence begin.

The Politics of Food

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 01:12:00 +0000

From the News Wire:

"The politics of food

Michael Pollan, author of “The Omnivore’s
Dilemma,” concludes that the current industrial food system is
unsustainable. This way of growing food cannot continue indefinitely because it destroys the very resources needed to operate. “We’ve taken our food
system off the sun ... and we’ve kind of hooked it into the fossil fuel economy in a way that’s unsustainable”
By eating over-processed food and lots of meat, each person adds 4 tons of carbon to the atmosphere every year
Pollution comes not only from the fuel in the tractors on the farms, but from the trucks that transport food across the country. The average supermarket item travels 1,500 miles to the store
The industrial system also adds to our health problems, such as diabetes. The human body needs 50 to 100 different minerals, but “you don’t get that from processed corn and soy”
The United States spends $25 billion a year to subsidize cheap food
In 1960, Americans spent 18 percent of their income on food. That number has dropped to less than 10 percent. At the same time, the amount spent on health care has increased from 5 percent to 16 percent of our income. If more money were spent on food, “we might be able to spend less on health care”
The industrialized food system, “depends on ignorance”,when people learn more about this food, “they lose their appetite for it”
“When you look over the high walls of the industrial feedlots and see how the animals live and see how the animals die”, it makes people think twice about the implications of the food they’re choosing.
He urged audience members to pay attention when the Farm Bill comes up for re-approval in 2007, and to let legislators know their opinion on this and other food-related legislation. Consumers also can change the food system, “by voting with our forks.”
It’s important to preserve farmland. “Once it goes, we’ll never get it back”

— Reach
Sharon Stello at sstello@davisenterprise.net or
747-8043
Thursday, November 30, 2006"

Original:
http://www.davisenterprise.com/articles/2006/12/01/news/031new0.txt

Americans have made radical changes to their political leadership recently as a directive that we want radical changes in our lives. Much of the focus has been the war in Iraq, but the change we want most is a change in the way our country is being led. The Energy and Agriculture Bills enacted by our legislators must hold true to the desires of the American people so that we may be healthier, both as citizens and as a planet.

One of the most critical elements affecting our health is the food we eat. Corn saturating our diets & the diets of the animals we eat has been heavily doused with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides that have been linked to a wide range of human & animal diseases. Ditto for the steroids & antibiotics being pumped into the meat we eat. Most developed countries have banned these practices, yet in America, we subsidize our own poisoning.

To a large degree, our diet is dictated by the Farm bills passed in Washington. If we spent the billions of dollars wasted on annual corn subsidies on sustainable, organic crops instead, the health & welfare of American citizens and our planet, could be greatly improved. Many complain of the high cost of organics in the store without realizing that we have already paid a price for the "cheap" unhealthy food with our tax dollars, sacrificing the well being of our planet and health of our citizens. Our leaders in Washington have the ability and the responsibility to require healthy food be grown and consumed by Americans.

The same is true of our energy policies. In an effort to reduce the toxic pollution that is choking our planet, most developed countries have mandated lower auto emissions. But the biggest polluter of all, the U.S., continues to protect auto makers and invent ways to appease big agribusiness lobbyists. We must require auto makers to implement available technology that will greatly reduce the emissions caused by automobiles. And instead of wasting billions of tax dollars on the phony myth of ethanol, that money should be spent on true renewables, like solar & wind power.

A very uncomfortable link between food & fuel: Two of America's biggest food manufacturers, ConAgra and Archer Daniels Midland, are also the 2 biggest ethanol producers. The 2 most subsidized American products, corn & ethanol, while making huge profits for these 2 companies, are contributing significantly to the diseases of our citizens and the destruction of our planet.

As citizens, we have done our job by electing a new Congress. But it does not stop there; we must continue to participate in the process by holding business and government leaders accountable and making certain they live up to the responsibilities we have entrusted to them.

Citizens Fight Ethanol Proposal

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:42:00 +0000

From the News wire:

"Opponents consider suit to halt Ethanol plant
DODGE CITY - Foes of a proposed ethanol plant in Ford County are mulling a lawsuit to stall the plans if county commissioners grant developers permission to move forward.
A group of area farmers and other investors hope to build a 110-million-gallon per year ethanol plant, Boot Hill Biofuels, near the unincorporated town of Wright.
Plan critics worry about truck traffic the new plant would generate and the water it would draw from the underground aquifer, among other things.
For their part, project developers tout the jobs the plant will create and the economic lift it will bring to area farmers and others.
The application lacks such things as details about land contours at the plant site, information about ingress and egress and other particulars. He also charged that proper procedure wasn't followed in submission of the plan."
Original:
http://www.hutchnews.com/news/regional/stories/Ethanol120106.shtml

This is so typical of these new ethanol developers eager to cash in on all the free money made available in last year's Energy Bill. Find some small, struggling farm community and start waving around big promises of higher corn prices, jobs & umbrella industries. Subtly intimidating everyone with catch phrases like "These opportunities don't come along every day and we need to move quickly because G.W. Bush has mandated it". And the one I love the most, "We want to be good neighbors"! I've heard that so many times throughout the country, I swear it must be in the PR materials used by ethanol developers. Speaking of PR materials, the developers who brought their dog & pony show to our town even tried spooking us with a booklet & slide presentation about "Peak Oil" & global warming. I suppose if developer (and former Michigan State Representative) Rick Johnson actually believed in the snake oil he was selling, maybe he wouldn't have been driving a pretty new Cadillac!

What developers fail to mention is that the majority of jobs will be filled by experienced people already employed by the company hired to build & run the distillery, not local residents. Of the few remaining jobs, most will require degrees in chemistry & the like. And one of the biggest "umbrella industries"? Huge confined animal feeding operations known as CAFOs. As mentioned in the article from the previous post, ethanol distilleries produce a by-product called distillers grains, (DDGS/DGS) which is fed to livestock. A small distillery produces enough DDGS to feed 100,000 cattle, 24/7, 365 days a year. Not that there have been any long term studies on the safety of feeding cattle this leftover, chemical laced mash, mind you. There are, however, plenty of studies proving that CAFOs cause as much or more pollution than industry! Sound like "good neighbors" to you?

(Article detailing the pollution caused by CAFOs: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7005670299 )

Truck traffic increases are no small matter to very rural areas. Even with rail access, a small distillery generates cargo for approximately 200 hundred semi-trucks per day!! Often times these developers are offered State and/or local tax relief for 10 years, so who do you think is going to pay for all the damage done to local roads by all those trucks? The same people whose billions of tax dollars subsidize all that corn, the same people who spend billions more subsidizing all that ethanol: The American Tax Payers, that's who!

Ethanol, Food and the Rain Forests

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 06:08:00 +0000

From the News Wire:
"Booming Ethanol Industry Hurting Cattle Profits
ROXANA HEGEMAN
Associated Press
WICHITA, Kan. - A booming ethanol industry that has
driven up corn prices will have long-term repercussions for cattle feeders who
compete for those same feed grains to fatten their animals, market analysts told
the Kansas Livestock Association Thursday.
.....Not counting the government incentives, ethanol plants are making 51 cents
per gallon profit from their operations, Holbrook said.
"These ethanol plants can pay $5 a bushel for corn and still make money," Holbrook said. The high corn prices are already prompting more farmers to plant more, he
said. Already, farmers are putting more fertilizer on fields so they can plant
more corn in the spring. Corn requires more fertilizer than other crops.
Most the new corn acres will replace soybean fields, which will ultimately
drive up the price....
While distiller's grain, a byproduct
of ethanol production, can be used as livestock feed, it comes with some
drawbacks.
It is delivered wet, and transporting wet products is difficult.
Feedyards close to the ethanol plants would be the ones most likely to
efficiently use it, said Todd Domer, spokesman for the Kansas Livestock
Association.
It also has a short shelf life, especially during hot summers.
The wet grain must be used within days, and it's not economical to dry it.
Also, it's unclear how using it as feed for cattle will affect the quality
of beef. Domer said research is being done in that area."
Original:
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/16133491.htm

Reading articles like that makes it very clear we will be feeling the impacts of ethanol in our grocery stores soon, if not already. Ranchers (including hog & poultry) aren't going to eat these fat losses for long. While many would say this is more reason to eliminate meat from our diet, the truth is, this trend is being felt throughout the food supply and throughout the world. Nearly everything we consume is sweetened by either sugar or corn syrup. The top 2 crops for ethanol production? Sugar cane & corn, of course. There is no question we will feel the effects of ethanol in our household food budget.

In areas of the world where sugar cane is grown they are destroying RAIN FORESTS to fuel the lust for ethanol! Ethanol distilleries spewing their toxic plumes where vital ecosystems once cleansed our air, how sickening is that?! In the U.S., no other crop depletes & erodes the soil as much as corn does. No other crop requires the massive amounts of synthetic fertilizer and pesticides (which ultimately end up in our ground & water supply) that corn does. There is no question that ethanol hurts our environment.

Links

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 04:37:00 +0000

A collection of links:

For a very brief "Education in Ethanol", this link will take you to a "Letter to the Editor" that I wrote several months ago (about 1/2 way down the page).

http://www.northernexpress.com/editorial/letters.asp?id=1821

Or check out this great article written by Ed Wallace of Business Week, "Ethanol, A Tragedy in 3 Acts"

http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/apr2006/bw20060427_493909.htm?campaign_id=topStories_ssi_5

Or The Energy Justice Network's page: "Ethanol: Just Another Dirty Fuel"

http://www.energyjustice.net/ethanol/

The Energy Bill signed into law be Bush 8/05 as explored by The Energy Justice Network, a MUST READ!

http://www.energyjustice.net/energybill/

I highly recommend the article, “Cheap Food Nation”, by Eric Schlosser, featured in the current issue of Sierra Magazine. His book, “Fast Food Nation”, is the basis of a new movie by the same name scheduled to be released in Nov. ’06 and starring Bruce Willis, Kris Kristofferson, Greg Kinnear, Ethan Hawke & Patricia Arquette. He very simply connects the dots linking the Federal Budget, the food we eat & the increase of health problems in our country. Enlightening & disturbing!

http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200611/cheapfood.asp

This press release from Sen. John McCain is a MUST READ! Some choice quotes:

“The average consumer ends up paying the cost of ethanol subsidies in the grocery store”
“The environmental benefits of ethanol use, at least in terms of smog reduction, are yet unproven”
“One would be hard-pressed to find another industry as artificially sustained as the ethanol industry. The economics of ethanol are such that, for the industry to survive at all, massive trade protection, tax loopholes, contrived mandates for use, and production subsidies are vitally necessary. Only by spooking the public with bogey-men such as foreign oil sheiks, toxic air pollution, and the threatened disappearance of the American farmer can attention be deflected from the real costs of the ethanol house of cards that consumes over a billion dollars annually"

The reason this Press Release is important is not just because it supports my position. It’s most important because now that he is a likely presidential candidate, he has completely flip-flopped on the ethanol issue! I can't wait to see how that plays out!

http://www.powerweb.net/heisey/mccain.htm

The following 2 links are graphs of ethanol prices for the past 10 years & the past 18 months. Note the spike in price in late ‘05 when the new Energy Policy was signed by Bush dolling out BILLIONS of dollars to produce ethanol & mandating its use. There are many times when the price of ethanol is higher than gas!

http://www.energy.ca.gov/gasoline/graphs/ethanol_10-year.html

http://www.energy.ca.gov/gasoline/graphs/ethanol_18-month.html

A couple final links for now: an essay written by attorney Fred Antoun. He offers a simple look at why we can’t compare Brazil’s ethanol experience to America. I’d like to add that Brazil is destroying millions of acres of rain forests to plant sugar cane in order to fuel the ethanol lust of their country AND the United States because we import it here! Mr. Antoun's wife DeEtta formed a citizens group and with his expert help they successfully defeated an ethanol distillery in Pennsylvania. They have the most comprehensive web site for ethanol information I’ve found.

http://c4aqe.org/

http://c4aqe.org/Foreign_Ethanol/Brazil

Censorship

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 04:35:00 +0000

When I decided to start this blog I made a very disturbing discovery: Google has removed ALL "Images" of "ethanol+fire" from their search engine! Where there was once numerous pages of pictures, there is now "19 results", none of which shows ANY fire! I am but a pilgrim here and I am OUTRAGED at this blatant censorship! And what's even more disturbing is that this is not an isolated incident:

"The purpose of this letter is to inform you of an event that took place this
past week regarding the forced removal of all ethanol plant-related public
information from the Webster County University of Missouri Extension Web site.
As local taxpayers, we are outraged that the University of Missouri Extension, a
service of a public supported educational institution that is supposed to be
serving the best interests of the local citizens through its County Extension
Services, would allow its administration to be manipulated by outside political
influence."
(Quote by Gary Rogers of Fordland, a member of Citizens for Ground
Water Protection,
11-16-06)

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061116/OPINIONS02/611160364/1091

Who has the power & motivation to remove information from the public domain? Fortunately many truths still exist in private web pages:

http://homepage.mac.com/oscura/ctd/incidents.html

http://www.uow.edu.au/~sah/photos/FireBrigade/2004-01-EthanolFire/

Diligent Research

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 04:34:00 +0000

After months of diligent research I made some startling discoveries; these are some of the issues I will cover in depth in this blog:

Due to the high concentrations of synthetic pesticides, herbicides & fertilizers, no other crop depletes & erodes soil, and pollutes our air, water & earth as much as corn does.
Corn is the most highly subsidized crop in the United States, costing American taxpayers BILLIONS of dollars every year.
Vast quantities of fossil fuels are burned to grow, harvest & transport corn. More fossil fuels are burned to distill billions of gallons of ethanol.
To turn solid corn into liquid ethanol requires the addition of massive amounts of water. A small distillery can consume more than 500,000 gallons of water every day. They operate 24/7, 365 days a year, putting a constant strain on aquafiers.
The production process spews many tons of toxic, cancer causing pollutants into the air.
The leftover sludge is dumped directly into our waterways or held in storage "ponds" to slowly leach into our soil.
Then even more fuel is burned in the distribution. Most gasoline is distributed in pipelines, which is not possible with ethanol because it is more corrosive than gas and because it would absorb moisture in the pipelines, diluting the ethanol to the point of rendering it useless.
Also due to its corrosive properties, ethanol cannot be stored in standard holding tanks at blending terminals; thousands of new tanks would need to be built to accommodate increased ethanol use.
The same corrosive properties are the reason pumps and tanks at gas stations need to be replaced to dispense E85, costing millions of dollars.
And corrosivness the reason it is illegal to use a blend containing more than 10% ethanol in U.S. cars: It will corrode the fuel system in the vehicle.
Because ethanol has fewer BTUs per gallon than gas, using ethanol to fuel a car actually reduces cars mileage! If a gallon of gas takes you 30 miles, a gallon of ethanol will only take you about 20 miles.
Ethanol often cost more than gas; adding it to gas increases pump prices.
And while burning ethanol in vehicles may reduce some emissions, it also INCREASES other toxic, smog causing pollution.
Even though ethanol has been in regular use for decades, there are no long term studies to prove diluting gas with ethanol helps the environment, reduces our dependence on oil or lowers gas prices. NONE!

Ethanol-101

bohemian.tc@gmail.com (Mylene) — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 03:58:00 +0000

Quite simply, ethanol is pure alcohol, for the purpose of this blog I'm referring to ethanol made from corn, however it is also made from many other substances including sugar cane and old perfume. The process involves adding water and enzymes to corn, allowing it to ferment and distilling it to remove impurities. It is a very basic process that has changed very little since humans discovered fermentation. Some people know it as "gasohol". (aka: Moonshine or White-Lightning) Henry Ford used ethanol in his first cars. It’s been added to the American fuel supply for decades, usually blended at a ratio of 10% ethanol to 90% gasoline. E85 is 85% ethanol, 15% gas and can only be used in specially designed Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs).