Automakers, Enviros Demand Congressional Hearing On Ethanol Blend Plan
By John O'Dell August 27, 2010
As the federal EPA gets ready to issue its ruling on the ethanol industry's bid to raise the maximum allowable mix of ethanol into gasoline, a coalition of automakers, engine producers, environmentalists and even a few agriculture groups is demanding Congressional hearings on the issue.
The ethanol lobby says we need to allow a 15 percent ethanol blend to reduce oil dependence - the maximum, or ethanol blend wall, now is 10 percent ethanol - and help achieve the renewable fuels goals that Congress has set.
(There's also that little matter of a 50 percent increase in the amount of U.S. corn that would be grown and sold for ethanol production and the increase in total federal subsidy payments to ethanol blenders, but hey!, who's counting?)
But auto and engine makers say there are still considerable concerns about the damage higher-ethanol fuels can do to engines and fuel systems that haven't been specially prepared to handle to corrosive alcohol, which can pit metal and dissolve some gasket an seal materials,
Environmentalists are concerned about increased greenhouse gases from ethanol feedstock (i.e., corn) production and the manufacture of ethanol, which require copious amounts of water.
Even some fellow farmers are concerned - the turkey growers lobby has told Congress it is worried about the impact rising corn prices (more demand typically creates higher prices) would have on feed prices.
We think our legislators would be wise (yeah, it's a stretch) to listen to opponents of the plan, for all of the reasons cited.
Ethanol has its place in the transportation fuels hierarchy, but it would be counterproductive to raise its profile until it can be clearly demonstrated that its use in increasing concentration to dilute gasoline won't end up costing consumers in engine repairs, reduced fuel economy (ethanol is about 20 percent less efficient than gasoline, so the more of it in a gallon of gas, the fewer miles that gallon will deliver), increased cost of corn-dependent foods, increased greenhouse gas emissions and increased air and water pollution from the fertilizers used to grow the corn and the diesel machinery used to harvest it and transport it to the refineries.
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
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