Ag Heavies on Flex-Fuel
Not to say I told you so, but we have been reporting on the benefits of ethanol and bio-fuels for months and now the big boys from the USDA are chiming in big time.
Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture told an audience of farmers that the government should increase the amount of ethanol allowed in gasoline and should do it quickly. Last week, producers of ethanol asked the EPA to increase the ethanol maximum from 10 percent to 15 percent in refinery blends. This could increase demand by as much as 6 billion gallons a year.
One of the standard objections to increasing the ethanol maximum has come from automobile manufacturers who have said that an increase could harm engines and fuel lines. That’s where Senate Ag Committee Chairman Tom Harkin joined the discussion. “Then we’ve gotta get Detroit to start making flexible fuel cars. If Detroit’s gonna keep coming in and asking for more and more money, we oughta tell them they’ve gotta do a few things. Dick Luger and I have a bill in that says they’ve gotta produce 90% of their cars and light trucks must be flex-fuel by 2013. Now folks, that’s not a heavy lift. Detroit could do it next year if they wanted to and I think if they’re gonna keep coming with their hand out, we oughta grab them by the wrist and say Do this! Make all of your cars and trucks flexible fuel. That way you can use 10%, 12%, or 15%, or 25% or
