6-28 IAN Is EPA Crazy

 Has the EPA lost its mind. I’m starting to think so. I’m David Sparks with an editorial opinion in a minute. I got a press release from Congressman Mike Simpson who, in my view, usually seems to take a reasonable approach to politics on behalf of Idaho agricultural concerns.

Listen: Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson joined Western colleagues in expressing concern about EPA’s efforts to regulate energy production from biomass combustion under the Clean Air Act.  Simpson signed a letter to EPA asking that the agency postpone implementing the rule while it reconsiders its decision.

The EPA recently released its final PSD Tailoring Rule outlining which stationary sources of carbon emissions will be subject to EPA’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions control regulations, which will be implemented beginning in January 2011.

Let me get this straight. Tons of research, kjillions of dollars and a lot of blood, sweat and tears have been expended to produce green, renewable energy in this country.  Cellulosic ethanol is produced from biomass which means junk vegetation…corn cobs, weeds, wood chips, cheatgrass, you name it. In addition, ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline or diesel. So in effect, the EPA is saying that it wants to put restrictions on the production of a greener, renewable energy source in an effort to be greener. If that makes sense to you, then the Gulf oil spill is just a little blip