Ethanol Program Nothing But Slimy

The Albuquerque Journal reports that Gov. Susana Martinez is “disappointed” that the Environmental Protection Agency has refused to waive production requirements for corn-based ethanol.

Well, she shouldn’t be “disappointed,” she should be spitting mad and ought to (get) Obama’s attention and persuade him to abandon support of the whole sleazy, crooked, slimy politics-at-its-worst ethanol fiasco.

There is absolutely no good and plenty of bad about the whole ethanol program. It causes international resentment as those rich heartless Americans burn starving people’s food in their SUVs.

It significantly raises the costs of all foods for all Americans, not just corn products.

It raises the cost of transportation of all goods hence the prices on all goods.

It needlessly increases America’s consumption of fuel and adds to pollution while it reduces miles per gallon of vehicles since it has less energy per gallon of fuel than regular gasoline.

Furthermore, producing one gallon of ethanol fuel requires more than one gallon of fossil fuel. Truly, burning ethanol in our cars is insanity.

Apologists for ethanol argue it burns cleaner than traditional straight gasoline and hence reduces pollution.

Not true. Remember, if ethanol is used, more total fuel must be consumed.

The claim of less pollution is based on the fact that burning ethanol reduces two carcinogens, benzene and butadiene, but fails to point out that burning ethanol increases the production of ozone, a prime smog ingredient. The EPA admits that breathing even low levels of ozone decreases lung capacity, inflames lung tissue, worsens asthma and impairs the body’s immune system.

The World Health Organization estimates that 800,000 people a year die from ozone and other chemicals in smog. Studies show that burning all E85 compared to straight gasoline would result in at least 200 more deaths per year in the United States as well as an increase in asthma-related hospitalizations of 770 and respiratory-related hospitalizations by 990. These sad facts are true regardless of whether the ethanol is created by corn or by any other means.

Aside from being a significant negative in terms of fuel consumption and air pollution, ethanol-laced fuel is a hugely expensive disadvantage for anyone who operates a car, chain saw, motorcycle, snowmobile or any other internal combustion engine.

Ethanol is hygroscopic (attracts water) and causes corrosion and damage to metals and seals in an engine’s fuel system. (Figure about $600 on average for ethanol caused early replacement of the tank located fuel pump in a typical car or truck.)

Boat owners alone have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars repairing ethanol damage to their engines.

The government, in its typical infinite wisdom, requires fuel to be mixed with ethanol fully aware of the damage it does to engines and then requires by federal regulation that no ethanol-laced gasoline be used in aircraft engines!

The only reason we have ethanol in fuel is because the corn growers own Congress via their disgusting bribes of congresspeople. (I believe the politically correct term is campaign donations.)

The Congressional Budget Office found that in fiscal year 2009 alone biofuel tax credits reduced federal income by $6 billion. Further, if the tax credits are extended to 2015, taxpayers will get stiffed in the future to the tune of an additional $54.59 billion.

The entire ethanol program should be repealed immediately.

Until then, Martinez should see to it that all gas stations in New Mexico are mandated to have at least one pump available for ethanol-free gasoline.

In other states, this is usually done with the supreme pump. Wise motorists will find that paying the 20 cents or so extra per gallon for fuel that is not contaminated with ethanol will ultimately be a savings for them.