What To Do, What To DO? EPA Stalls For Time To Think.

Ethanol industry braces for EPA decision on its future

By David Streitfeld
Published: July 22, 2008

NOTE: Below is only an excerpt, but you can read the whole article by clicking the link above.

"The ethanol industry, until recently a golden child accustomed to favorable treatment from Washington, is facing a critical decision on its future.

The governor of Texas, Rick Perry, is asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to temporarily waive regulations requiring the oil industry to blend ever-increasing amounts of ethanol into gasoline. A decision is expected as soon as this week.

Perry, a Republican, says the billions of bushels of corn being used to produce all that mandated ethanol would be better suited as livestock feed than as fuel. Feed prices have soared in the past two years as fuel has begun competing with food for cropland.

"When you find yourself in a hole, you have to quit digging," Perry said during an interview. "And we are in a hole."

His request for an emergency waiver cutting the ethanol mandate to 4.5 billion gallons, from the 9 billion gallons required this year and the 10.5 billion required in 2009, is backed by a coalition of food, livestock and environmental groups. Farmers, carmakers, ethanol and other biofuel producers are lobbying to keep the existing mandates."

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The EPA has decided to not decide, for the moment. They have pushed the decision off until some time in August. The decision they make will definitely affect Ethanol production and acceptance, either way.

It is always fascinating to us to watch government squirm over decisions like this. It is a bad position to be in.

If they decide to maintain the 4.5 billion, then in effect, they are admitting that ethanol increases that they have been singing praises for could have been wrong, and that would mean that government was wrong. Egg on the face sort of thing.

If they decide go forward with the 9 billion, and then the economic collapse from food companies creating shortages and panic, then they may have been right, but sit on the verge of an anarchical society for lack of food and fuel!

Oh what to do!?!?!?!?

We want to see the Texas Two-Step!

Of course we say swallow your pride and admit ethanol is a mistake, period. It is not like government has never been wrong before. If you are truly for the people, let's just pretend for the moment eh, then do what is best for them and stop this ethanol insanity!