Trump Administration EPA to continue Biden waivers allowing higher-ethanol E15 gasoline blend to be sold across summer months

[essentialsaltes]

The emergency waiver issued by the EPA prevents retailers in most states from having to stop selling E15 gasoline on May 1. While the waiver remains in effect only through May 20, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin signaled that he plans to keep issuing waivers through Sept. 15, the date when the federal government typically would allow E15 sales in all states again.

Most gasoline sold across the U.S. is blended with 10% ethanol, but 15% blends are becoming increasingly common, particularly in the Midwest, where most of the nation's corn is grown. ... EPA had previously prohibited its sale during the summer over concerns that its use during the summer driving season could increase smog.

...ethanol consumes about 40% of the nation's corn crop

Zack Pistora, Kansas lobbyist for the Sierra Club, said ethanol plants also use high amounts of water, and states like Kansas are worried about the depletion of aquifers. He said it's “hypocritical” to portray ethanol as environmentally friendly and said the Trump administration should promote renewable energy, electric vehicles, public transportation and sustainable agriculture.

See also the rare unanimity regarding Biden's waivers:

Biden Admin Proposes E15 Gas

Well heres a Biden admin proposal I really disagree with for a change: EPA waivers for E15 ethanol gasoline rather than the E10 10pct limit. This is the wrong road to energy independence. But sadly it will probably have a lot of R party support too as various red states find it in their...

www.christianforums.com

 

[Desk trauma]

Corn ethanol, a contaminant in your gasoline making your engine run less efficiently and net loss of energy brought to you by politicians wanting votes in Iowa.

 

[Laodicean60]

Corn ethanol, a contaminant in your gasoline making your engine run less efficiently and net loss of energy brought to you by politicians wanting votes in Iowa.

Wow, I thought this was a good thing. Thanks for the lesson, but is it for votes?
Energy Content: Ethanol contains about one-third less energy than gasoline. This means vehicles may achieve fewer miles per gallon when running on ethanol compared to gasoline.

Beginning to think that the fossil fuel industry might have promoted this because you have to purchase more fuel.

 

[FireDragon76]

Wow, I thought this was a good thing. Thanks for the lesson, but is it for votes?

Modern politics is less about direct representation of voters, and more about who is paying for your campaign.

Countries like Brazil use ethanol in gasoline, but they use sugar cane as a feedstock. Corn ethanol is a net energy loss.

So it's really about pandering to the corn lobby.

 

[Laodicean60]

So it's really about pandering to the corn lobby.

How come we can't get rid of lobbyists?

 

[FireDragon76]

How come we can't get rid of lobbyists?

That was John McCain's long crusade, and at one time there was bipartisan consensus that lead to passage of laws aimed at campaign finance reform, but the Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United that billionaire's money = speech. Citizens United has been widely recognized as being as much a disaster for democracy as Plessy vs. Ferguson was for race relations

 

[essentialsaltes]

How come we can't get rid of lobbyists?

This didn't help:

Executive Order 13770, entitled "Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Appointees," was an executive order issued by US President Donald Trump on January 28, 2017, that directs executive branch employees on a ban from becoming a lobbyist for five years.

Trump revoked the order on the final day of his presidency, allowing his administration's officials to immediately begin working as lobbyists.

--

But at least Trump doesn't show party favoritism, he also removed lobbying restrictions for Biden's team.

Among the tranche of executive orders Trump signed on Inauguration Day was a package that revoked dozens of Biden-era executive actions — including one that had strengthened existing revolving door restrictions on former government officials registering to lobby or work as a foreign agent, and cracking down on so-called shadow lobbying by senior administration officials.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Wow, I thought this was a good thing. Thanks for the lesson, but is it for votes?
Energy Content: Ethanol contains about one-third less energy than gasoline. This means vehicles may achieve fewer miles per gallon when running on ethanol compared to gasoline.

Think Iowa caucuses. McCain ran into some problems (that he got past) because of his opposition to ethanol in gas.

They even had an episode of The West Wing about corn and the Iowa Caucuses.

"The West Wing" King Corn (TV Episode 2005) ⭐ 7.9 | Drama

Beginning to think that the fossil fuel industry might have promoted this because you have to purchase more fuel.

Using E10 or E15 does reduce the amount of fossil fuels used by cars. (But it's compensated buy the fuel used grow the corn.)

 

[Laodicean60]

But at least Trump doesn't show party favoritism, he also removed lobbying restrictions for Biden's team.

I never liked the tit for tat administration do to each other it seems counter productive.

 

[DaisyDay]

How come we can't get rid of lobbyists?

It is in the constitution that the people can lobby the government for redress of their grievances.

Beginning to think that the fossil fuel industry might have promoted this because you have to purchase more fuel.

Probably not - the tariffs are causing the farmers hardship and this is one way of mitigating it.

 

[Laodicean60]

It is in the constitution that the people can lobby the government for redress of their grievances.

After Fire mentioned the Supreme Court, it brought back some remembrance of this. When I was young, I didn't agree with the decision then because I thought every American had representation, but why corporations? I have always been distrustful of cooperation and their greed since my in-laws were laid off back in the day.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

E85 is on average $.40 a gallon cheaper than gasoline. My suburban gets 21 mpg on E85. 87 octane gasoline gives me 22 mpg. My costs per mile is less and I get to help corn farmers who can't do anything else because reasons and still support Donald Trump's friends the Saudis. It a patriotic win win.

 

[DaisyDay]

After Fire mentioned the Supreme Court, it brought back some remembrance of this.

Are you referring to the wretched Citizens United suit? The one that declared that corporations are "people" and that money is "speech"?

When I was young, I didn't agree with the decision then because I thought every American had representation, but why corporations? I have always been distrustful of cooperation and their greed since my in-laws were laid off back in the day.

The US is a capitalist society, for better and for worse - but I agree that corporations are not actual people and should not be accorded the same rights; they have rights of their own. People can incorporate themselves to access those legal provisions.

 

[DaisyDay]

E85 is on average $.40 a gallon cheaper than gasoline. My suburban gets 21 mpg on E85. 87 octane gasoline gives me 22 mpg. My costs per mile is less and I get to help corn farmers who can't do anything else because reasons and still support Donald Trump's friends the Saudis. It a patriotic win win.

Except, perhaps, for the breathers.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Except, perhaps, for the breathers.

These alternate fuels were championed by which political party again?

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Are you referring to the wretched Citizens United suit? The one that declared that corporations are "people" and that money is "speech"?

The US is a capitalist society, for better and for worse - but I agree that corporations are not actual people and should not be accorded the same rights; they have rights of their own. People can incorporate themselves to access those legal provisions.

And people wonder where Sovereign Citizens get their crack ball ideas from.

 

[Hans Blaster]

These alternate fuels were championed by which political party again?

The ones that wanted campaign donations.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

The ones that wanted campaign donations.

I find it hard to believe that the corn and soy bean growers could take on the political purse of big oil.

 

[Hans Blaster]

I find it hard to believe that the corn and soy bean growers could take on the political purse of big oil.

In Iowa they can.

In addition to the impact on presidential politics, corn ethanol is an alternative "anti-knock" additive and it "green washes" gasoline usage (or did for a while). The minor short term losses the oil giants felt from a little bit of ethanol in their gasoline delayed what they truly feared -- a transition to electric cars. Politically corn ethanol kept most Democrats at bay and didn't get excessive push back from Republicans.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

In Iowa they can.

In addition to the impact on presidential politics, corn ethanol is an alternative "anti-knock" additive and it "green washes" gasoline usage (or did for a while). The minor short term losses the oil giants felt from a little bit of ethanol in their gasoline delayed what they truly feared -- a transition to electric cars. Politically corn ethanol kept most Democrats at bay and didn't get excessive push back from Republicans.

I guess money is a hell of a thing. I took some agricultural classes in 2014 after I retired ( or so I thought) and learned the only people who can turn a profit growing corn without government subsidiary were the Amish. Modern farming at the very best can only break even.