Poll Shows 80% of Americans Support E15 and Ethanol Availability

According to pro-ethanol group Fuels America, more than 1000 consecutive days of average fuel prices well over $3/gallon have taken their toll on Americans’ budgets and opinions – resulting in more than 80% of those polled saying they would support having E15 (a fuel blend that is, at most, 15% ethanol) available at their local gas stations.

In addition to high fuels prices, it appears that a number of previous “undecideds” have fallen on the side of freedom – that is, the freedom to choose which fuel they’d like to pump into their cars once they get to the gas station. That they also seem to have fallen on the side of more stable food costs, cleaner air, and lower, more stable fuel costs is probably giving guys like Gulf Oil’s sweaty CEO and that Saudi Prince d-bag fits, as well.

“The overwhelming majority of Americans understand that having options when you fill up at the gas station is a good thing,” Growth Energy CEO and ethanol advocate Tom Buis said recently, in a statement to Farm Futures regarding the poll results. “(Americans) have spoken loud and clear that they want access to clean, homegrown renewable fuel.”

Here’s a few other points from the survey, with results that may surprise you. If you’re a psycho.

82% of those polled said wanted access to E15 at their local gas pump (as above).

76% of those polled said wanted access to even higher ethanol fuel blends, such as E20 or E30 (20 or 30 percent ethanol).

79% of those polled believe that the oil industry’s efforts to block the availability of E15 is bad for consumers.

Sources | Photos: Farm Futures, Fuels America.

Big Oil Tells More Lies About Ethanol, Only Idiots Believe Them

In a move that should surprise no-one, the whining cry-baby rich-boys at Big Oil are butt-hurt over the latest federal court ruling that upholds the EPA’s E15 mandate. In a legal brief filed with the US Supreme Court, the American Petroleum Institute – a powerful, well-funded lobbyist group that represents more than 500 oil and natural gas companies – insisted that transportation fuels containing 15 percent ethanol (E15) could damage cars and trucks.

Should we believe them?

Obviously, the answer is a resounding “Hell no!”

Let’s get one thing clear: the oil industry does not give one fat rat’s ass about the health, safety, future, or security of you, me, or anyone else. The horrible people involved in the oil industry have proven, again and again – from Washington DC to Canada to Saudi Arabia to the Mississippi Gulf – that lining their own pockets with cash is more important to them than the your continued health or your children’s clean drinking water. Still, that hasn’t stopped them from faking a concern for your safety.

That’s right kids, Big Oil would now have you believe that E15 is downright dangerous! Bob Greco, API’s director of downstream and industry operations said that a switch to E15 “could also put motorists in harm’s way when vehicles break down in the middle of a busy highway. We are asking the Supreme Court to step in and protect consumers by striking down EPA’s dangerous E15 mandate before it’s too late.”

Too late? Too late for what? OMG … they mean we might die! This scare-tactics-scumbag Bob “Greasy Pete” Greco is actually implying that switching to E15 is more likely to get you killed than toxic drinking water.

The worst part of all this is that there’s a bunch of 70-80s out there who probably believe this nonsense … and at least one or two of those idiots are already on the Supreme Court. *ahem* Thomas and Scalia *cough-cough*

Big Oil, in the guise of the API and GOP puppet groups like the AAPS, is spending untold millions and billions to fabricate whatever evidence they can to keep them from having to compete with any other fuels. They’re clearly running scared, since – even with petroleum’s massive government subsidies, many times more than ethanol – they’re not exactly winning the hearts and minds of young Americans.

For those of you interested in reading things on your own and forming your own conclusions, I’ve included a number of links throughout this article, and the original text of the story is quoted, below. Enjoy!

The U.S. oil and gas industry on Tuesday bolstered its argument for the Supreme Court to strike down the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to allow a higher blend of ethanol in newer automobiles.

In a legal brief filed with the high court, the American Petroleum Institute, which represents 500 oil and natural gas companies, insisted that transportation fuels containing 15 percent ethanol could damage cars and trucks.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled last August that trade groups representing the automobile, food and other industries did not have sufficient grounds to challenge the use of the new blend known as E15. In response, API appealed to the Supreme Court in February. The high court could make a decision about whether to hear the case soon.

“E15 could leave millions of consumers with broken-down cars and high repair bills,” said Bob Greco, API’s director of downstream and industry operations. “It could also put motorists in harm’s way when vehicles break down in the middle of a busy highway. We are asking the Supreme Court to step in and protect consumers by striking down EPA’s dangerous E15 mandate before it’s too late.”

API’s brief was filed as a response to assertions by ethanol backers who have asked the Supreme Court to let the previous ruling stand.

The EPA, which approved the new blend in January 2011, gave the OK for it to go on sale last June. The blend, which has been approved for use in cars and light trucks built since 2000 but is banned from older vehicles and light equipment, has been slow to get off the ground. Only a few stations in the Midwest, including a half dozen in Iowa, have sold the E15 blend.

Ethanol groups said appeal to the Supreme Court was the latest sign of desperation by the oil and gas industry.

“API is basically presenting evidence to prove they will do whatever they can to keep from having to compete with any other fuels,” said Ron Lamberty, senior vice president for the American Coalition for Ethanol. “Big Oil will take any approach available to delay E15 implementation while continuing its public smear campaign against it.”

Source: DesMoines Register

Higher Court Upholds Decision to OK EPA’s E15, Ethanol is Go!

E15 is coming, and federal courts think that is just fine according to a federal appeals court decision rendered Tuesday that denied a request by food and oil lobbyists that it reconsider a decision upholding a federal measure allowing gasoline to be mixed with a higher percentage of ethanol. Known as E15, the ethanol/gasoline mix is expected to reduce dependence on foreign oil while encouraging the development of ethanol-friendly fuel systems and modern,turbocharged engines that can benefit from the increased octane available from ethanol fuels.

The petitioners, led by lobbyists from the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the American Petroleum Institute, requested a rehearing after courts OK’ed the EPA’s approval of E15 (current US fuels are E10). The lobbying groups’ claim that ethanol in gasoline could cause damage to older car engines and fuel systems and result in costly repairs for consumers, which seemes largely debatable – especially if you’re a right-wing nutjob who has no direct experience with ethanol, engines, or the scientific method (note: the previous, dead-nuts accurate comment was not present in the court’s records).

Some legal experts believe that the denial of a rehearing in the appeals court may give petitioners a chance to bring their case against the EPA case to the Supreme Court. Here’s hoping the court has the good sense to ignore them.

You can read the full report, by Valerie Volcovici, below.

Federal Court Upholds Decision to Allow Higher Ethanol Blends

WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (Reuters) – A U.S. federal appeals court on Tuesday denied a request by food and oil groups that it reconsider a decision upholding a federal measure allowing gasoline to be mixed with a higher percentage of ethanol, producing a blend known as E15.

The petitioners, led by the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the American Petroleum Institute, requested a rehearing after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. circuit in August backed the Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of the 15 percent mix, an increase from the previous maximum ethanol blend of 10 percent.

The lobbying groups said that the higher ethanol blend in gasoline could cause damage to car engines and fuel systems, resulting in costly repairs for consumers.

The court upheld the 2-1 opinion handed down in August that the trade groups’ claims of harm were speculative.

But Judge Brett Kavanaugh, the lone dissenter, said the law does not allow the EPA to grant a waiver for a higher blend, suggesting that the case might continue.

“The evidence is undisputed that this E15 waiver would cause failure of emissions standards in cars manufactured through 2000. Yet EPA still granted the waiver. EPA’s action simply cannot be squared with the statutory text,” Kavanaugh wrote.

Ethanol trade groups applauded the court’s decision.

“This is a major victory for the renewable fuels industry and opens the door for further investment in new fueling technology to offer E15 to consumers,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, which represents ethanol producers.

The sale of E15 is not widespread yet and faces barriers including the cost of installing special pumps that can dispense various blends at service stations. States must also give approval for the local sale of E15.

The API said it has not yet decided how to continue to challenge the EPA on this issue in the courts.

“We’re disappointed in the court’s decision not to hear the case and are weighing our legal options,” said Carlton Carroll, a spokesman for the API.

“EPA approved E15 even though research by automakers, the oil industry and the government showed potential mechanical and infrastructure problems with E15 that could also lead to serious safety and environmental problems.

A report by the Automobile Association of America in December said there is insufficient evidence that E15 is safe to use in most vehicles and that most cars were never designed to use E15 as a fuel.

“AAA believes the EPA and retailers should suspend the sale of E15 until more is done to protect consumers from the potential for costly auto damage and voided warranties,” an AAA spokesman said on Tuesday.

But some legal experts said that, despite the denial of a rehearing in the appeals court, petitioners may have a shot at bringing the case to the Supreme Court.

Jonathan Adler, a law professor at Case Western University’s law school, said the case would clear the way to address the issue of “standing” in the high court.

Several cases handled by the D.C. appeals court, including a high-profile case in which the court upheld the EPA’s rules governing greenhouse gas emissions, raise concerns that plaintiffs did not have the standing, or right, to sue, Adler said.

To bring a lawsuit, the trade groups must have shown that they had standing – specific interest in the case and or evidence they were directly hurt.

“This case would seem to be a fairly clean shot at clarifying some aspects of standing,” he said. “There is some concern that in some of the recent decisions, its stinginess on standing has come at the expense of analytical consistency.”

“It would seem to be a case that for some good reasons has been flagged and may get serious attention by (the Supreme Court).”

Source: Reuters.

U.S. Appeals Court throws out E15 lawsuit against EPA

In late 2010, the EPA was sued by a collection of grocery, auto and petroleum industry association groups over the issue of increasing the nationally available ethanol blend from E10 – a mix of 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent ethanol – to E15. Today, that lawsuit was thrown out by a U.S. Appeals Court on the grounds that the trade groups did not have the right to sue, Bloomberg reports.

The trade organizations claimed that the shift to E15 would drive up "the price of food and gasoline and harm engines," Bloomberg writes, but the judge did not see that any harm was done. In his decision, Circuit Judge David Sentelle wrote:

Petitioners have to demonstrate that EPA's actions-in particular, approving E15 via partial waivers-have caused any one of their members an injury in fact for which we can provide redress in this action. Each industry group advances a theory of standing, but none is in fact adequate to meet the burden of establishing standing under Article III.

You can read the entire decision here. A director for the American Petroleum Institute emailed Bloomberg to say, "Today's court decision is a big loss for consumers, for safety and for our environment." E15 wasofficially approved for sale in the U.S. last month, and comes with a new set of rules.

Source: Autoblog Green