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Friday, May 2nd, 2008
NPR:
Four months ago, Congress sharply raised production targets for ethanol fuel, from the current 7 billion gallons a year to 36 billion gallons by 2022. Now, some lawmakers are asking whether the ethanol mandates come at too high a price.
The mandated, subsidized biofuel uses corn as its main feedstock. Last year’s production required a […]
The Fed’s Golden Opportunity
Thursday, April 24th, 2008CNNMoney:
The soaring price of crude oil isn’t good for most people, but it could spell opportunity for Ben Bernanke.
The Fed chief’s inflation-fighting credentials have been in doubt since he said in a 2002 speech that central banks could prevent deflation by dropping money out of a helicopter.
Since then, Bernanke’s critics have only been emboldened […]
The Ethanol Tax
Tuesday, April 15th, 2008Minnesota Public Radio:
For all the talk about the ruin to be caused by the gas tax increase in Minnesota, comparatively little is said in the state these days about the “ethanol tax,” which has had a significant impact in the cost of operating a vehicle and may, according to some people, have a role in […]
Energy Independence?
Monday, April 14th, 2008Washington Times:
The whole idea of “energy independence,” writes Robert Bryce, exuberantly, is “Hogwash.” And like so many things, Mr. Bryce tells us, it all began with Richard Nixon.
“Every U.S. President since Richard Nixon has extolled [sic] the need for energy independence. In 1974, Nixon promised it could be achieved within 6 years.” Gerald Ford promised […]
House Approves New Taxes On Big Oil
Thursday, February 28th, 2008CBS News:
The House approved $18 billion in new taxes on the largest oil companies Wednesday as Democrats cited record oil prices and rising gasoline costs in a time of economic troubles.
The money collected over 10 years would provide tax breaks for wind, solar and other alternative energy sources and for energy conservation. The legislation, approved […]
Governors Try To Advance Clean Energy
Friday, February 22nd, 2008The Associated Press:
Governors who want clean energy to be a national priority are trying to bring together states with wildly different ways of producing power, like tapping ocean temperature differences off Hawaii and mining coal in West Virginia.
But a souring economy has tightened state budgets and forced spending cuts that could temporarily short circuit renewable […]
Is The Government Pushing Ethanol Too Aggressively?
Thursday, February 14th, 2008Wired News:
The federal government has decreed that we will use 9 billion gallons of ethanol this year, which begs the question of where it’ll come from and where we’ll buy it.
America produced 4.7 billion gallons of ethanol last year and sold it in fewer than 1,700 gas stations. We’ve got a long way to go […]
Bloomberg Slams US Energy Law Over Corn Ethanol
Tuesday, February 12th, 2008Reuters UK:
A new U.S. energy law will cause an increase in global food prices and lead to starvation deaths worldwide because it continues to promote corn ethanol, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Monday.
“People literally will starve to death in parts of the world, it always happens when food prices go up,” Bloomberg told […]
Ethanol’s Gain In The United States May Be Alberta’s Loss
Monday, February 11th, 2008Billings Gazette:
Few Americans are aware of it, but Canada is the biggest foreign supplier of energy to the United States.
You can look it up. Put crude oil, natural gas, electricity and refined products into one barrel, and no other country delivers such an energy load to fuel American homes, cars and industries.
Yet this mutually beneficial […]
Energy Secretary Hints At Ethanol Tariff Change
Thursday, January 31st, 2008CattleNetwork:
The Bush administration’s 2009 budget may propose a change in the current 54-cent-per-gallon tariff on imported ethanol, Energy Secretary Sam Bodman hinted on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters, Bodman said the budget the administration will send to Congress on Monday “will start to deal with that question” of whether the tariff should be renewed or allowed to […]
Bush Signs Broad Energy Bill
Wednesday, December 19th, 2007New York Times:
Legislation that will slowly but fundamentally change the cars Americans drive, the fuel they burn, the way they light their homes and the price they pay for food was signed by President Bush Wednesday after having been adopted by the House on Tuesday by a large margin.
“Today, we make a major step with […]
Energy Bill Hikes Vehicle Mileage
Wednesday, December 19th, 2007Cincinnati Post:
A year of rhetoric, lobbying, veto threats and negotiations ended Tuesday as the House of Representatives approved a sweeping energy bill that President Bush will sign this morning. The bill:
Will raise fuel-efficiency standards for motor vehicles to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
Order a massive increase in the use of biofuels.
Phase out sales of […]
As Ethanol Takes First Steps, Congress Proposes Giant Leap
Tuesday, December 18th, 2007CNET News:
Congress is on the verge of writing into law one of the most ambitious dictates ever issued to American business: to create, from scratch, a huge new industry capable of converting agricultural wastes and other plant material into automotive fuel.
The potential benefits include reducing the nation’s dependence on oil and the emissions of gases […]
Mood Changes In Brazil Ethanol Mkt On US Senate Move
Tuesday, December 18th, 2007CattleNetwork:
Brazil’s ethanol market might have the U.S. government to thank once again for snapping the sector back to life, analysts and traders said Monday.
The U.S. Senate approved on Thursday a major energy bill that requires 36 billion gallons, or 136 billion liters, of automobile fuel to be made from renewable sources. The best part of […]
Energy Bill Is Filled With Surprising Details
Monday, December 17th, 2007The Daily Advertiser:
On Thursday, the United States Senate passed the 2007 energy bill, H.R. 6 by a vote of 86-8. The energy bill will most probably be on the floor of the House this week and is expected to pass and be signed by President Bush.
Like most things that go on in our U.S. Congress, […]
Giuliani: The Lobbyist In Chief?
Tuesday, December 11th, 2007The Carpetbagger Report:
Yesterday, on Meet the Press, Tim Russert asked Rudy Giuliani one unexpected question towards the very end of the interview, inquiring about the former mayor’s opinion on a House energy bill that would increase fuel efficiency in cars.
“That isn’t the way I think it should be done,” Giuliani said. “I think what we […]
Is EPA Ethanol Mandate a Joke?
Tuesday, December 4th, 2007Seeking Alpha:
Why “mandate” that refiners use less ethanol they are already using? Shouldn’t a “mandate” require that they use more than they already are? Isn’t that the point? Regulators on Tuesday set the new renewable fuels standard of nearly 4.7% for next year to meet a federal mandate that at least 5.4 billion gallons of […]
Bush Threatens Veto Of Spending Bill
Tuesday, December 4th, 2007Smartmoney:
While scolding Congress for its meager accomplishments, President George W. Bush on Monday threatened to veto any spending bill not to his liking.
“If they send me an irresponsible spending bill, I will veto it,” Bush said.
Bush insisted that Congress pass his war-funding request; he is expected to devote much of December to attacking Democrats for […]
Negotiators Nearing Energy Bill Compromise
Friday, November 30th, 2007United Press International:
U.S. congressional negotiators reportedly are nearing agreement on an energy bill that would boost vehicle efficiency standards and increase biofuel use.
The auto industry and its advocate, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John D. Dingell, D-Mich., accepted achieving a targeted average of 35 miles a gallon for each carmaker’s fleet of new U.S. […]
Herseth Sandlin Determined To Expand Ethanol Market
Friday, November 9th, 2007Sioux Falls Argus Leader:
Democratic Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin said Thursday she’s willing to do whatever it takes legislatively to pass a measure that would double the U.S. market for corn-based ethanol.
During a break in an energy conference sponsored by The Washington Post Co., Herseth Sandlin said she still is holding out hope that the House […]