E85 Opposition Grows

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

Good news! The April issue of Ethanol Producer Monthly (EPM) is already online! Actually, if Sarah Smith's article "Ethanol's Excedrin Headache: Where Have All the Good Sites Gone?" is anything to go by, the news isn't that great for the mag's target market. EPM has identified organized ethanol plant protests in 14 states. "Rural communities that once heralded the arrival of an ethanol plant are now thumbing their noses at them." Before listing litigation from California to Wisconsin, Smith gives ethanol boosters a quick course in how not to win friends and influence people. "Plaintiffs swap strategies over the Internet, trade petition forms, success stories, failures, even going so far as to design T-shirts and coin the perfect acronym for their groups. Their reasons for filing causes of action are as myriad as the ethanol technology itself: not in my back yard, zoning board decisions, economic benefit, industry distrust, environmental concerns and water use issues. The view from the third tee box, listed in one cause of action, illustrates the lengths plaintiffs will go to halt a project in its tracks. After all, golf is life, isn't it?"

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • IronEagle IronEagle on Mar 20, 2008

    What are the stats? Like 21 gallons of water or something for one gallon of ethanol?

  • Anonymous Anonymous on Mar 20, 2008
    IronEagle : March 20th, 2008 at 7:42 pm What are the stats? Like 21 gallons of water or something for one gallon of ethanol? More than that from the time you plant the seed to the final product, ethanol, if corn is used. I've seen estimates from three seperate sources. All are in the 60 gallons of water per gallon of ethanol produced from corn.
  • Adonis Adonis on Mar 20, 2008

    @97escort So you're saying the Iowa economy is booming because of ethanol and the other 49 states are suffering a recession. hmm. Somehow I think the trade-off isn't really worth it.. something that's essentially gas, but half as good and ineffient to make to boot.

  • GS650G GS650G on Mar 21, 2008

    They are building an ethanol plant in Dunkirk NY that has the locals up in arms. Even the bio fuel types are against something that smells this bad, uses this much water and takes that much land away. One woman is losing her house and land for whatever pittance they offer her. Nothing like a government mandate to remind people how far big government will go. And people think companies get out of hand.

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