Craig, our Energy Policy Watch Dog, found this new interesting topic for our weekly POLICY WATCH…
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) have introduced bi-partisan legislation that challenges ethanol’s status as a renewable energy. The bill proposes the elimination of the corn ethanol mandate requiring scheduled increases of ethanol blending into the total volume of gasoline refined and consumed in the United States.
Because of the mandate, domestic ethanol production has increased dramatically over the past 10 years, affecting the market for gasoline purchasing in the U.S. as well.
What kind of influence do you think the elimination of the corn ethanol mandate will have on the environment and/or domestic gas prices? Will it have a positive or negative net impact?
(For more information, see links below)
http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/saunders/article/Children-of-the-corn-subsidies-5069954.php – San Francisco Chronicle
http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/files/serve/?File_id=5132a291-5571-4373-a032-21a77055298e – Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2013 Bill
http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=82d3db11-efc7-421a-8c5d-0636b31ca9cd – Sen. Feinstein Press Release