Remove the Ethanol Albatross from around the Necks of U.S. Consumers: Robert W. Chase (Opinion)

May 01, 2017

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by Rob W. Chase (Cleveland.com) ... Less than 5 percent of all service stations in the United States offer ethanol-free gasoline. Almost all the gasoline sold nationally is E10 (10 percent ethanol, 90 percent gasoline). And some of the biofuel being sold is 15 percent ethanol.

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But there's a problem with ethanol: Given a dramatic increase in oil production in the United States, there's no longer much need for an alternative fuel.

When Congress adopted the RFS in 2005, the use of ethanol seemed to be an effective way to protect the nation against growing dependence on imported oil, particularly oil coming from OPEC countries.

But after the shale revolution, nothing seemed more surprising than the speed with which domestic oil production rose and the nation's reliance on imported oil declined.

Ohio's coal-rich Appalachia, where shale gas jobs now dominate, still waiting for Trump to deliver

In less than a decade, net oil imports have dropped to 25 percent of U.S. oil consumption. READ MORE

Big ethanol's fuel mandate costs American taxpayers millions (The Hill)

Letter: Let’s not pretend biofuel is helping environment (The Republic)