Uncovering the Plot to Keep Ethanol Down — How Clean Burning Ethanol Can Make Rural America Great Again
(Urban Air Institute) A paradigm shift is needed in Washington, and it’s up to Rural America to push for change. “We need to join together and demand access to cleaner burning ethanol, which will help American farmers and improve the air our entire nation breathes,” according to Urban Air President Dave VanderGriend. It was part of his message at the ACE Conference in Minneapolis today.
VanderGriend spoke on a panel called Making Rural America Great Again- Uncovering the Plot to Keep Ethanol Down. The first part of the panel focused on the upcoming release of a research document detailing how the EPA and Big Oil have a longstanding history of working together to limit competition, such as the use of clean burning ethanol.
The research, which was led by the Clean Fuels Development Coalition (CFDC) utilized Urban Air’s years of fuel studies, 10,000 emails obtained through Freedom of Information Requests, and regulatory assessments.
During the discussion, CFDC Director Doug Durante connected the dots to show how the EPA uses bad science to ignore the Clean Air Act and continue allowing cancer causing aromatic compounds like benzene into our fuel. This research document will be publicly released in coming weeks. Urban Air believes it’s the tool needed to change the conversation and ask the question, why are we still being exposed to such toxic gasoline when cleaner options like ethanol exist?
“We can’t wait for D.C. to give us permission to use our own domestic fuel, if we do, the family farm will only be described in American history books,” VanderGriend said. He went on to say that every time ethanol is added to gasoline, the fuel is improved. Ethanol blended fuel has higher octane, significantly fewer emissions and is more affordable.
VanderGriend challenged the crowd at ACE to mobilize and work at the state level to demand change. “Our Midwest states should demand the right to market their own fuel blends in their states without federal roadblocks.” He’d like to see the Midwestern Governors get a letter from President Trump promising to not enforce the federal regulations, similar to the letter President Obama signed for states to legalize marijuana.
Once cleaner ethanol fuel blends are more accessible, everyone will benefit from the next generation American farmer to the child living next to a major roadway. If we want cleaner air, we need cleaner fuel and it starts with access to ethanol. READ MORE WATCH VIDEO
