Department of Agriculture

[Taem]

Some of this is not all bad, in that ethanol blends will reduce smog in heavily congested parts of cities. But, the federal "one sized fits all" mandate treats rural Idaho like downtown Chicago. We've discussed here before how overall ethanol is a bad thing when it converts food into fuel (and water pollution). I'm actually hugely in favor of plant based ethanol where it uses switch grass, or other biomass taken from otherwise untillable land. That would be a benefit. But, it needs to operationally stand on its own without subsidies (and mandates) or it will distort markets (i.e. hurt us all).

I don't have time to do the research, but wanted to make a quick comment: I was told South America uses switch grass for ethanol and has completely gotten rid of their dependence on oil. I also heard switch grass won't grow out here in North America, else farmers would have used that instead of corn. I'll check into it more when I get back from JURY DUTY...