Tuesday, June 4, 2013

American Petroleum Institute Asks Supreme Court to Strike Down EPA Ethanol Rule

One of the dumbest ideas ever to escape Al Gore's gravity to join the rest of us here on earth.*
From The Hill's E2 blog:
The American Petroleum Institute is urging the court to strike down an EPA ruling allowing a high-ethanol fuel blend.

The oil and gas industry’s leading trade association asked the Supreme Court Tuesday to strike down Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations allowing a high-ethanol fuel blend into the marketplace.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) is urging the high court to review the EPA’s decision to approve E15 fuel for cars made in 2001 or after. The agency and the biofuels industry say the blend — which contains 15 percent ethanol, rather than the standard 10 percent — is safe for those vehicles.

But the oil and gas industry has produced studies finding that the mix would damage vehicle engines, and some automakers have said they would not honor warranties in cases where E15 was used.
“E15 could leave millions of consumers with broken down cars and high repair bills,” said Bob Greco, API group director for downstream and industry operations. “It could also put motorists in harm’s way when vehicles break down in the middle of a busy highway.  We are asking the Supreme Court to step in and protect consumers by striking down EPA’s dangerous E15 mandate before it’s too late.”...MORE
*In 1994, as President of the Senate Gore broke a 50-50 deadlock repealing the EPA's ban on MTBE which left ethanol as the only available oxygenate for motor fuel.
In the presidential races of 1996 (as Veep) and his own in 2000 Al made sure the Iowa farmers knew who their big buddy was.

While Mr. Gore has recanted he has not repented and in the meantime he's probably cost American taxpayers $50 Billion dollars.

We have a collection of Gore-isms here's one that sticks out:
"...two kilometers or so down in most places there are these incredibly hot rocks, ’cause the interior of the earth is extremely hot, several million degrees, and the crust of the earth is hot ”
-Al Gore talking to Conan O'Brien on the Tonight Show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14kNtnJgXXM  
Mr. Gore was brought in as a partner at Venture Capital firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers which is a major investor in geothermal tech company Altarock.

I’m guessing Mr. Gore was not brought in for his scientific expertise.