Ethanol law adds fuel to debate on government

By TOM QUIMBY

PANAMA CITY

Having lived in Los Angeles with asthma, I have come to really appreciate blue skies devoid of a nasty yellow haze.

So initially I was really encouraged by the government’s reports of how corn-based ethanol would be better for the environment.

But then reality set in. My trusty weed whacker that I had for about 10 years stopped working. My dad’s chainsaw conked out. A neighbor’s weed whacker bit the dust, too. A small-engine mechanic confirmed that business has been steadily growing, thanks to ethanol.

Hmm ... was this was some back-door, economic stimulus that I, and millions of other consumers, were unwittingly participating in? I mean, didn’t the government know the risks and how costly it would be switching over to this new fuel?

My curiosity led me to a New York Times article that reported that ethanol could be deteriorating metal, plastic and rubber materials commonly found in fuel delivery systems. Other articles confirmed that ethanol was indeed damaging marine engines and small engines.

Credible studies published by Consumer Reports, Scientific American, The New York Times, CBS News, Fox News and various environmental groups have challenged and even rejected the government’s claim that ethanol is better for the environment. It’s far worse, many experts claim.

Thankfully, I was able to find a gas station that sold conventional gas, like the kind I had used before ethanol. I began using this reliable fuel for our new weed whacker, the lawnmower, the kids’ four-wheeler and the boat. Our small engines gave us no more problems.

However, as we continued using ethanol-blended fuel in our Ford Explorer and Dodge Caravan, fuel efficiency dropped. Our minivan’s computer confirmed that we had gone from 18 miles to the gallon to a more costly 16. Our contributions to this strange stimulus plan were really adding up, I thought. Maybe a tax deduction was coming.

Then the problems got bigger along with the price. The Caravan’s fuel pump began emitting a high-pitched whine. The annoying sound went away when I used non-ethanol fuel.

The Explorer was another story. Its fuel pump was completely rusted along with the inside of the tank. Try as I might, I couldn’t find a plastic replacement, so about $500 later I ended up with another metal gas tank and a new fuel pump.

About three months later, the fuel pump in the minivan stopped working. The plastic output tube on the old pump snapped a little too easily as I removed the fuel line. I later read that ethanol makes plastic brittle.

For those who don’t know, ethanol is a grain alcohol heavily subsidized by the federal government. This 200-proof brew has been around for thousands of years and also goes by more colorful names, like "moonshine" and "white lightning."

Reports of engine damage and environmental risks related to ethanol have been on the rise, yet the moonshine keeps flowing. What a party! Well, at least it is for anyone profiting from the sale of endless bushels of corn, the primary grain used in the U.S. to make ethanol.

Two weeks ago, I got some more bad news. The once-popular non-ethanol gas nozzle at my favorite gas station had been changed. It was now oversized and would no longer fit into the filler necks of either the Explorer or the Caravan. As of Jan. 1, Florida law (House Bill 7135) made it illegal for non-ethanol gas to be used in most vehicles like ours. The tiny words explained that small engines, airplanes, watercraft and classic cars were exempt from the law. I talked to the gas station manager. He was just as frustrated by the news. I, along with other customers, would no longer be buying as much of his non-ethanol fuel.

I’m sure classic car registrations will be taking off in Florida — that, or some of us will have to learn to live in fear of being turned in by our neighbors for improperly using non-ethanol gas. And speaking of keeping an eye on things, can the government always ensure that the ethanol blend will not exceed 10 percent and create even bigger problems for our engines and the environment?

I recently spoke with one of my in-laws, who races cars for a hobby. He’s very leery about the kind of fuel he uses in his Camaro. An ethanol content test he performed revealed the concentration level was not at 10 percent, as it was advertised on the pump, but at 33.

So how did we get into this mess? Simple — we fell asleep behind the wheel and let the government do all the driving. And now it appears that the government’s investment in corn-based ethanol is just too big too fail.

source: newsherald