EPA seeks input on ethanol mandate waiver requests

Do hope all readers had a GREAT weekend.  College football is just 12 days away folks!  LSU's first game is on Saturday, August 31st in "Death Valley"!  Glad the first 3 games will be at home, even they're against rather weak opponents, except Washington, so it will give the team a chance to get their timing down.  Folks, I've seen videos and read reports of some who have seen some of the practice sessions, and new QB Zack Mettenburger is the "REAL DEAL".   The offense loves him and he has apparently earned the team's respect as their leader, a role which he said he relishes.  He has an arm like a "rocket" as quoted by a couple of his receivers.  In one video I saw him throw, with a very quick "flick of the wrist" a 65 yard pass and hit the receiver on the numbers.  His passing is VERY accurate per his receivers.   His receivers have given themselves a nickname..........."The Fab Five"!  For the first time in nearly 5 years, LSU finally has a QB!  It's a shame Les Miles didn't let him play more last year.........but, his time is NOW!

The EPA today put out a notice that they will post a request for comments in the Federal Register (as required by law) on the request for waivers on their "Ethanol Mandate".  Several State Governors have petitioned for a waiver and the list is growing.  Below is one of several articles I've read on this subject today.  Maybe, just maybe, their may be a ray of hope in scaling back this terrible mandate to hopefully stop the runaway price increased in food costs?  Making ethanol for gas with food is NOT a very smart idea to begin with.

"Pete"
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EPA seeks input on ethanol mandate waiver requests                                        Reuters - 6:11 p.m. CDT, August 20, 2012


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday said it has begun weighing requests to suspend the U.S. ethanol mandate, which requires refiners to blend ethanol into gasoline, and is seeking public feedback.

The governors of North Carolina and Arkansas asked the agency last week to temporarily waive the U.S. quota on ethanol made from corn, because the worst drought in 50 years has driven corn prices higher and hurt livestock producers who depend on the grain for feed.
The EPA asked on Monday for public comment on the need for an ethanol waiver. The 30-day comment period will begin once the notice is published in the Federal Register.

"This notice is in keeping with EPA's commitment to an open and transparent process to evaluate requests the agency receives under the Clean Air Act, and does not indicate any predisposition to a specific decision," agency spokeswoman Alisha Johnson said in a statement.

By law the agency has until November 13 to make a decision on the waivers, meaning EPA could act on the requests after national elections on November 6.

Aimed at reducing U.S. reliance on foreign oil, the Renewable Fuels Standard, or RFS, would require 13.2 billion gallons of ethanol to be made from corn this year.

The EPA is seeking input on whether the RFS would severely hurt the economies of Arkansas, North Carolina or any other part of the United States and what effect a waiver would have on ethanol demand and corn prices.

The agency is also asking, if a waiver is needed, how much should the mandate be eased and when should it apply.

A petition by Texas Governor Rick Perry in 2008 was rejected when the agency said waiver requests had to show the mandate itself was severely harming a region's economy and not just contributing to economic damage.

U.S. livestock groups have argued that complying with the mandate at a time of historic national drought is causing major economic harm to meat and dairy producers.

It is unclear that a waiver would weaken corn prices. Refiners will likely continue buying almost as much ethanol even without the mandate since they use it as an additive to make cleaner-burning fuel required in much of the country.

Ethanol industry groups say the mandate offers some flexibility for fuel blenders responsible for complying with the RFS, including the ability to buy bankable credits if blenders cannot buy enough physical ethanol to meet requirements.

(Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Gary Hill and Jim Marshall)