HAPPY WEDNESDAY READERS

Yesterday I summarized a resolution by Tangipahoa Parish which asked their Louisiana and US Congressional delegation help in requiring Louisiana oil refineries to manufacture a portion of their gasoline as ethanol free gas.

On Tuesday, August 23rd, I appeared before the St John Parish Council and gave them a presentation of the issues surrounding the new 15% ethanol gasoline which will likely begin showing up at stations later this year. I asked them to approve a draft resolution similar to the one that Tangipahoa Parish had approved in late July of this year. I added a few items that the Tangi Parish resolution did not address. Here is the resolution I proposed to the St John Parish Council:

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH COUNCIL

STATE OF LOUISIANA

RESOLUTION R11-30

Mr.____________ proposed and Mr.__________ seconded the following resolution:

THE ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH COUNCIL HEREBY RESOLVES:

A Resolution in support of allowing consumers choice of Ethanol Gasoline or Non-Ethanol Gasoline

WHEREAS, the need for conventional gasoline (non-ethanol blend) is vital to the effective and efficient operation of water craft, 2000 and older passenger vehicles and light trucks, motorcycles, four wheelers, jet skis, chain saws and lawn and garden equipment, and;

WHEREAS, St. John the Baptist Parish and many other parishes in our great State have a large number of waterways with significant numbers or recreational, commercial and leisure watercraft that use these waterways, and;

WHEREAS, a large number of our residents maintain their own lawns and many others also work in the lawn care and landscaping industry and have older power equipment, and;

WHEREAS, south Louisiana is vulnerable to hurricanes and subsequent power losses and many home owners own gasoline powered home generators for use during power outages, and;

WHEREAS, ethanol gasoline in many cases can be harmful to the operation of new and older outboard marine engines, power equipment and older underground storage tanks, in turn putting an undue hardship on small family owned businesses and consumers, and;

WHEREAS, the Federal Environmental Agency (EPA) recently approved 15% ethanol gasoline and by it’s own directive this new fuel cannot be used in model year 2000 and older passenger cars and light trucks, vehicles with heavy duty engines like buses and delivery vans, motorcycles, marine engines, four wheelers, jet skis, chain saws and all lawn and garden tools (and gasoline powered home generators), and;

WHEREAS, if all current gas stations selling 10% ethanol gasoline convert to the new 15% ethanol gasoline blend, effectively making all the above listed equipment unusable if non ethanol gasoline is not readily available in all communities of our great State.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the St. John the Baptist Parish Council petitions our United States and Louisiana Congressional Delegations to take appropriate action to have non-ethanol gasoline available from all refineries throughout the State giving small business owners and consumers a choice between conventional gasoline and ethanol gasoline, at a competitive price.

The above resolution having been submitted to a vote; the vote thereon was as follows:

YEAS:

NAYS: ABSENT: ABSTAINING:

The result of the vote on the resolution was YEAS,

NAYS, ABSENT, ABSTAINING and this resolution was declared adopted on the day of , 2011.

_______________

COUNCIL CHAIR SECRETARY PARISH PRESIDENT

_____________ _____________ __________________

Date signed Date signed Date signed

CERTIFIED, to be a true and correct copy of a resolution adopted by the St. John the Baptist Parish Council on the ________ day of _____________, 2011.

______________________

SECRETARY

In tomorrow's blog, I will summarize the results of the resolution proposal and the St John Parish Council's response to my proposal.