HAPPY THURSDAY READERS!

First, I am sorry to report to readers from the Lafayette area that the Bendel Service Station on 1500 Pinhook Road in Lafayette, which was on the website's "Ethanol Free Gas Station List" was removed today. It was reported by a customer and reader of my site that he was switching to ethanol gas; however, I spoke with one of the owners yesterday and they are putting the business up for sale next week. The station was removed from the website's list.

Also, for Shreveport readers, the Fultz Service Center located at 101 Southfield Road in Shreveport was told by his distributor, Smith Oil that he could no longer supply him with non ethanol regular and mid grade. He has only Premium grade non ethanol gas currently. I told the owner that I was rather surprised to hear this as Smith Oil gets it's ethanol free gas from the Teepco Terminal south of Shreveport. I was told by a Citgo PR Manager over a month ago that they supply this terminal with non ethanol gas, all grades, through an exchange agreement with Conoco/Philips in Westlake, near Lake Charles. More to follow on this.

You recall I explained in a blog last week of my attempt to have the St. John Parish Council approve a resolution to ask our Parishes Louisiana and US Congressional delegations to help us in getting Louisiana's major refineries sell non ethanol gas. I explained that the Council failed to act on my proposal after the Council Chairman read a letter from Marathon Oil's Garyville Refinery Plant Manager in staunch opposition to my proposed resolution. I would like to now post the letter from Marathon here (I had to copy the letter from a scanned copy since I did not have an original digital copy, so the Marathon symbol and the Marathon Manager's signature does not appear on this copy):

A.J. Anderson
Manager
Louisiana Refining Division

Marathon Petroleum Company LLC
P.O. Box AC
155 Sugar Cane Road
Garyville, LA 70051
Telephone 985/535-2241
FAX 985/536-7587

Natalie Robottom, President
St. John the Baptist Parish
1801 W. Airline Hwy.
LaPlace, LA 70068

Dear Natalie:

RE: Resolution to Mandate Refinery Supply of Non-Ethanol Gasoline

Thank you for sharing information on the Tangipahoa Parish resolution that urges Congress to
require refineries to supply non-ethanol gasoline. While likely well intended, the resolution is in conflict with federal renewable-fuel requirements. Moreover, it would increase fuel-supply complexity and has the potential to increase fuel costs for consumers. Marathon Petroleum Company (MPC) urges St. John the Baptist Parish Council not to adopt a similar resolution.

As you may be aware, the Energy Independence and Security Act enacted by Congress in 2007 requires petroleum refiners and importers to assure that nearly 14 billion gallons of renewable fuels are blended into the nation’s transportation fuels this year (2011), and that at least 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels are blended annually by 2022. As a direct result of this federal mandate, the U.S. is rapidly approaching the day when nearly all gasoline contains10% ethanol (a blend commonly referred to as “E 10”).

Most gasoline-powered vehicles and engines can operate effectively on E10; however, E10 may not be appropriate for certain applications, such as marine, vintage vehicles and some small engines. Consumers should consult the vehicle or engine owner’s manual to determine if E10 is approved for use.

MPC recognizes that E l0 is not appropriate for all engines. Accordingly, when the company converts to an E10 slate of fuels in a market, we also offer a mid-grade gasoline (90 octane, minimum) that is not blended with ethanol. It is intended for those applications where the consumer believes an ethanol-blended fuel is not appropriate.

In many markets, one or more other suppliers may also offer a non-ethanol fuel, depending on consumer demand. Imposing an additional mandate requiring all refineries to supply gasoline without ethanol would further complicate fuel-supply logistics and impose additional, unnecessary costs.

MPC opposes adoption of any resolution that could lead to additional fuel mandates. Instead, we believe free-market competition will best serve the needs of consumers

Sincerely,

A.J. Anderson
Manager Louisiana Refining Division
==========================================================

In a future blog, I will post a rebuttal letter which I developed in response to this Marathon letter. My rebuttal was sent last week and was sent to the St. John Parish President and each Parish Council Member and also a copy to the Marathon Plant Manager.

"Pete"

HAPPY WEDNESDAY READERS

Finally no rain and a beautiful fall day!

I did not get a chance to post on Tuesday. I am including in this post a copy of an article on the new and upcoming 15% ethanol gas. It was written by Bob Marshall, sports writer for the New Orleans Times Picayune. Many readers of the Picayune in the New Orleans area I'm sure saw the article in the Sunday Picayune this past weekend. I'm attaching here a commentary for those outside of the New Orleans area, followed by the actual article.

To those of you who read Times Picayune's Bob Marshall's article on 15% ethanol in the Sunday Picayune, I would like to clarify something.

I thought the article was a little more dramatic than I would have written. I did not intend to come across that way when Bob interviewed me for the article earlier last week. Plus, there were a few minor technical errors. He didn't offer to let me proof read the article before he went to press. There were two objectives I was trying to get across to readers:

1. This new 15% gasoline CANNOT be used in any type of engines except in 2001 and newer cars and light trucks and 'Flex' vehicles.

2. And, IF current 10% ethanol stations ALL convert to the new 15% ethanol gas AND if consumers were not able to find a readily available source of ethanol free gas in their communities, we'd have a very serious dilemma, potentially affecting millions of consumers in Louisiana.

The number of ethanol free stations in the State continues to decline ever since Marathon stopped selling ethanol free gas at their Garyville Refinery. I've already had to take 60 stations off my website's ethanol free gas station list. Marathon was the major supplier of ethanol free gas to south and north Louisiana. Because we still have Murphy Refinery (however, I recently learned that Murphy Refinery is being sold to Valero, which sells ALL their gas as ethanol gas!) and the Chalmette Refining Company (formerly Exxon-Mobil refinery) in Chalmette and the Placid Refinery in Port Allen, we are still able to get ethanol free gas to most of south Louisiana, but at a slightly higher price due to the added cost to truck it a longer distance than distributors had to do from the Marathon plant. However, the same cannot be said for north Louisiana. The majority of stations I've had to take off my ethanol free gas station list were from the Monroe , Bossier City and Shreveport area.

I'm glad that Mr. Marshall showed the new EPA gas pump label in the article for the new 'E-15' gas so readers would at least be familiar with it when they start seeing it on pumps later this year as stations start to receive the new blend.

I was not trying to predict 'doom and gloom' in the article. But, I was at least happy that he put out the article. I thank him for that.

Here is the article:

Increase of ethanol in gas will cause damage to certain vehicles

Published: Sunday, September 04, 2011, 8:15 AM Updated: Sunday, September 04, 2011, 8:31 AM

By Bob Marshall, The Times-Picayune

I was trying to summarize the nightmare Pete Landry was describing, and suggested this: Come fall, Louisiana's 320,000 boaters will begin unwittingly filling their tanks with the new 15 percent ethanol fuel blends (E-15), resulting in millions of dollars in unnecessary damage, not to mention broken dreams.

"Oh no," Landry said, "It's much worse than that."

Worse?

"This won't just impact sportsmen. The E-15 can't be used in 2000 and older cars and light trucks, marine engines, motorcycles, jet skies, four wheelers, chain saws, any lawn equipment, gas powered home generators or anything else that that uses these small, air-cooled engines.

"We're talking probably millions of people impacted. We're facing a real crisis."

Landry is no Chicken Little. He's a retired oil- and petrochemical-industry chemist who has spent the past few years as a pro-bono researcher investigating the impacts of ethanol blends on sportsmen and others. When you check out the results on his website, PeteLandrysRealGas.com, you realize the sky really could fall.

Some history.

In 2007, President George Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act, which, among other things, required a 20-percent reduction in gasoline consumption by 2017. Much of that was to be achieved by the use of renewable fuels, a goal encouraged by a 45-cent per gallon tax credit to refiners for producing ethanol blends -- the Volumetric Ethanol Tax Credit.

This was a hugely popular event across political lines, but the euphoria didn't last long. Turned out corn-based ethanol actually costs more energy to produce than it saves. The rapid expansion of corn acres resulted in an increase in fertilizers that harm waterways, a loss of wildlife habitat, and soaring food prices worldwide.

While those impacts were generating headlines, what had been thought would be a small list of costs to a whole range of internal combustion engines began climbing. Ethanol, which is basically grain alcohol, collects moisture in fuel tanks, and is corrosive to hoses and engine parts not specifically engineered to handle it. That list would only climb as the refiners moved to meet the government's gradually increasing percent of ethanol.

This fall, we'll be hitting the E-15 mark, a level considered unsuitable even for new outboards, almost all small engines, and any car built before 2001.

The Environmental Protection Agency will require retailers to post a label on pumps stating the fuel should not and, in fact, cannot legally be used in anything other than passenger vehicles produced after 2001 and Flex-fuel vehicles.

But Landry says chaos is bound to ensue for two reasons: That label is much too small and not specific enough, and neither state nor federal governments are requiring refiners and retailers to produce enough ethanol-free fuel.

In fact, the alternative fuel subsidies give refiners a market incentive to produce most, if not all, of their fuel with ethanol, a far higher volume than the government currently requires. In June, the Marathon refinery in Garyville, which had been the state's largest ethanol-free producer, went all-ethanol. Since then, Landry said, the list of gas stations selling ethanol-free fuel dropped by 54 to just 977 -- this out of an estimated 3,650 stations.

"Availability is a huge problem for retailers," he said. "And that's going to get worse. Louisiana now has only four refineries producing ethanol-free fuel, and that number could drop because a federal exemption for small refineries is about to expire."

"Ethanol-free gas is already more expensive, and when we start losing in-state refineries, it will just go higher," Landry said. "My fear is that when this E-15 goes into effect, people who don't know the danger will pull up to a gas station and miss that label, or just look at the price and go to the cheaper fuel and do real damage to their engines."

So what can be done?

Some help may be coming soon as Congress considers repealing what has become a $5 billion annual subsidy of ethanol. That could lead some refiners into becoming producers of ethanol-free fuels.

But what really needs to happen is for governments -- state and federal -- to require retailers to offer at least one pump of non-ethanol fuel. That would provide the market for refiners to offer that product.

I'm not suggesting the nation should leave the alternative fuel race. If anything, we should invest more in supporting technologies that help get us off carbon fuels. If we don't, there isn't much of a future for southeast Louisiana. But neither should millions of Americans be needlessly caught in Pete Landry's nightmare.

In the meantime, keep checking PeteLandrysRealGas.com for safe fuel near you.

"Pete" Landry

HAPPY MONDAY READERS

Didn't get a chance to post on Saturday (plan to take Sundays off although, I am writing this on Sunday evening). Wife and I and a few close friends traveled to Marksville Friday evening to see a Charlie Pride concert! He's getting on in age....now 73, but he still has the pipes. Was a full house. Friday before, we saw a Mickey Gilley concert at IP Casino in Biloxi. He's doing great, considering his near paralyzing accident a few years ago. He still sings great also!

I do hope LSU fans were happy Saturday evening to see the Tigers "pluck da ducks" on national television. While it wasn't a "pretty game", considering all the controversy the team has been under for the past few weeks, it was good to see them pull off a major win. This should move them to #3 in the polls on Monday. If was fun to watch the TV sportscasters in the field interviewing several LSU RV tailgaters. Meal of the day was, of course, what would you expect? Duck gumbo, grilled duck, fried duck, duck stew, duck jambalaya, duck sauce picayunte, and many other duck dishes I've never heard of.......

I hope many readers were able to read the "Bob Marshall" article regarding 15% ethanol in today's (Sunday) Times Picayune in the Sports section. He was way more dramatic that I explained to him when he called to interview me for the article earlier this past week. But, the facts are real. If you have not read the article on my website's "Ethanol Articles" page, titled "15% Ethanol - A Crisis Developing", please read it. I am trying to inform Louisiana consumers of the hazards of this new 15% ethanol gas before it starts showing in service stations later this year and into 2012. I sent an article similar to the one on my website (quite a bit shorter) to about 45 newspapers across the state, including all major city papers and about 35 or more Parish or smaller city papers. Several of them have published it already.

If you don't get the Times Picayune, you can read the article on NOLA.com under the "Sports" section on Bob Marshall's picture on the left hand side of the Sports page at this link:

http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2011/09/increase_of_ethanol_in_gas_exp.html

For Lafayette readers, I'm sad to report that it has been reported to me that Bendel's Service Station at 1500 Pinhook Road in Lafayette is switching from ethanol FREE to ethanol gas. Thanks to Art for letting me know about Bendel's. I plan to call Mr Bendel on Monday to suggest an alternative to him before he finalizes the switch.

Two different readers reported to me today that the Algiers Cigarette Discount store at 5101 General de Gaulle in Algiers is an ethanol free station. I called the owner this afternoon and he confirmed. For some reason this store is not on the State's list of gas stations. That's why I didn't pick it up. Thanks to CT for first letting me know about this station. It's already been added to the website's list.

I thought you might be interested in reading this new article regarding renewal energy that appeared in Newsmax today:

Renewable Energy Subsidies a ‘Massive Money Sink’

Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power are heavily dependent on government subsidies yet contribute little to America’s domestic energy production, according to a new report.

The report from the Energy Information Administration, the Department of Energy’s research arm, reveals that the federal government gave out $37.2 billion in direct energy subsidies in 2010, an increase of more than $19 billion over 2007.

“This 50 percent increase from three years ago confirms that federal energy favors are part of our out-of-control spending problem,” Robert L. Bradley, Jr., the CEO and founder of the Institute for Energy Research, writes in Forbes.

Of the $19 billion increase, additional subsidies for renewable energy sources amounted to more than $9 billion, a 186 percent increase. Subsidies for renewables now total more than $14 billion.

Wind power was a major recipient of federal energy funds, taking in nearly $5 billion in subsidies last year — a more than tenfold rise from 2007. Solar energy rose to $1.13 billion, and biofuels (ethanol) rose to $6.6 billion.

“Funneling money into renewables is certainly politically popular,” Bradley observes.

“But at the end of the day, someone ought to ask: What exactly do green firms have to show for all that money? And the truth is: Not much.”

Wind power today represents just 1.2 percent of total domestic energy production, despite the billions of dollars in subsidies.

“The reality is that, up to this point, renewable energy has been a massive money sink,” according to Bradley, author of the book “Edison to Enron: Energy Markets and Political Strategies.”

“Green energy is all red when it comes to consumers and taxpayers.”

Robert Bryce, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, also pointed out the shortcomings of wind power in an article for National Review Online.

He noted that Texas has more than 10,000 megawatts of wind-generation capacity, yet during a particularly hot four-day period, the state’s wind turbines produced no more than 2 percent of the total power demand even though their capacity is to produce nearly 15 percent.

That’s because of a “dirty little secret,” according to Bryce: “When power demand is highest, wind energy’s output is generally low. The reverse is also true: Wind-energy production is usually highest during the middle of the night, when electricity use is lowest.”

Bradley concludes: “If wind or solar or biofuels truly represent a revolution in American energy, that’s great — but let them compete on the open market. If these sectors can pump out low-cost, efficient energy, customers can be trusted to buy it.”

Stay dry readers...........

"Pete"

HAPPY WET FRIDAY READERS!

No new ethanol related news to report today. Keep dry.......looks like we're going to get lots of rain for several days with this disturbance in the Gulf.

Don't forget that "duck season" officially opens tomorrow, but just in Dallas stadium when the Tigers "pluck" the Ducks............at least we hope with all the turmoil in Tiger town over the last several weeks. ..............

GEAUX TIGERS!

"Pete"

HAPPY THURSDAY READERS

As a followup to yesterday's blog regarding my presentation before the St. John Parish Council on August 23rd asking them to approve the resolution I posted yesterday asking our Parish's US and State Congressional delegation for help is asking refineries to produce ethanol free gas in addition to ethanol gas, here is the result of the meeting and the Council's response.

About 20 or so minutes before the meeting was to begin, I was made aware by the Council's secretary when I went to her office to ask her to copy the new E-15 label, that Marathon had submitted a letter regarding my proposed resolution. She told me that she thought the Marathon letter was in support of my resolution, so I didn't pursue it further. Then, when inside the Council chambers, just a few minutes before the meeting was to begin, I spoke briefly with the Council Chairman to let him know that I was present and ready to make my presentation to the Council when my turn on the agenda came up. He too mentioned to me that Marathon had sent a letter regarding the proposed resolution, and although he had not yet seen it, he too was led to believe that it was in support of my proposed resolution.

When I was called to give my presentation to the Council, I gave them about a 15 minute overview of the concerns about the new 15% ethanol and how it would affect consumers in our Parish. I gave them a color copy of the new EPA approved E-15 gas pump label. I clearly explained what equipment COULD NOT operate on this new fuel, as spelled out in the EPA's announcement of the new gasoline in January of 2011. I described the potential serious issue that might arise next year if most of the gas stations that currently sell E-10 gasoline would convert to selling the new E-15 gas, and if sources of ethanol free gasoline was not readily available in most communities. If that should happen, all the equipment that I described that EPA said could NOT operate on E-15 gas would not be able to be used! When I concluded my presentation, I asked if there were any questions. Before I took my seat, the Council chairman, Mr. Ronnie Smith, said he would like to read a letter that was sent to the Parish President regarding the proposed resolution. To my surprise and shock, the letter, signed by the Marathon Garyville Plant Manager, Mr. A.J. Anderson was in STRONG OPPOSITION to the proposed resolution.

I did not have enough time to respond to the reasons Mr. Anderson cited as his reasons for opposing the proposed resolution. I was so shocked that I guess I didn't think clearly or in hindsight, I would have asked the Council Chairman to take the proposal off the docket until I had obtained a copy of the Anderson letter and was able to develop a response to his reasons for opposing the resolution. So, when the Council Chairman brought the proposed resolution to a vote later in the "new business" segment of the agenda, NOT ONE MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL WOULD OFFER A MOTION TO BRING IT TO A VOTE, so the proposal "died" for lack of a motion to vote on it.

I later learned that the Marathon letter was sent to St. John Parish President, Ms. Natalie Robottom on August 22rd, the day before the Council meeting. I was extremely upset and disappointed that Ms. Robotom did NOT have the courtesy of making me aware of the contents of the letter when I spoke with her briefly a few minutes before the Council meeting began.

I have drafted a response to Marathon's opposition to the resolution and will send it shortly to all members of the Council, the Parish President and also to Mr. Anderson. I'll reveal my response in a followup blog. Here is a copy of the letter from Marathon:

August 22, 2011

Natalie Robottom, President

St. John the Baptist Parish

1801 W. Airline Hwy

LaPlace, LA 70068

Dear Natalie:

Thank you for sharing information on the Tangipahoa Parish resolution that urges Congress to require refineries to supply non-ethanol gasoline. While likely well intended, the resolution is in conflict with federal renewable-fuel requirements. Moreover, it would increase fuel-supply complexity and has the potential to increase fuel costs for consumers. Marathon Petroleum Company (MPC) urges St. John the Baptist Parish Council not to adopt a similar resolution.

As you may be aware, the Energy Independence and Security Act enacted by Congress in 2007 requires petroleum refiners and importers to assure that nearly 14 billion gallons of renewable fuels are blended into the nation’s transportation fuels this year (2011), and that at least 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels are blended annually by 2022. As a direct result of this federal mandate, the U.S.is rapidly approaching the day when nearly all gasoline contains 10% ethanol (a blend commonly referred to as “E10”).

Most gasoline-powered vehicles and engines can operate effectively on E10; however, E10 may not be appropriate for certain applications, such as marine, vintage vehicles and some small engines. Consumers should consult the vehicle or engine owner’s manual to determine if E10 is approved for use.

MPC recognizes that E10 is not appropriate for all engines. Accordingly, when the company converts to an E10 slate of fuels in a market, we also offer a mid-grade gasoline (90 octane, minimum) that is not blended with ethanol. It is intended for those applications where the consumer believes an ethanol-blended fuel is not appropriate.

In many markets, one or more other suppliers may also offer a non-ethanol fuel, depending on consumer demand. Imposing an additional mandate requiring all refineries to supply gasoline without ethanol would further complicate fuel-supply logistics and impose additional, unnecessary costs.

MPC opposes adoption of any resolution that could lead to additional fuel mandates. Instead, we believe free-market competition will best serve the needs of consumers.

Sincerely,

A.J. Anderson, Manager Louisiana Refining Division

More to follow on this issue........on another blog later.

Please note the articles on the right hand side of the blog page. These are various articles from national media outlets across the Country.

"Pete"

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.

HAPPY TUESDAY READERS!

As a result of an article in the Hammond Star titled "Alternative at the Pumps", published on May 8, 2011 which I helped a journalist from the Star prepare, one of the Tangipahoa Council members brought a proposal to their Parish Council to pass a "resolution" urging their Louisiana and US Congressional delegations to request that Louisiana refineries to produce more ethanol FREE gasoline. The Parish Council clerk mailed their approved resolution to all the other 63 Parishes in the State, urging their Councils to develop a similar resolution. The hope was that if all Louisiana Parishes would enact a similar resolution, then maybe that might get the attention of Louisiana and US Congressman to get involved to help Louisiana Consumers before the 15% ethanol issue developes into a crisis situation. Here is a copy of the Tangipahoa Resolution:

(This resolution was sent to the Tangipahoa Parish US and Louisiana Congressional Delegations and all Louisiana 64 Parish Presidents on July 6, 2011).

==================================================================

T.P. RESOLUTION R11-23

Resolution of Tangipahoa Parish Council in Support of Allowing Choice of Non-Ethanol and Ethanol Gasoline

WHEREAS, the need for conventional gasoline (non-ethanol blend) is vital to the effective operation of older water crafts, motor vehicles and lawn and garden equipment.

WHEREAS, Tangipahoa and numerous other parishes in our great state have numerous waterways with large amounts of older recreational and leisure watercrafts that use these waterways.

WHEREAS, a great number of our residents work in the lawn care and landscaping industry and have older power equipment.

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

THEN, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Tangipahoa Parish Council petitions our United States Congressional Delegation to work to have non-ethanol gasoline available at our refinery throughout the state giving small business owners and consumers a choice between conventional gasoline and ethanol gasoline at a competitive price.

WHEREAS this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon signature of the Parish President.

On motion by Mr. Bruno and seconded by Mr. Muscarello, the foregoing resolution was hereby declared adopted on this the 27th day of June, 2011 by the following roll-call vote:

YEAS: 9 (Tolar, Rick, Bruno, Muscarello, Bankston, Wells, Notariano, Edwards, Cortez)

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

NOT VOTING: 1 (Petitto)

ATTEST:

_________________________ ________________________

S/Carla Tate, Clerk of Council S/Thomas M. Tolar, Chairman

Tangipahoa Parish Council Tangipahoa Parish Council

__________________________________

S/Gordon A. Burgess, President

Tangipahoa

====================================================

I encourage all readers to contact your Parish Council or Police Jury representative and urge them to pass a similar resolution and send it to their Parish's Louisiana and US Congressional delegations.

In tomorrow's blog, I'll report on my effort to get my St. John Parish Council to pass a similar resolution.

"Pete" Landry