To the editor: Ethanol rule hits refiners
Mandating more biofuel will bring higher prices at the pump, out-of-control compliance costs for refiners.
Sat, 30 Nov 2019 05:00:00 GMT
The letter (“Raise the Gas Blend,” Nov. 8) attacked The Blade’s “Find the Right Mix” editorial, Oct. 22, for accurately noting that higher biofuel mandates through the Renewable Fuel Standard result in greater reliance on foreign biofuel. Far from being unsupported, the facts prove the RFS has become a de facto foreign biofuel mandate. Despite this reality, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to increase the requirement more, which will put Ohio jobs at risk.
The author correctly notes biodiesel can be used to comply with the ethanol portion of the RFS. In fact, refiners need biodiesel for this purpose, because EPA mandates more ethanol than engines and fueling infrastructure were built to handle. Despite ample capacity, domestic biodiesel producers have not been able to make enough fuel to meet the mandate.
EPA data shows domestic refiners had to rely on an average of more than 700 million gallons of foreign biofuel in each of the last three years to meet the RFS. And biodiesel costs anywhere from 50 cents to $1.50 per gallon more than petroleum diesel.
The facts prove mandating more biofuel through the RFS will only result in reliance on more foreign biofuel and higher prices at the pump, and risk sending refiners’ compliance costs through the roof, putting union jobs at risk across the country. The President needs to tell EPA to lower the mandate and fulfill his promise to protect every manufacturing job.
SHAUN ENRIGHT
Executive secretary- business manager,
Northwest Ohio Building Trades
East Toledo
Move dog pound
I have an idea. Lucas County needs a place to consolidate all the election operations under one roof (“Consolidate election offices,” Nov. 22). They also want to have a state-of-the-art building for a dog pound. There is a spot on the corner of Alexis Road and Detroit Avenue that would work for them. They could probably even convince voters and especially the dog lovers that they need to support this with their tax dollars. They could argue that they already own the land and could possibly train the dogs to help count the votes.
TOM ZOGAIB
Temperance
Recycling unsafe
When there is no way to recycle at our apartment building, the next step is to try to recycle somewhere around the area. The Kroger Stores have recycling behind the building which is not safe for women. I already had a purse stolen when the recycling was beside the building. Since we want to save our planet, some of us are left unable to recycle. A recycling area out in the open somewhere in the city would be really appreciated by us women and by the planet also.
MARGARET COLLINS
West Toledo
Christina Polesovsky, Associate Director at American Petroleum Institute (API) Ohio, holds a sign during a rally by oil refinery workers and officials at Government Center to protest the boosting ethanol production on Thursday, September 12, 2019. THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT BIZ oilrally12