American Coalition for Ethanol - www.ethanol.org

EPA recognizes the facts of ethanol's economic benefits, denies Texas request for a waiver from the Renewable Fuels Standard

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Stephen Johnson, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), today announced the agency's decision to deny the request by the Texas Governor for a waiver from the Renewable Fuels Standard. The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) applauded the EPA for its thorough review of the facts in the case.

"From the start we have welcomed a fact-based discussion about ethanol's role in feed, food, and fuel prices, and with this decision the EPA has acknowledged the overwhelming evidence of ethanol's benefits to the nation's economy and to the budgets of Americans who are struggling to pay for fuel. It is a fact that ethanol is saving motorists money at the pump, and those fuel price benefits far outweigh the small increase in food prices," said Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of ACE.

Gas prices have dropped for several days in a row, and ethanol's downward pressure on gas prices is well-documented. An Iowa State University study shows that the availability of ethanol has given fuel price relief to motorists in all regions of the country by an estimated 29-40 cents per gallon at retail. Merrill Lynch analysts state that if ethanol producers weren't expanding their output, the price of oil and gas would be 15 percent higher. And the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy found that without ethanol, motorists today would be paying 20-35 cents more at the pump.

"Just because Big Food companies feel they are entitled to cheap corn forever does not justify their politically-driven effort to dismantle ethanol policy. Today's ruling by EPA sets a precedent for others who would try to influence ethanol policy relying upon dishonest PR attacks instead of science and hard data," Jennings said.

Independent economic experts agree that biofuels-related feedstock demand has very little to do with retail food prices, the USDA and DOE stating that 96-97 percent of the food price increase has nothing to do with ethanol. Though much of the media attention has been focused on increasing food prices, the increase in gas prices has a far bigger impact on Americans' pocketbooks. Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that since January 2002, American families have seen their food price expenditures increase by $13 a week, while they are spending an additional $58 a week to fuel their cars - that's a 23 percent vs. a 335 percent increase. Download the BLS report here: http://www.ethanol.org/pdf/contentmgmt/ACE_Fuel_Food_Fact_Sheet_7_2_08.pdf

"Despite a multi-million-dollar PR campaign by Big Food and Big Grocery to convince consumers otherwise, ethanol has very little to do with what we pay for food at retail. Now that corn prices have dropped by 30 percent and there are forecasts of a large corn crop, we'd like consumers to keep an eye on their grocery bills and start asking questions if their prices don�t go down accordingly," Jennings added.

Online registration for the ACE Ethanol Conference has closed, but you can still attend and register on-site

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT

As staff make final preparations for the ACE Ethanol Conference & Trade Show to be held Aug. 12-14 in Omaha, online registration has been closed - but you can still attend the event by registering on-site when you arrive at the Qwest Center. For more details about the event, including the full agenda and hotel information, visit this page: http://www.ethanol.org/index.php?id=30&parentid=30 ACE's 21st annual ethanol conference is expected to draw more than 1,200 attendees, with more than 200 companies represented at the trade show. The industry's best topics will be covered, including ethanol blender pumps and mid-range blends, innovations in corn ethanol, cellulosic ethanol commercialization and feedstock logistics, and much more.

Help us reach the 200-letter mark to complete the "Join the Revolution" letter to the editor campaign

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT

In mid-May, ACE launched the "Join the Revolution" letter to the editor campaign, asking grassroots supporters to speak out with the truth about ethanol to a series of urban media targets. So far, 164 pro-ethanol letters have flooded the editor's desk at the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, and the Los Angeles Times. Before our Friday, August 8 deadline, please help us hit the 200-letter mark by penning your ethanol support to the editor of our final target, the Kansas City Star. More details - including where to send your letter and sample letters - can be found here on Ethanol.org's "Take Action" page: http://www.ethanol.org/index.php?id=6&parentid=6 Thank you! Your voice in support of ethanol does make a difference.

New report details the $33 billion in subsidies Big Oil will receive over the next five years

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT

A report released by the Friends of the Earth organization is urging Congress to remove the tax benefits, royalty relief, research and development subsidies that the major oil companies are currently getting. Their analysis shows that Big Oil is slated to get nearly 33 billion dollars in taxpayer handouts over the next five years. The report also breaks down how much and why the oil companies are getting the fiscal breaks in the time of nearly four dollar a gallon gas. You can read the full report here.

The year's most outrageous statement: OPEC president says 40% of the oil price increase is due to biofuels

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT

In probably the most outrageous statement of the year, OPEC president Chakib Khelil stated that the "intrusion of bioethanol on the market" is responsible for 40% of the increase in the price of oil. Scripps Howard columnist Clifford May takes after OPEC in this article, "OPEC thinks we're stupid enough to swallow lies," found at this link: http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/25631269.html?page=1&c=y May says: "They say we live in an Information Age, but where energy is concerned it's more like a Disinformation Age, thanks in no small measure to the money and clout wielded by OPEC -- a cartel whose sole interest is to preserve petroleum's near-monopoly of the transportation fuel market and to keep the price of oil as high as possible." Ethanol is part of the solution!

ACE publishes map of all ethanol blender pump locations

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Looking for stations that offer mid-range ethanol blends? Using the popular online tool Google Maps, the American Coalition for Ethanol has published a map showing every gas station that uses an ethanol blender pump to offer mid-range blends like E20, E30, or E40. The map can be accessed at this link:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=114795702092705781866.0004506e7cf3ae206a7c0

ACE asks ethanol supporters to help keep the map up-to-date by contacting us when new blender pumps are installed in your area. Please e-mail Chuck Beck at cbeck@ethanol.org to share any new information. Also, feel free to link to ACE's blender pump map on your company's or organization's website.

Poultry king paid for Perry's airfare, gave to campaign

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT

According to the Houston Chronicle, Pilgrim's Pride CEO Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim helped fund Rick Perry's airfare so the Texas Governor could attend a press conference in Washington DC last month. The Houston paper filed the story in the July 16th newspaper. You can read the article here

Voters want more ethanol, new poll shows

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT

"The on-going campaign to force the nation to revisit and reduce its commitment to ethanol has failed to move most American voters," says a new national poll.

The poll finds that, by a 2:1 margin, the public supports increased use of ethanol in our nation's fuel supply. And that majority consensus "crosses party lines, capturing conservatives and environmentalists alike."

Democratic polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and Republican polling firm Public Opinion Strategies conducted the survey of 1,200 registered voters for the Renewable Fuels Association.

In addition to finding that the pro-ethanol majority is big and broad, the survey also found that, by a 71 to 17 margin, voters blame oil, not ethanol, for the high price of food.

For more details, visit this link:

"Public Support for Ethanol: National Survey Results"
http://www.ethanolrfa.org/objects/documents/1819/rfa___public_survey_analysis__gqrr.pdf

American households are paying $83 a week for gas, up 335% since 2002. Food prices are up also, but only 23% in the last five years.

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Americans will pay $1.13 more per gallon to travel to their Fourth of July celebration than they did last year, and $2.60 more per gallon than they did just five years ago, according to data from the Energy Information Administration. "I think we've all become numb to constant gas price increases, but a look at the numbers should make people take notice. An average household pays $4300 a year now for gasoline instead of the $1200 they paid just five years ago," said Ron Lamberty, Vice President / Market Development of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE). "Just six years ago, a twenty dollar bill would fill your tank for your Fourth of July holiday trip and you'd have enough left over to buy snacks, but today that same trip will cost you more than $60." ABC News has reported that some cities are canceling Fourth of July festivities due to high gas prices and the general downturn in the economy. "It's sobering to realize that our dependence on foreign oil may even be threatening our celebration of Independence Day," Lamberty said. "Ethanol's opponents will tell you that the cost of the Fourth of July picnic is slightly higher this year, but the cost of the picnic is irrelevant if Americans can't afford to drive to the celebration." While much recent media attention has focused on increased food prices, a look at the Consumer Price Index from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the gas price increase is by far the heavier burden for American households.

In January 2002, an average household paid $102 a week for food (groceries and eating out) and $25 a week for gas.

By June 1 of this year, a household paid $124 a week for food (an increase of 23.1%) and $83 a week for gas (an increase of 335.8%). If gas prices had increased at the same rate as food prices during that time, the pump price would be $1.39 per gallon. Read the full press release here: http://www.ethanol.org/pdf/contentmgmt/Gas_prices_up_335_percent_7208.pdf ACE published a fact sheet today with more food price and gas price information, which can be downloaded here: http://www.ethanol.org/pdf/contentmgmt/ACE_Fuel_Food_Fact_Sheet_7_2_08.pdf

Case soon to be closed on Renewable Fuels Standard waiver request

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT

CASE SOON TO BE CLOSED Texas Gov. Rick Perry doesn't like a new federal law that means more ethanol. The big livestock feeders and meatpackers in the governor's state aren't happy about it because it means more competition for corn, upsetting their status-quo of cheap corn and tall profits. So he's asked the federal Environment Protection Agency to waive half the Renewable Fuel Standard. The EPA has to give him an answer by July 25. We think they'll turn him down. Here's why: Gov. Perry did not prove that more ethanol, which holds down gas prices, will hurt his state. In fact, according to the renewable fuels industry and independent experts, which filed responses to the governor, ethanol's many economic benefits -- starting with cleaner, more cost-effective fuel -- far outweigh higher corn prices. In summary; granting the Texas request by waiving the RFS will not reduce food prices but will increase fuel prices - leading to even higher food prices. EPA will close this case soon. Follow the links below to read the filings. Sources: Renewable Fuel Association. "Comments of the Renewable Fuels Association on the Request from the State of Texas for a Waiver of a Portion of the Renewable Fuel Standard, 73 Fed. Reg. 29,753 (May 22, 2008)." June 23, 2008. http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/ContentViewer?objectId=0900006480638e3a&disposition=attachment&contentType=pdf American Coalition for Ethanol. "Comments on the Request from the State of Texas for a Waiver of a Portion of the Renewable Fuels Standard, 73 Fed. Reg. 29,753 (May 22, 2008)." June 23, 2008. http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/ContentViewer?objectId=0900006480638426&disposition=attachment&contentType=pdf ==================== FUEL FOR THOUGHT A publication of the Renewable Fuels Now Coalition: www.RenewableFuelsNow.org TO SUBSCRIBE Go to: http://lists.epicinfo.org/list/subscribe.html?lui=fdqwvf0i&mContainer=1&mOwner=G2t342x2r&mListId=HL%236 TO UNSUBSCRIBE Go to: http://lists.epicinfo.org/list/unsubscribe.html?lui=fdqwvf0i&mContainer=1&mOwner=G2t342x2r&address=kbrekke%40ETHANOL.ORG&val=r4dpuofa QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FACTS? Send an e-mail to: info@renewablefuelsnow.org PROBLEMS WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Send an e-mail to: fuel-facts-request@lists.renewablefuelsnow.org ====================