--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > http://www.albertleatribune.com/NF/omf/aldaily/news_story.html? [rkey=0 > 005820+ssiuname=WebOSTTN+ssipwd=TTNB8F45E13 > > The Albert Lea Tribune > > Trail's Travel Center, others concerned about move toward biodiesel mandate > > By Dylan Belden > The Albert Lea Tribune > > Published Friday, March 08, 2002 9:25 AM CST > > At Trail's Travel Center, where 50 to 70 percent of the gas is sold > to shipping fleets, a half-cent per-gallon price difference has been > enough to send customers into Iowa to get their fuel, owner Rocky > Trail said. I have to assume the writer is typically ignorant of the subject matter, and really means 'fuel' instead of gas? Requiring a percentage of Biodiesel in Diesel fuel, should have NO effect on gasoline prices.
> A bill requiring all diesel fuel sold in Minnesota to contain at > least 2 percent biodiesel is making its way through the Minnesota > House and Senate, and could be up for floor votes next week, said Bob > McFarlin, a consultant for the Biodiesel by Choice Coalition. This group seems to have a conflict in their name. Biodiesel by Choice Coalition is mandating that there is no choice? Perhaps it's just my contrary nature, but I prefer choice over mandates nearly every time. > > The coalition estimates that a biodiesel mandate would cost diesel > consumers $48 million to $200 million each year. I notice there is no reference to any study that generated the figures. > > Beyond that extra cost, Trail said his business would be further hurt > because the truck stop now gets its fuel from a terminal in northern > Iowa; if he is forced to use biodiesel, drivers will have to travel > to someplace in Minnesota to get the fuel. Because of special > difficulties in storing and transporting biodiesel - it must be kept > heated, for instance - it's possible that it will only be available > at a handful of locations in Minnesota. That means extra shipping > costs for many retailers, Trail said. Forgive my ignorance, but when did Biodiesel become required to be kept heated during transport and storage? > > Trail and McFarlin said as the only state with a biodiesel > requirement, Minnesota would not be able to compete with its > neighbors. > > "Truckers will fill up with the lesser-cost biodiesel fuel in Mason > City and drive right on through the state of Minnesota," Trail said. Why is Biodiesel cheaper in Mason City, Iowa? > > And, they said, one of the main reasons the bill gets support - its > perceived benefit for farmers - isn't a lock, either. There is no > guarantee the biodiesel fuel used to fulfill the mandate would be > produced in Minnesota, and the added fuel costs will hurt farmers, > too, McFarlin said. So is this an attempt to obfuscate the issue a bit? Is there a mandate for Petro Diesel to be produced in Minnesota? > > > > Members of the coalition say they support biodiesel as a fuel, and > even use it when possible, but simply disagree with the idea of a > state mandate. A federal mandate would make more sense, they said, > because it would keep everyone on a level playing field. The writer assumes that a 'level playing field' is a good thing. In most situations in life, it is not. 50% of all people are below average! Trying to force them beyond their natural capacity is stressful to them. Restricting those that are above average through artificial constraints also creates stress and frustration. Trying to use a Plow horse and a Thoroughbred race horse as a driving team will also lead to much frustration to the driver. Forcing a race horse to pull a plow through mandates is a foolish proposition. Forcing a Plow horse to run in the Kentucky Derby would be the same. Therefore, a Federal mandate would be even less attractive to me. I believe in choice over mandates, but if mandates are absolutely needed, they should be at the most local level possible. I think Biofuels of all types should be allowed to stand on their Merits and benefits. If any product is NOT accepted in the free market, mandating them only creates a feeling of resistance to force. Mandating anything also leads to artificially inflated costs through government regulation and enforcement of compliance. Government bureaucrats don't work for free. My take, Motie ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Stock for $4. No Minimums. FREE Money 2002. http://us.click.yahoo.com/BgmYkB/VovDAA/ySSFAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
