Hello Tom What a sad story - should the EPA perhaps be renamed the Environment Prevention Agency?
>I am the producer of Yellow Brand PREMIUM Biodiesel, located in Ashfield, MA. >In 2001, we produced 3,650 gallons of biodiesel from our own technology. This >is a low cost production system, in its third generation of development. With >recent updates to the system and the experience gained, it is expected that >we would produce 10,000 gallons this year. While not a big production system >yet, this has been a complete bootstrap operation, and has received no >funding from any outside source. Capital development has been a major >limiting obstacle, more so than technical obstacles. > >This week I have been shut down by the EPA because they say I may not use the >health effects data developed by the non-profit National Biodiesel Board, >which is used by every other commecial producer in the country, but must >develop my own. What is their rationale for this, or don't they bother to give one? Is it just arbitrary? Can you give us some more details? It seems that you're using well-established practices which are backed by many studies with well-known health effects. Why should you have to reinvent the wheel? >The EPA estimates that will cost me in excess of $1,000,000. >Needless to say, I cannot come up with that kind of money. The EPA stated >this week if they catch me making more of the fuel, the fine is up to $25,000 >per day. I choose not to join the National Biodiesel Board because of their >contract requirements which are unduly burdensome on a small operation like >mine. It is like other industries: get big or get out. That is not a rule that is to be accepted, is it? So far it's done nobody any good except a bunch of good ol' boys in air-conditioned boardrooms, and everybody else a lot of harm, with current examples hardly in short supply. The "Big is Beautiful" top-down approach is likely to make just as much of a mess out of biofuels as they've made of fossil fuels. Difficult maybe, but they'll find a way! The future - or a sane future at any rate - surely lies with small-scale, locally based energy supply (local self-reliance, bioregionalism). A lot of biofuels people think this way, so your story is bad news indeed. I'll forward your email to the Biofuels list, I hope you don't mind. Best wishes Keith Addison Journey to Forever Handmade Projects Osaka, Japan http://journeytoforever.org/ >As the only commercial biodiesel production facility in the Northeast USA, I >believe I have significant knowledge about the operation and manufacturer of >biodiesel. I am not sure as to what my time and plans are for the forseeable >future, this is all a very new situation. However, if you would like to start >a dialog as to your plans and requirements, I would be interested in >discussing this more. If you want to see the factory, it is not far from >Toronto. You might also want to see my web site at www.yellowbiodiesel.com > >Yours truly, > >Tom Leue >Homestead Inc. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Get your FREE credit report with a FREE CreditCheck Monitoring Service trial http://us.click.yahoo.com/ACHqaB/bQ8CAA/ySSFAA/9bTolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuels at Journey to Forever http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel at WebConX http://www.webconx.com/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
