Repeal Of Florida’s Ethanol Law Fuels Debate

May 24, 2013

A bio-energy company on the Treasure Coast is calling for Gov. Rick Scott to veto a measure that would repeal the state law requiring most gasoline sold in the state to include nearly 10 percent ethanol.

But based upon the relative ease in which the bill (HB 4001) moved through the Legislature, and a stack of emails sent to the governor’s office in support of the measure, Vero Beach-based INEOS New Planet BioEnergy has a hard road ahead.

“The production of ethanol costs more than the production of gasoline, takes huge amounts of corn out of the food system thus raising the cost of food and causes severe damage to internal combustion engines,” Linda Skidmore of Holiday emailed Scott.

Skidmore’s request for Scott to sign the bill was among the more than 1,000 emails sent to the governor this month in favor of repeal.

Still, regardless of how Scott acts, David Mica, executive director of Florida Petroleum Council, said the legislation may be mostly symbolic because of federal mandates that gasoline be mixed with ethanol or other biofuels.

The bill was sent to Scott on Monday. He has until June 4 to make a decision.

Scott joined several other governors in October in asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Administration to suspend the requirement for putting a certain amount of ethanol into America’s gas tanks, saying it was causing a shortage of cattle feed for Florida ranchers.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Scott said he is reviewing the proposed legislation.

INEOS Bio CEO Peter Williams urged supporters on Wednesday to contact Scott against the bill.

“Repeal of the state’s renewable fuels standard would send a clear signal to companies like ours and other investors that Florida is unfriendly to advanced biofuels, investing in new technology and jobs it creates or to building a clean energy economy,” Williams said in an email.

The bill is intended to repeal the 2008 Florida Renewable Fuel Standard Act, which requires most gas sold in the state to include nearly 10 percent ethanol.

During debate on the proposed repeal, House sponsor Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, called the law a “flawed business model” for government to require people to buy products. “Do we believe in free markets or not?” Gaetz asked.

Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, argued to keep the law in place, saying the repeal “does nothing but hurt the businesses that are here in Florida, and it hurts an industry that we are wanting to move to the state of Florida.”

INEOS Bio received a $50 million grant in December 2009 from the U.S. Department of Energy to build the first full commercial bio-refining facility in the nation. The grant was considered part of a move to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and create new clean technology jobs.

The company is part of Switzerland-based INEOS, which is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of petrochemicals, specialty chemicals and oil products.

The Vero Beach plant, which is using yard and vegetative waste to produce its advance bioethanol, started to produce electricity in October. Eventually the plant is expected to provide enough energy to power its own facility and 1,400 homes in the Vero Beach area.

Despite Williams’ call for support of the law, the emails have remained overwhelming in favor of repeal.

Most of the email sent to Scott this past week, appearing under the subject line “Please Sign HB 4001, Repeal the Florida Ethanol Mandate,” is a form letter, while others that feature a more simple “HB 4001″ subject line, offered impassioned comments to end the state law.

“I own an antique car, and it has screwed up my fuel system,” wrote GR Dornfeld of The Villages. “The Ethanol attracts water, and when my car sits for long periods, rust occurs. Also, the substance deteriorates all the rubber parts in the fuel system. I have had to replace the fuel tank, steel tube to deliver fuel forward from the tank, the fuel pump and carburetor on my 1939 Ford.”

by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida

Comments

9 Responses to “Repeal Of Florida’s Ethanol Law Fuels Debate”

  1. Mike J. on May 28th, 2013 9:07 am

    There is a listing of PURE GAS stations that you can find on the internet. There are several Pensacola locations on that list. I have been to the BP branded store at I-10 and Scenic Hwy which has one pump on the north side labeled for No Ethanol.

  2. LEO GUY on May 28th, 2013 9:01 am

    @429SCJ,

    It’s a no brainer that whatever Rick Scott does, Barry isn’t going to allow this to happen. Remember? :-/

  3. Elizabeth West on May 28th, 2013 7:51 am

    First of all, this bill is in place to repeal the Florida Renewable Fuel Standard Act. Why everyone seems to think ethanol is a corn and corn only byproduct is beyond me. This is an issue of BIOenergy —not corn. The biofuel plants in Florida aren’t using corn; they use forestry waste, agricultural waste, household yard and vegetable waste and even algae to produce bioethanol. Biofuels are a sustainable technology with a multitude of products that can be used to generate energy. Biofuel technology is also a huge investment opportunity for the state of Florida. Companies are willing to invest millions of dollars in biofuel technology, which will bring about good jobs with a skilled labor force and good money. These are the kind of job opportunities we want in our state. We want the rest of the world to know Florida is open for business and that we have what it takes to innovate and move forward in finding viable energy alternatives for fuels. We live in a state where we buy 100% of our oil, we have no refineries here and Floridians spend billions of dollars on gas that we don’t benefit one single penny from. Ethanol is cheaper to produce and it saves about 60-70 cents at the pump. Ethanol provides a higher octane than gasoline, burns in a clean-air form, and eliminates the MTBE octane additive that is found in gasoline that pollutes groundwater as well as benzene, another toxic octane additive used in gasoline. Also, for the last 35 years, carmakers have designed their fuel systems to use ethanol. I realize if you drive an antique car this is an issue but for majority of Americans, it is not. There is a lot of good information and a lot of misinformation out there on this very important issue. Please, take the time to understand the facts.

  4. CD on May 26th, 2013 9:44 pm

    With the federal mandates, it amounts to no more than “feel good legislation”. Ethanol must be used in a large percentage of gasoline produced. Always been a mystery to me why non-ethanol costs more when it is cheaper to produce. There are a few (very few) places to buy non ethanol gasoline in the Pensacola Metro area. It is certainly best for small engines….lawn mowers and such.

  5. bill on May 24th, 2013 12:51 pm

    We can still buy pure gas at Quality Parade, New Warrington Road and Jackson St. in Pensacola. It cost a lot more but my ‘85 Caballero runs much better on pure gas, as does my lawnmower.

  6. David Huie Green on May 24th, 2013 8:04 am

    CNG

    no ethanol but also won’t run in old cars without modification
    cleaner, non food based, domestic, can be produced by contented cows (with a little help)

  7. SW on May 24th, 2013 6:00 am

    I think having a choice is right.

    I don’t think we should be putting a food source on the fuel tanks, though. I believe corn is much more valuable as food rather than fuel.

    Until then, I will go to AL for ethanol free….and lower prices due to lower taxes.

  8. 429SCJ on May 24th, 2013 4:14 am

    Rick Scott owns vehicles, this should be a no brainer for him.

  9. Jane on May 24th, 2013 4:06 am

    So if the government insists we use ethanol in our gas, let them pay for the repairs to our engines in our lawn equipment and antique cars! I will go to Alabama and buy ethanol free gas if I have to! Too bad the Florida penisula can’t do that too!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News