what about doubling the gas tax, and not taxing ethanol at all? its working
for cigarettes. in illinois, the state raised the tobacco tax, and
consumption fell, so they raised it again to meet their goals for the year,
and it dropped some more. tax it out of existence. cash cost is really the
only thing the majority of people pay attention to.
cynical? yes. true? also yes.
- Original Message -
From: Darryl McMahon [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 8:51 PM
Subject: [Biofuel] Tories burned by ethanol rebate misfire - CP
Wire -2007.03.26
Apparently, there is nothing so simple that government can't mess it up.
Darryl
Original Message
Tories burned by ethanol rebate misfire
CP Wire
Mon 26 Mar 2007
Section: National general news
Byline: BY DENNIS BUECKERT
Source:
Length: 378 words
OTTAWA (CP) _ Environment Minister John Baird
is defending the government's decision to offer a
$1,000 fuel-efficiency rebate on gas-guzzling cars
capable of burning high-ethanol fuel even though no
filling station in Canada sells the product.
The Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo can burn
either gasoline or E-85 fuel, but don't rate high for
fuel efficiency when burning gasoline.
Environmentalists call them gas guzzlers.
``This government wants an ethanol vehicle fleet to
be part of Canada's future,'' Baird told the House of
Commons on Monday.
``That's why we're very proud to put Chevrolet
Impala E-85 on the list.''
Opposition critics allege that Finance Minister Jim
Flaherty included the two GM vehicles in the list of
models eligible for government rebates because
they're manufactured in the riding adjacent to his
home riding of Whitby-Oshawa.
``The government has not got a lot of nuance when
they're handing out political favours,'' said NDP
environment critic Nathan Cullen. ``They've handed
them to several key members of Parliament in the
Conservative caucus and this is one of them.
``They're not serious about the environment, they're
just looking for window dressing.''
Robert Fortin of MacEwan Petroleum, which
promotes ethanol, said he knows of only one E-85
station and it is a government-run facility in Ottawa
not accessible to the public.
``There's no demand for E-85,'' he said. ``No one is
asking for it.''
Baird said it is unacceptable that there is only one
service station in Canada offering the fuel, but he
gave no indication of any plan to expand availability.
Kory Teneycke, president of the Canadian
Renewable Fuels Association, said there is a
chicken-and-egg problem with high-ethanol gasoline:
E-85 cars will not be popular until the fuel is widely
available, and the fuel will not be available until
there's strong demand.
He said the government should offer tax breaks for
E-85 fuel to promote its use.
Teneycke defended TV ads being run by his
association showing a car filling up a car that ``runs
on ethanol''even though high-ethanol fuel is not
available.
``I think it's speaking to the aspirations of Canadians
who would like to have more fuel options than just
petroleum, and they want it at a reasonable price and
they want it convenient, and all these things are
possible with E-85.''
Copyright (c) 2007 The Canadian Press
--
Darryl McMahon
It's your planet. If you won't look after it, who will?
The Emperor's New Hydrogen Economy (now in print and eBook)
http://www.econogics.com/TENHE/
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