Special Interests and Energy Policy Means We Lose

It is past time to get Special Interests out of Energy Policy. Currently, we are reaping the works of the Cheney Energy Policy Task Force, in which, the energy Policy of the United States was developed by special interests, Big Oil. Why is it, that the US economy is growing slower than my left pinkie fingernail, but the Oil Tycoons are raking in money hand over fist? I'll tell you, this Presidency has sold its soul to their friends in the oil industry? Where is the outrage from the President? Is he that out of touch with the common American that he doesn't realize that gas prices over $3.00 a gallon is harming us?

The Biofuels industry is also facing this problem. Under pressure from the Corn Growers Association, the United States has placed a tariff on imported sugar cane. The task of producing sugar from corn is too cost inefficient to do it otherwise. So now, what should be a cheap product, pure sugar cane, is actually more expensive than high fructose corn syrup. Many states, such as Iowa have requirements that all ethanol bought and sold in that state must be derived from corn. This is a many fold problem. First, ethanol produced from corn is energy inefficient. Meaning, the energy needed to produce one gallon of corn-based ethanol is more than that one gallon of corn-based ethanol produces. More fossil fuels are being burnt and for a negative gain. Secondly, these Midwestern states are exporting their ethanol throughout the country. Effectively destroying any other attempt at creating ethanol in other states; because those states do not have the extremely cushy production incentives that Iowa does. North Carolina would be better off, just putting regular gasoline in the engines of our motor fleet, both economically, and environmentally. Likewise this reliance on a feedstock that is also edible, is causing an increase in food prices. The majority of food bought and sold in the country contains one corn product or another. The real victims are the poor and working-class in America. Now, if we removed those tariffs on pure sugar cane, this country could produce an energy efficient ethanol at less cost and not severely endanger the food supply. Furthermore, with North Carolina having the port in Wilmington, our state could become in the importation point for pure sugar cane, allowing us to distill the ethanol in this state and create much needed jobs in the Eastern Counties.

In terms of biodiesel, the soy growers have complete control over the National Biodiesel Board. Soy, while an efficient feedstock, is far more expensive to produce biodiesel from than the super efficient rapeseed. Also, a crusher for producing soybean oil is more expensive to build and operate than a canola facility. Plus, because canola is a cleaner oil than soy, the process for producing biodiesel is lessened and more cost efficient. Plus, rapeseed can be grown anywhere, from the swampy land of Robeson county, to the Mountains of Haywood county. Rapeseed is a hardier crop as well. Another reason why North Carolina is lagging behind South Carolina when it comes to biodiesel production is the lack of soy crushers in this state. Off the top of my head, I know of one, in Fayetteville.

In essence, special interests meddling in our nations energy policy is holding us back when it comes to creating a domestic renewable energy source. This country keeps lagging behind the rest of the world. It is costing us environmentally, and most importantly economically. We the taxpayers are footing the bill.

Go on, get out Special Interests. We're Done with You.