Guess Willie hasn't paid his dues to the politicians ........
Posted on 10/25/2006 5:36:52 AM PDT by Red Badger
Unless the Texas biofuels industry can convince state officials that vegetable-based diesel fuel won't foul the state's air, it risks being forced from the huge Texas diesel market.
Texas is the nation's largest producer of biodiesel, a mix of regular diesel and vegetable oil. A decision to allow or forbid the fuel is expected before year's end.
The state's chief environmental regulatory agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, has told the fledgling industry it must prove the fuel is clean enough for Texas.
That position puts Texas in a class all its own; other states are embracing the fuel.
Nationwide, experts agree, biodiesel is a "clean fuel" because it is nontoxic and biodegradable, and because it drastically reduces emissions of hydrocarbons, sulfur, carbon monoxide and particulate pollutants.
TCEQ is concerned, however, that biodiesel may increase tailpipe emissions of one pollutant in particular, smog-producing nitrogen oxide, or NOx. The state must reduce NOx in urban areas to meet federal Clean Air Rules.
Although an exact date has not been set, state senators on the Senate Natural Resources Committee are considering meeting in Austin in the near future to hear testimony on biodiesel.
If TCEQ approves biodiesel, which has been on the market in Texas for a decade, the fuel can continue to be sold in 110 counties in Eastern Texas suffering from polluted air, according to Mike Nasi, general counsel to the nonprofit trade group Biodiesel Coalition of Texas.
"The 110 counties are a massive diesel market," says Nasi, a partner with Austin-based law firm Lloyd Gosselink Blevins Rochelle & Townsend PC, noting that urban areas such as Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio are included in the 110 counties, as well as the coal mining, quarrying, timber, marine and agriculture industries. Texas is the nation's No. 1 consumer of diesel fuel, with biodiesel now making up a small, but increasing, slice. Besides reducing pollution, fans say, biodiesel supports Texas farmers and keeps energy dollars in the state.
Biodiesel is typically made from oils such as soy and canola, as well as from cottonseed.
"We have the potential to make a huge impact on the energy market," says Jeff Plowman, a founder of BCOT. "Texas is producing 96 million gallons this year."
Nationwide, biodiesel production has soared since 1999, when it was 500,000 gallons, according to the Missouri-based National Biodiesel Board. The board predicts 150 million gallons this year.
If you want on or off the DIESEL "KNOCK" KIST just FReepmail me........
I suspect that the oil companies are throwing their weight around Austin again.
Five acres of canola were planted in test plots at the Uvalde center. Three varieties of canola were tested, along with different irrigation rates to help identify maximum crop quality and yield. "This first year was very promising,"Stichler said. "It looks like we can expect a yield of about 1,800 pounds per acre for the crop. We're also seeing that canola uses about the same amount of water or less than wheat during the winter months."
Last year, Extension in San Patricio County worked with local farmers to plant about 100 acres. Seven varieties were tested under different irrigated conditions. This year, 14 varieties of canola were planted on about 40 irrigated acres and about 160 "dryland" acres.
A late freeze this year damaged some of the maturing canola, making the seeds non-viable at harvest, said Jeff Stapper, Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources for San Patricio County.
"We've been working with (international food provider) Cargill to produce canola because growers in the Dakotas are currently unable to meet the demand," Stapper said. Last year's canola crop was our most successful to date. We got about 1,900 pounds per acre from the irrigated test plots."
The closest canola-crushing plant to San Patricio County is in Mexico, Stapper said, but for the past few years producers have shipped their product to Colorado for processing.
http://agnews.tamu.edu/dailynews/stories/AGEC/Apr1106a.htm
Now you know why we need that super duper highway to Mexico.
They could process the seed at the farms very efficiently.............
Guess Willie hasn't paid his dues to the politicians ........
Even tho Willie is a whacko-leftist, I think he's got a good idea here. At least he puts his money where his mouth is..........
Clearly an attempt by oil pumpers to stop competition. Shame on them. US restaurants produce 28,800,000,000 gallons of used cooking oil every year. Talk about recycling.
More likely concerns about loss of tax revenue.
I suspect that you never were a Republican, nor a conservative, but rather an activist for Kinky's, grandma's, or Bell's campaign who signed up in May to sow dissension by pretending to be a "Lifelong conservative, but I'm voting against the GOP this time..."
Whatev...
Whatev...
How much time, energy and money is being spent to answer a question that already has an answer? and has had for a very longtime. (forgot science is no longer an educational requirement) Only bureaucrats can stumble over the obvious and find the unobtainable.
Not only has an answer, but is a BETTER answer! No sulphur compounds or other nasties to deal with. Some Texas bureaucrat wants to play King of the Hill...............
Cooking oil and waste animal fats, too! I'm sure there is lots of waste animal fats in Texas!...............
True, I deal with them every day and they compete well with their colleagues on the fed side, when it comes to red-tape and excessive paperwork.
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