EPA asks for up to $6.8 million in penalties from motor fuel companies because they failed to do the impossible. The companies failed to mix non-existent type of bio-fuel into their gas and diesel. So now, they have to pay the fines for failing to produce a miracle.The
2007 Energy Independence and Security Act required that, in 2011, motor fuel companies mix 6.6 million gallons of fuel made from wood chips into gasoline and diesel.
EPA does not care for the simple fact that even the
Advanced Biofuels Association said that
the state of the technology for turning biological material like wood chips straight into hydrocarbons is not yet ready for commercial introduction.To make things worse, in a move defying reality, EPA is increasing the quota to 8.65 million gallons in 2012. Well, it looks that the administration found a sure racket and does not want to lose it if somebody actually manages to produce this kind of fuel outside laboratory.
In case you are wondering, world's first non-demonstration scale factory for producing cellulosic biofuel is still being built in Italy by Mossi & Ghisolfi Group.
Dennis V. McGinn, a member of American Council on Renewable Energy, said "
From a taxpayer/consumer standpoint, it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense that we would require blenders to pay fines or fees or whatever for stuff that literally isn't available." However, EPA still requires that all fines be paid in full.
It seems that the current administration is totally divorced from reality. There is still hope that there will be no new fines instituted for failing to build a water mill in desert or failing to drive above the road surface.
No, the administration is probably not doing this intentionally. Like Napoleon Bonaparte said: "
Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."