End Ethanol Mandates

House Bill 4013: Florida Renewable Fuel Standard Act Repeal

Energy and Utilities Subcommittee Chairman Scott Plakon (R-Longwood) has shown great leadership by placing this bill on the agenda for December 8, 2011 at 8:00am EST.
We need your help to contact the legislators who are members of the Energy and Utilities Subcommittee and ask them to support HB 4013!

Please fill out the form to email committee members to support the Repeal of Ethanol Mandates.

In 2008 the legislature passed the Florida Renewable Fuel Standard Act. It was a major priority of then-Governor Charlie Crist to require gasoline consumed in Florida to contain 10 percent ethanol. It has been rumored that Crist received millions of dollars by large corporate corn special industry groups.

Ethanol Facts:

• Ethanol is not creating jobs in Florida. All ethanol consumed in Florida's is corn-based. All of it is imported from the mid-west. Florida's ethanol mandate is subsidizing corporate welfare for a distant corn industry.
• Ethanol harms engines
  o Ethanol is a solvent and absorbs water, which can cause water contamination and phase separation of gasoline.
  o Ethanol causes vapor lock or fuel starvation, more commonly in carbureted engines, hot weather and/or high altitudes (ethanol increases gasoline's vapor pressure)
  o Ethanol is especially damaging to small engines and marine engines.
  o Ethanol can cause a drop in octane
  o Ethanol decreases the life cycle of parts and engine
  o Ethanol decreases the shelf life of gasoline. (expires in 30-90 days)
• When exposed to excessive water, they expire even faster
• After only 100 days, alcohol fuels absorb enough moisture to phase separate.
• Ethanol is an inefficient energy loser. A Cornell study found that it takes 1.5 gallons of gasoline to produce 1 gallon of ethanol.
• Ethanol harms the environment.
  o A 2009 EPA report concludes that ethanol will increase carbon emissions in the short term and may need to be in effect for 100 years before long term reductions are realized.
  o It takes 1,700 gallons of water to produce just one gallon of ethanol
• Ethanol mandates are bad for the economy
  o Ethanol mandates raise the price of corn, hurting Florida's dairy and beef cattle ranchers.
  o Corn is a major US export. US corn exports have tripled in the last decade. Ethanol mandates lead to more domestic corn consumption and will widen the U.S. trade deficit.