USDA Urges EPA to Increase Amount of Ethanol in Gasoline

Reading my morning dose of DailyTech, I came upon an article about the government wanting to INCREASE the amount of ethanol in gas. And just when I thought the economy was getting bad enough to STOP subsidies of corn ethanol, this comes around. Here in Hawaii, I haven't seen a gas station that doesn't have E10. I live with it because there is no other choice. But if the government wants to increase that amount, I say screw 'em; it's a horrible idea. Got the following quote from a user gstrickler:

Corn based ethanol is good for drinking (e.g. Bourbon), but it's a terrible fuel. In addition to the above reasons, corn requires huge amounts of water to grow and the increase in corn production for ethanol has accelerated the lowering of the ground water table in the massive Ogallala aquifer.

Corn based ethanol uses up precious farm land, uses huge amounts of water, and only produces about 30% more energy that it takes to produce (and that's considered a generous estimate, it may be closer to break even).

Stop the insanity! No subsidies for corn, corn based ethanol, or cornstarch/HFCS. Tell your congresspersons to end the subsidies on corn, end the taxes on sugar cane, and end or delay the ethanol blend requirements. That will affect the ethanol and alternative fuel markets as well as the sugar and sweetener market and food prices.

The corn growers and corn based ethanol distillers may not like it, but until they can demonstrate a viable way to make cellulosic ethanol, the only ethanol made from corn should be in liquor stores.