Tim Bishop's answer to me on not adding more ethanol to our gaseline:

October 18, 2013     Ms. Jill Wrubel 20 Excalibur Ln Nesconset, NY 11767-1908   Dear Ms. Wrubel:   Thank you for expressing your concerns regarding ethanol as a renewable fuel source. It is important for me to have that benefit of your views, and I appreciate the time you have taken to contact me.   As the Middle East remains unstable and China and India begin to industrialize and compete in the global market, we are paying a higher cost for fuel here at home. We have also come to realize that our nation is not immune to natural disasters that wreak havoc on our energy supply, particularly our domestic refinery capability. Now, more than ever, our nation must emphasize conservation, and invest in renewable energy technology and sources of energy that do not compound our dependence on foreign nations.   Ethanol is a form of alcohol that is produced mainly from corn within the United States, sugar cane in Brazil, logging waste in Sweden, and sugar beets in France. In America, the starch from corn is converted to sugar, which is fermented to produce the fuel. Ethanol fuel is typically blended with 15 percent gasoline and to produce E85. This biofuel has lower emissions of greenhouse gases and higher octane, but has a quarter less energy per gallon than regular gasoline, and is incompatible with many older cars.   After federal law banned lead as an octane booster in the 1970’s, ethanol as a fuel additive became an alluring substitute. In 1988, Congress passed the Alternative Motor Fuel Act, providing tax credits to car manufacturers to raise their corporate average fuel economy number, otherwise known as CAFE standards, for producing gasoline cars and trucks that were also ethanol-ready. In 2005, about 3.9 billion gallons of ethanol was produced in the U.S., up from only 1.4 billion gallons in 1998. It is estimated that by 2025, ethanol production could rise to nearly 40 billion gallons per year.   Ultimately, we must face the fact that a nation which consumes 25 percent of the world’s oil, but which was only blessed with two percent of available reserves, can never drill its way to energy independence. We must pursue a 21st Century energy policy that promotes cleaner, safer alternatives to fossil fuels. I consistently support tax incentives for investing in renewable energies such as wind, solar, ethanol and biomass; and I support withholding tax breaks and incentives to the oil industry.    Thank you again for sharing your views. If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. For more information and to find out about other important issues that I am working on in Congress, I urge you to visit my website at http://www.house.gov/timbishop.     Sincerely, Tim Bishop Member of Congress