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Ethanol study paid by the state, controlled by industry, Fox9 reports

Posted on October 2nd, 2008 – 11:52 AM
By James Shiffer

The investigative team over at Fox9/KMSP has a hard-hitting story that shows a $50,000 ethanol study trumpeted by Gov. Tim Pawlenty was funded by the state but controlled by ethanol industry boosters. The study concluded that cars running on gasoline with 20 percent ethanol showed no loss of performance compared to the standard gasoline. A retired Minnesota Department of Agriculture employee produced his own report that rips the methodology and conclusions of the state study, while Jeff Baillon’s report showed that the state study was rewritten by a representative of the Renewable Fuels Association and an agriculture department employee whose job is promoting ethanol. In a followup report, Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles told Baillon that he thinks the study should be the subject of an investigation.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 at 11:52 am and is filed under Government spends your money. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

3 Responses to “Ethanol study paid by the state, controlled by industry, Fox9 reports”

  1. CrombieMN Says:
    October 2nd, 2008 at 3:01 pm

    This shouldn’t be any surprise, given the millions the state had previously paid out to incent companies to produce ethanol since the early 80’s. The $50,000 was just more ‘good money’ thrown after the ‘bad money’ the state has already spent hyping and reimbursing blenders and producers for this over the last 25 years.

  2. Worldcitizen Says:
    October 3rd, 2008 at 9:49 am

    It’s amazing that a product that lowers gas mileage, provides less energy than it takes to produce, increases food prices, introduces new kinds of pollution into the air and requires massive state and federal subsidies for success is still required as an additive in our gasoline. It’s nothing but agricultural welfare.

  3. D Meyer Says:
    October 7th, 2008 at 12:22 pm

    How does this rip-off pwersist without the backing of politicans?
    This is not even sensible to add ethonal to gas (as necessary to line
    someones pockets)Cut Through the crap and give us a break

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