Gov. Jim Doyle renewed his call for a 10 percent ethanol requirement in gasoline Wednesday, fueling controversy surrounding the proposal. Even though the bill has gained bi-partisan support, there are still highly contested factors that have created a legislative impasse.
The governor's office reported that the possible economic effects of requiring 10 blend ethanol would not only lower dependence on foreign oil but also increase the job market for Wisconsin farmers.
Brooke Coleman, executive director of Renewable Energy Action Project, spoke in favor of this bill and said the potential for economic benefits would be advantageous for Wisconsin.
\By requiring a 10 blend you can basically give your state a variety of benefits. You can create jobs and state economic revenue,"" Coleman said.
It also has the potential to lower prices at the pump, a major issue due to rapidly increasing gasoline prices nationwide, he said.
Even though lower gas prices may sound enticing, they are not worth the lost mile per gallon efficiency if ethanol were used, said Erin Roth, executive director of the Wisconsin Petroleum Council.
His group's research shows that there would be ""three to six percent less miles per gallon in vehicles,"" ultimately causing the consumer to fill up more often.
The economy is not the only thing that has kept the legislators interested in the bill. Research has also shown possible environmental benefits of ethanol use compared to oil.
""There are enormous environmental damages caused by the use of oil. There are also some environmental damages from the burning and production of ethanol. Those damages are not comparable,"" said Dr. Richard Shaten, assistant faculty associate at the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.
""For every gallon of oil that we can displace with ethanol, we save ourselves production losses and health care losses from pollution,"" Shaten said.
However, Roth said he disagrees. He said the use of ethanol would have a detrimental effect on the earth's ozone layer, possibly creating a plethora of health concerns for Wisconsin citizens.
But the Renewable Energy Action Project accused the oil companies of spreading misinformation.
""[The] oil industry is extremely adept at pushing buttons to make people concerned about air quality,"" Coleman said. ""They are extremely adept at manipulating the truth in regard to their products effect on air quality versus ethanol's effect on air quality.\
