Letter To The Editor — Lenoir City reader
protests ethanol plant
- Thu, Mar, 4, 2004
Dear Editor:
Headline banners sell ethanol, “Clean Air,” “Ethanol, good for
environment,” “Good for the economy – buy Tennessee corn.”
But, what about the rest of the story, real people and adding
more air pollution to communities under siege with too much air
pollution already? At last count, several bills promote ethanol
to the General Assembly with supporters like legislators Jeff
Miller, Don McLeary, Tim Burchett, Jamie Hagood, Joe Armstrong
and Russell Johnson.
One such bill introduced by Rep. Johnson requires a 5 percent
ethanol blend in every gas tank effective July 1, 2005. But,
there are no plans to require Tennessee’s only ethanol plant
located in Loudon County, Johnson’s hometown district, to use
thermal oxidizers to curb toxic air emissions.
The EPA has identified ethanol plants as significant air
polluters and deals have been reached to curtail harmful toxic
emissions, but not in this case.
Citizens have long complained about the sickening sweet, pungent
odors that travel miles from the AE Staley (Loudon plant).
British owned and globally known Tate & Lyle is a top producer
of ethanol and high fructose corn syrup. Archer Daniel Midland,
agri-giant ethanol producer is a large stockholder of Tate &
Lyle, parent company of AE Staley. Currently, Tate & Lyle/Staley
will joint venture with DuPont Chemical Co. on a new industrial
bio-based polymer. This new process is expected to add 35 tons
per year of air pollutants, 7 tons identified as ammonia. DuPont
will not identify the composition of the remaining 28 tons of
pollutants.
A well-respected Loudon pediatrician has repeatedly testified of
an increase in respiratory problems with children patients. A
grassroots citizens group, Clean Air Friends-Clean Air Kids,
Inc. held a drive and collected over 2,600 names to petition
Gov. (Phil) Bredesen and Betsy Child, TDEC commissioner for
relief. Citizens voiced concerns about respiratory, and
catastrophic diseases and worries about sick children. Local,
state and federal officials and plant owners appear indifferent
to concerns.
Special interest groups lobby for the introduction of ethanol
bills under the guise of cleaning the air that we must breathe
to require use of an inefficient ethanol grade of fuel. Another
bill proposes to give away some $6 million in gasoline taxes.
Ethanol tax incentives have raided the Federal Highway Trust
Fund of $7.1 billion since 1979 bestowed to big agribusiness. A
loss of billions of tax dollars amount to highway robbery of
roads and bridges in need of expansion and repair and reduced
highway safety. The General Accounting Office, concluded ethanol
subsidies have not paid off in reducing U.S. dependence on oil
imports.
Experts believe ethanol actually contributes to ozone and smog
formation, especially when vehicles use it as the 10
percentethanol, 90 percent gasoline blend. Studies show a 10
percent mix of ethanol and gasoline would put more chemical
contributors to smog into the atmosphere than gasoline alone and
suggest a 10 percent blend is the worst possible combination.
Not until the ethanol portion of the fuel mixture approached 80
percent did it fall below the ozone contribution potential of
standard gasoline.
The Loudon (Staley/Tate & Lyle) plant purportedly uses 700 tons
of coal per day. Adding yet to more air pollution, toxic diesel
emissions since ethanol must travel by rail, truck, or barge.
Experts believe it takes more energy to make ethanol than is
saved using it. A Sidney newspaper reported, up to a third of
Australia’s 10 million cars will not operate satisfactorily on
10 percent ethanol. Industry sources added, 30 to 40 percent of
cars cannot perform satisfactorily or may even be damaged with
E10.
Twenty-two years ago, farmers were lead to believe AE Staley
would buy Tennessee corn. Sadly, some mortgaged farms to later
learn corn would instead be bought from the Midwest. Big money,
special interest and politicians promoting ethanol should not
come at the expense, health, and future of its children and
residents of Loudon County and West Knoxville; this is not a
fair trade off, especially when ethanol will do little good to
reduce air pollution. One thing’s for sure, corn-fed politics
will cost taxpayers a bundle!
Pat Hunter,
Lenoir City
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