I am generally one who feels strongly in States Rights, so I rarely advocate national policy that would override state issues. However, when it comes to some sort of energy policy it seems logical have some sort of national effort.
The politicians, being the slow moving knuckleheads that they are, often can't agree to do the right thing. That said, it is nice to see the State of Illinois take some initiative on the issue. I live in Indiana, but our local newspaper covers news on both sides of the state line and just yesterday there was an announcement about another Ethanol plant that is being built about 20 miles southwest of where I live in Kankakee, IL. It is a shame that their governor is under federal investigation and my end up in jail (for totally unrealted issues) so he may not be able to make good on some of his energy policies.
Illinois Governor Unveils Energy Independence Plan
August 23, 2006
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – On August 22, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich unveiled a comprehensive long-term energy plan intended to replace the state’s dependence on foreign oil with “homegrown alternatives,” according to a press release.
The governor’s plan outlines new incentives to triple the state’s production of ethanol and other biofuels, as well as construct a pipeline from the central part of the state to the southeastern area that will transport carbon dioxide produced by new energy plants “where it can be pumped underground to extract more oil and gas.”
The plan also calls for making sure all retail locations sell E-85 by 2017 by investing $30 million over the next five years to add 900 more E-85 dispensers statewide by 2010. The release notes that state officials will work with automakers by offering incentives to help produce more vehicles that can run on the ethanol-blended fuel.
“No other state has the combination of natural resources that we have here in Illinois. We’re the nation’s leading producer of soybeans,” Gov. Blagojevich said in the release, adding that the state is second in corn production and has the third largest coal reserves.
“Our plan will allow us to meet 50 percent of our fuel needs with alternative, homegrown sources of fuel by 2017,” the governor noted, adding, “Stop and think about what that means. It means that if we make the right investments now, within 10 years, we’ll be able to produce enough energy from our own natural resources to cut our dependence on foreign energy in half…. We have the resources. We have the technology. We have the expertise. And if we start today, we can solve this problem in the next 10 years. No other state can say that.”
The politicians, being the slow moving knuckleheads that they are, often can't agree to do the right thing. That said, it is nice to see the State of Illinois take some initiative on the issue. I live in Indiana, but our local newspaper covers news on both sides of the state line and just yesterday there was an announcement about another Ethanol plant that is being built about 20 miles southwest of where I live in Kankakee, IL. It is a shame that their governor is under federal investigation and my end up in jail (for totally unrealted issues) so he may not be able to make good on some of his energy policies.
Illinois Governor Unveils Energy Independence Plan
August 23, 2006
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – On August 22, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich unveiled a comprehensive long-term energy plan intended to replace the state’s dependence on foreign oil with “homegrown alternatives,” according to a press release.
The governor’s plan outlines new incentives to triple the state’s production of ethanol and other biofuels, as well as construct a pipeline from the central part of the state to the southeastern area that will transport carbon dioxide produced by new energy plants “where it can be pumped underground to extract more oil and gas.”
The plan also calls for making sure all retail locations sell E-85 by 2017 by investing $30 million over the next five years to add 900 more E-85 dispensers statewide by 2010. The release notes that state officials will work with automakers by offering incentives to help produce more vehicles that can run on the ethanol-blended fuel.
“No other state has the combination of natural resources that we have here in Illinois. We’re the nation’s leading producer of soybeans,” Gov. Blagojevich said in the release, adding that the state is second in corn production and has the third largest coal reserves.
“Our plan will allow us to meet 50 percent of our fuel needs with alternative, homegrown sources of fuel by 2017,” the governor noted, adding, “Stop and think about what that means. It means that if we make the right investments now, within 10 years, we’ll be able to produce enough energy from our own natural resources to cut our dependence on foreign energy in half…. We have the resources. We have the technology. We have the expertise. And if we start today, we can solve this problem in the next 10 years. No other state can say that.”