The Midwest has plenty of ethanol and biodiesel… the big population centers in the Eastern United States needs those renewable fuels. You’d think it would be a match made in heaven, but the lack of infrastructure to move those biofuels has been a problem, adding extra transportation costs. But a new piece of legislation looks to rectify that.
According to this story from Midwest AGNet, a bill sponsored by U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), John Thune (R-SD) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) looks to give loan guarantees for the construction of renewable fuel pipeline projects:
“We must seize control of our energy future and take major steps towards the use of clean, renewable home-grown sources of energy,” said Harkin. “Promoting the planning and development of projects that transport renewable fuels efficiently and inexpensively helps enlarge the market for biofuels like ethanol, reduces our dependence on foreign fuels and will provide good construction jobs.”
“Pipelines are the safest, most reliable, and cost effective way to move biofuels from the areas they are produced to the markets where they are consumed,” said Thune. “These pipelines will reduce energy costs across the country as well as create an estimated 25 jobs for every $1 million of construction. Access to ethanol-dedicated pipelines will benefit both consumers and the ethanol industry for years to come.”
“Many experts believe that a pipeline network to transport biofuels is necessary to achieve the aggressive renewable fuel requirements. But limited transportation options of truck, rail and barge will only get us so far. Pipelines are necessary to get this fuel moving to where the people are. These loan guarantees will spur pipeline development and help create new jobs and lower our dependence on foreign sources of energy,” said Johnson.
The importance of a pipeline is not just the lower costs of transportation. The article goes on to point out that they have 30 percent less emissions than railcars and 87 percent less than trucks. Plus, it’s just a safer way to get fuel from point A to point B. Finally, construction of renewable fuel pipelines could create up to 25,000 jobs nationwide.
A senior agency official with the U.S. EPA says they may need another year to determine how blending ethanol in gasoline over the current 10 percent limit would affect vehicles and nonroad equipment. 
According to 
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, along with his Cabinet and members of his staff will be visiting a biodiesel plant Thursday as part of the first “Cabinet Community Day” of 2009. The Governor holds four such events each year, visiting eight regions of the state twice over the course of the administration.
The governor will visit 
This summer, General Motors (GM) will begin testing prototypes of their electric flexible fuel Chevrolet Volt. The company is in discussions on its outreach efforts for the 2011 vehicle on how it will be attractive to buyers.
A new certification for commercial labs will help ensure the most reputable biodiesel quality program will be verifying the green fuel. 
It’s named for the Greek phrase for wingless flight and practically slips through air nearly as effortlessly as Lance Armstrong bicycling through France (half the drag of a Toyota Prius). The beauty you see on the left is the battery-powered Aptera 2E… a three-wheeled, two-seater due out this fall.
Wilbur didn’t let me drive the car—it was New York, I guess—but I rode shotgun for enough miles to form an opinion. Like most EVs, it was fairly quiet, though noisier than most, and the potholes and cobblestones set off some rattles. The car was comfortable and felt stable on its three wheels, but a few minutes behind the wheel would have allowed more of a diagnosis.
Growing biodiesel oilseed feedstocks along the nation’s highways… capturing the power of the sun by growing algae for biodiesel production… finding multiple uses for the by-products of biodiesel refining… the U.S. is just scratching the surface of the potential biodiesel holds for this country. Those are just some of the findings of a new report.
Margo Oge, the director of the Environmental Protection Agency’s office of transportation and air quality, submitted written testimony to the committee that said the agency is working with the Department of Energy (DOE) “to evaluate the impacts of the use of higher blends on the in-use fleet of highway vehicles and non-road equipment, and hope to complete the testing over the course of the next year.”
ICM
saying, “Our objective in retaining ICM is to maintain a positive environment ensuring all the plants are kept in top condition.”