Senate approves opening ANWR

[FlaSoxxJim]

Its a million BPD, not a billion.  All of OPEC itself is outputting 28.5 million BPD.

 

And the entire world only puts out 75 million barrels a day.

[knightni]

Well, per my Ethanol thought...

 

Right now, in Michigan, Ethanol makes up 10% of the gasoline bought. It's considered an "additive".

 

Ethanol, for the uninformed, is a fuel made by grain or corn processing.

 

I believe that open wheel cars drive on an All-Ethanol fuel now because it burns cleaner and is safer and less explosive.

 

I just don't know why the government couldn't at least increase the amount of Ethanol in Gasoline in the short term to avoid the gas price hikes.

 

 

25% would help quite a bit.

 

It would be safer, burn cleaner, reduce the amount of oil needed from the Middle East and save us all money.

 

It would also help farmers by increasing the value of their crops.

 

 

It must make too much sense to be considered by the US Government. :headshake

[FlaSoxxJim]

Ethanol from corn is actually more expensive to produce than petrol at the moment, but you're right on the other points. That would change with some investment in large-scale production, and it doesn't take into consideration the considerable cost of extracting crude from the earth. I have read that ethanol made from rice is cheaper and hopefully will make some inroads, as should biodiesel. No serious work has been done in this country on 'fuel from biomass' alternative energy research since the 80s. Hell, we can make cars that run on used cooking oil (the exhaust typically smells like french fries).

 

It's not for lack of scientific expertise to get to the next level. It is a lack of vision on the part of the governments that need to throw in behind a necessarily colossal effort.

 

But for now, sadly it looks like it is going to be fossil fuels for a fossil mindset. :headshake

[Queen Prawn]

(the exhaust typically smells like french fries).

 

mmmmmmmmmmm...french fries.

 

I would like that better than the exhaust I was inhaling from the truck with the broken exhaust pipe that was in front of me this morning. hack hack cough choke

[The Critic]

There were plenty of protests, and they lost. Just like there were protests against building a nuclear reactor in Zion, Il. And each time, eventually, America's overwhelming desire for batteries for our toys has won out. We are the biggest consumers of resources on the planet.

 

I believe we have a sacred moral obligation to protect our planet for fish, fowl, and animal for ourselves and future generations.

....hippie.....

[Rex Kickass]

I love the 8% statistic for the drilling in ANWR. It's not like this is one 8% chunk of the Wildlife refuge that they are going to block off and drill. If it was, it's something that I could probably begrudgingly get on board with. However, that's not the case. There may be only 8% of the refuge directly affected, but the areas surrounding it would be affected by associated pollution.

 

It is expensive to do this, the taxpayers are probably going to fund it, it will take ten years to produce and we'll see little payoff - except for maybe another year or two below three dollar a gallon gas.

 

If the Federal Government was serious about reducing foreign oil dependence, they could raise the CAFE standards 3-5mpg.

 

Oh and Ann Coulter smells.

Like French Fries.

[kapkomet]

Seriously, there are all types of ways that the US can cut down on it's need for oil, but the powers that be ... regardless of who is in control in DC ... won't let it happen.  100 mpg carborators were available in WWII.  The "Tucker" automobile was supposed to be very fuel effecient, and Tucker unded up dead.  Ethanol?  There's a chance that comes into play.  They are using the oil profits to buy up American farmland.  Hydrogen pwered vehicles?  Nope, not till they can figure out away to make billions upon billions of dollars from them.  And the band played on ...

Dead on, YAS. It's more profitable then ever to drill and suck out the oil out of the earth.

 

This is one area that I think GWB has it so f***ed up. THIS AIN'T GONNA SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS, DUMBf***S.

 

In fact, it's more about the PROFITS of ANWR oil now that it is at record price territory. And I think it's f***ing shameless.

[Texsox]

Oh beautiful for smoggy skies,

Insecticided grains

For strip-mined mountains, majesty

Above the asphalt plains.

America, America,

Man sheds his waste on thee

And hides the pines

With billboard signs

From sea to oily sea!

 

 

Added:

 

Something from my Senator.

 

the development of ANWR would create thousands of new jobs and help boost our economy. Approximately 42,000 Texans would be employed to design, manufacture, supply, construct, service, and operate exploration, drilling, and pumping equipment. The Prudhoe Bay oil field, also in Alaska, has generated $7 billion for Texas residents and businesses since 1980, and I am confident that the exploration and development of ANWR will provide even greater economic benefits for our state and our country.

 

Go Texas, screw the Alaskan environment :finger

Edited March 18, 2005 by Texsox