I read in a recent edition of the T-R about the State House passage of House File 2128, requiring that 50 percent of the gas we buy be supplemented with 15 percent ethanol. In checking the manuals of the cars, motorcycles, snow throwers and lawn mowers I own, as well as checking with the dealers and suppliers of these machines, I discovered that none of them are compatible with this fuel, and in fact, all said that warrantees would be void and damage would occur if these fuels were used. None of these items are old or worn out, and all use basically the same technology as a comparable item being produced today.

Yet the governor and her followers in the legislature have elected to make this E15 fuel the primary fuel in the state. This will require most of us to either buy a more expensive fuel (E15 being the primary fuel will most assuredly raise the price of other fuels) or replace the vehicles and other equipment with compatible items. It would be easier to swallow if the governor were trying to ‘save the planet,’ but her only stated aim so far is to generate ‘millions of dollars for agriculture and biofuels industries.’ Any way you look at this fiasco, unless we own the refinery, we are all going to lose out on this bill.