Political Quotes

“I refer to the last paragraph on the first page of that letter. The results indicate: That reformulated gasoline (RFG) prices are projected to increase in 2006 by about 4 cents per gallon because of a 14 State ban on MTBE, by an additional 2 cents per gallon if the remaining Northeast States bang MTBE (for a total of 6 cents per gallon), and by an additional 2 cents per gallon if S. 517 is passed and the assumed States exercise a waiver option (for total of 8 cents per gallon); Assuming a Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) without an MTBE ban has much less impact on prices. That is a reasonable explanation relative to the alleged costs associated with ethanol that is really associated with the MTBE provisions. Further, it is fair to say the farmers previously supported our opening of ANWR as part of the comprehensive bill. I thank them for that support, because the bottom line is reducing our dependence. I make one point, however, since I have had a long history and some association with charts. As we recall in the ANWR debate, we had quite a discussion about footprints. Let me show one chart, the footprint associated with ethanol. The point is, there is no free ride on footprints. This happens to be a chart which shows the comparison. If you had 2,000 acres of grain corn in an ethanol farm, you would produce the energy equivalent to 25 barrels a day. If you had 2,000 acres of ANWR production, you would be producing a million barrels of oil a day.”