We strongly support Ivins concerns about both MTBE and special interest politics. However, we believe she gave ethanol an unfair shake by failing to note some key facts. The debate does not boil down to a clear-cut choice between clean air and clean water, as Ivins suggests. Ethanol in gasoline actually improves air quality by reducing carbon monoxide and some of the air toxins. That is why it is used as a gasoline additive in cities such as Chicago and Denver.
Ethanol also results in reduced greenhouse gas emissions compared to petroleum-based alternatives.
Ethanol is the alcohol that is in the beer, wine and cocktails that many drink. If ethanol leaks into ground water, it disperses readily and leaves no lingering toxic effects because it biodegrades in about a day or less. Unlike petroleum-based alternatives like MTBE, the use of ethanol means increased use of renewable resources and reduced reliance on imported oil. Ivins may not be aware that new technology now enables us to turn regional waste problems, such as the sawmill waste problem here in Maine, into economic growth opportunities for rural communities. Ethanol can now be made not just from valuable food and feed grains, such as corn, but also from the wastes of these grains.