AUGUSTA — The Maine Legislature is sending the Obama administration a message urging an exemption from federal ethanol requirements for gasoline.
A joint resolve introduced by Rep. Beth O’Connor, of Berwick, won final Senate approval on Wednesday after winning House approval last week. Connor characterized corn ethanol as “a colossal waste” that’s subsidized by billions of dollars from U.S. taxpayers.
Her criticisms include damage it can cause to small engines and its inflationary impact on food prices. She says it takes nearly twice as much energy to produce a gallon of ethanol than the ethanol itself yields.
The resolution asks Congress to acknowledge the problems and to consider exempting some grades of gas from provisions of the Clean Air Act that require a blend of 10 percent ethanol.
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