Opposition Grows To EPA's Price-Hiking Ethanol Mandates

Less spendy bossiness, please

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering upping the ethanol requirement in gasoline this summer — a move that threatens to ignite a new fuel war.

"The dialogue should be to repeal the renewable targets and let the market decide," Charles Drevna, president of the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, said at a conference last week.

Opposing requirements to blend more corn-based ethanol and other renewables into their fuels, the petroleum industry says government dictates increase production costs and hike consumer prices.