Ethanol is a perfect example of crony capitalism at work. It has raised the price of Corn 400% in the last ten years and is screwing over the environment. Oh yes, it is making a few companies very very rich.
From the Des-Moines, Iowa Des-Moines Register:
State asked to hammer out aquifer protection details
Recommendations designed to better protect the Jordan aquifer will go to the state natural resources agency to spell out the plan's details, the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission decided Wednesday.
The commission heard 33 recommendations that a seven-member stakeholder group says would better protect the Jordan aquifer, the source of water to about a half million Iowans and industries that range from data centers to food processing and ethanol production.
The aquifer covers most of Iowa and lies about 2,500 feet below ground in southwestern Iowa and near the surface in northeastern Iowa. The state is considered water-rich, in part because of the aquifer, but officials are concerned about rising demand.
Last year, Iowa cities, companies and other users pulled nearly 26 billion gallons of water from the aquifer, a 72 percent increase from the 1970s, state data show.
"The consumption of water from the Jordan aquifer is a trend that's not sustainable for future generations of users," said Todd Steigerwaldt, manager of the Marion Water Department and leader of the task force appointed by Gov. Terry Branstad.
"We need to monitor use of the Jordan aquifer more closely," he said.
Ethanol accounts for 15% of total useage. Ethanol is a joke - it costs more energy to produce a gallon of it than that gallon will yield in combustion. Looking right at you Archer Daniels Midland...