The Label My Fuel initiative would create a COOL standard similar to requirements already in place for common consumer items, including apples, beef, cars and coffee. The goal [image-nocss] is to help create consumer awareness of the costs and national security implications of the nation's addiction to foreign oil.
The group said, "Mandating country of origin labeling for fuel sold in the United States will help create unprecedented consumer awareness of the costs and national security implications of our current fuel supply model.... By requiring mandatory country of origin labeling of all fuel pumps in the United States, Congress can dramatically enhance product origin transparency and safety, and provide each one of us with the ability to make an informed purchasing choice."
It added, "We are asking that federal legislation be introduced that requires country of origin labeling for all fuels and all sources of fuel. It could be introduced as a stand-alone bill and/or as an amendment to climate change legislation. COOL legislation should require that labeling information indicate by percentage per gallon of gasoline the name(s) of the country or countries that are the source(s) of fuel being purchased."
Clark also unveiled Growth Energy's www.labelmyfuel.com, which showcases the costs of American dependence on foreign oil and serves to rally grassroots support for Congressional action on COOL for fuel legislation.
"America's dependence on foreign oil has a staggering impact on both our national and economic security. Supply disruptions and sudden price hikes have shocked the wallets and pocketbooks of everyday Americans one too many times," said Clark.
"The American people deserve to know the truth about the hidden costs of oil: The neighborhood filling station doesn't pump neighborhood gasit pumps a product of foreign origin that costs consumers and taxpayers billions of dollars every year. It's past time for the American people to understand what our dependence on foreign oil costs our country and what they can do to help stop it."
Tom Buis, Growth Energy CEO, said, "American ethanol is the only existing alternative to gasoline today that is creating jobs, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. [COOL] for fuel will let consumers know if they are pumping a domestic-made fuel, like ethanol or fuel from a foreign source."
Clark made the announcement at the 2009 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill., a major national exhibition of advanced technology, business practices and manufacturing for today's agricultural producers.
"The American people deserve to know more about the gasoline they purchase every daywhere it comes from and where their hard-earned dollars ultimately go every time they fill up their cars and trucks," Clark said. "Most Americans don't want their paychecks going to Venezuela and other regimes that don't agree with and support the U.S. Requiring [COOL] of our fuel supply will empower consumers with the knowledge and ability to make informed decisions."
Phil Flynn, an oil analyst at PFGBest Research, Chicago, said that Growth Energy's strategy was a sign the ethanol industry, which has gone through several bankruptcies this year and last, was experiencing troubles during the recession. "The industry is hurting right now and they want to get a boost by trying to get a little nationalism around a barrel of oil and push alternative fuels," he told the news agency.
But even if Growth Energy persuaded lawmakers to craft a bill and it got passed, such a plan could be hard to implement, said a Reuters report, because of the streams of fuel that flow from refineries that can get mixed by the time they reach retail stations.
It would be even harder to make any dent in sales from foreign oil producers, Flynn said.
"At the end of the day if we end up not buying that oil, it's just going to be bought by someone else."
Growth Energy is a group committed to the promise of agriculture and growing America's economy through cleaner, greener energy. Growth Energy members recognize America needs a new ethanol approach. Through smart policy reform and a proactive grassroots campaign, Growth Energy promotes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the use of ethanol in gasoline, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil and creating American jobs at home.
Growth Energy has also launched a pro-ethanol website called www.drivingethanol.org.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.