NYC WANTS BIOFUELS FOR HEAT, SCHOOL BUSES

Council members, oil lobby square off in tense hearing on biofuel bills

David Giambusso, October 26, 2015 (PoliticoNewYork)

“Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration tacitly endorsed two bills to increase the use of biofuel citywide…[but] oil lobby representatives showed up to challenge them…Intros 642 and 880 would expand the use of biofuel — a plant-based fuel that can be mixed with petroleum-based products and is responsible for lower greenhouse gas emissions — in home heating oil and city school buses respectively…[The currently-used 5-percent biofuel blend vehicle fuel and 2 percent heating biofuel introduced under former mayor Michael Bloomberg have] reduced greenhouse gas emissions…the equivalent of taking 30,000 cars off the road…[The two new bills mandate] that all buildings still heated by oil must use at least 5 percent biofuel by 2016 and 20 percent biofuel by 2030, and that the city's school buses use ultra low-sulfur diesel with at least 5 percent biodiesel…[But the New York State Petroleum Council argued] the biofuel bills would pose a costly alternative to traditional petroleum-based products and would expose consumers to higher fuel prices and more expensive food…[I]t set off a shouting match between Council members and panelists…” click here for more

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