The abridged version: a recent US law requires fuel suppliers to mix in three types of biofuel into their petroleum. One of these three types, cellulosic fuel, has not successfully made it to commercial production yet, existing only in laboratories. The fact that the stuff doesn't physically exist in sufficient quantities, despite the industry's best efforts, has not prevented the US government from issuing multi-million dollar fines to the suppliers in question.
"Despite the industry's best efforts" was not demonstrated in the article. There were efforts by those outside the industry to setup plants, but no mention was made of companies within the industry attempting to start them up despite having known about this quota for 4 years.
And practically, it makes economic sense to ignore the mandate and simply continue what their doing. Fines for 2011 will be 6.8 million. Whereas the cost of setting up a production plant exceeds 100 million and they can use the lack of product to argue against the fines or argue for changing the rules. Considering that this is a tactic frequently used in regards to environmental legislation and policies - without evidence of "best efforts" I would not presume that any efforts where made.
Heh. The NYT site converted the link to mobile when I went to it on my smartphone, but I guess it's not clever enough to convert it back. Or to let you see the mobile site from your desktop (horrors!)
This is the url I originaly followed to get there, so maybe it'll work? http://t.co/mS0paoaQ
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2012-01-11 06:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-11 09:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-16 10:34 pm (UTC)And practically, it makes economic sense to ignore the mandate and simply continue what their doing. Fines for 2011 will be 6.8 million. Whereas the cost of setting up a production plant exceeds 100 million and they can use the lack of product to argue against the fines or argue for changing the rules. Considering that this is a tactic frequently used in regards to environmental legislation and policies - without evidence of "best efforts" I would not presume that any efforts where made.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-17 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-11 06:06 pm (UTC)This is the url I originaly followed to get there, so maybe it'll work? http://t.co/mS0paoaQ