City Council Considering Ordinance Requiring Gas Stations To Pump Fuel With More Ethanol
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago City Council's Finance Committee is facing a vote on a controversial measure requiring most gas stations in the city to use a new blend of gasoline, reports WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore.
Right now, motorists use gasoline that contains 10 percent corn-based ethanol. The ordinance would require a pump dispensing 15 percent ethanol.
Rollie King, whose company owns a couple of gas stations in the city says few cars use e15 and it would put him out of business to convert.
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"People are saying how cheap it is to transfer over but it really isn't," King said. "We did the research. It would cost us well over $50,000 just to replace the pumps."
Oil companies say putting e15 in the wrong car could be harmful, but Tom Buis with Growth Energy and the ethanol industry scoffs.
"They are trying to scare people into this because it really boils down to a fight over market share," Buis said. "Ethanol is now 10 percent of our nation's gasoline. Oil doesn't control it. They don't want to see our nation grow."
