Californians who converted their cars to run on vegetable oil pride themselves for saving gas money, as well as promoting alternative or "greener" fuels. Unfortunately, they are also learning that no good deeds go unpunished, especially by the gub'ment:
(Photo: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)Dave Eck, a Half Moon Bay mechanic, had attracted a media spotlight with his fleet of vehicles fueled by used fryer grease from a local chowder house. So when Sacramento called, he figured officials wanted advice on promoting alternative fuels.
Not at all. The government rang to notify Eck that he was a tax cheat. He was scolded for failing to get a "diesel fuel supplier's license," reporting quarterly how many gallons of grease he burns, and paying a tax on each gallon. [...] The state offered Eck only a potentially large fine -- and not just for failing to pay taxes. He can also get in trouble for carting kitchen grease away from eateries without a license from the state Meat and Poultry Inspection Branch.
Or for not having at least $1 million in liability insurance, in case he spills some of the stuff. Or for not getting permission from the state Air Resources Board to burn fat in the first place.
The regulations are so burdensome that even Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, trying to set an example for Californians by driving a Hummer that burns cooking oil he buys at Costco, had not complied.
just like they once did with alcohol.
Wonderful. A veggie oil cartel is born.
If it's a state thing, why doesn't the govenator introduce a bill to make recycling cooking for vehicle fuel easier, cheaper and legal?
It's not the fault of the USA (or any other than the country it's happening to) that some countries cannot produce enough food to sustain their own population: It's downright impossible to plant and tend to crops while dodging bullets and artillery shells. If these poor unfortunates weren't so busy trying to kill each other in various civil wars the food shortage problem would never have occurred in the first place.
The guy I sold my Golf TDI installed a Greasel solution in it. He did not brag about it. I bet he's happy now ;)
Well, actually the Diesel engine was designed by Mr. Diesel to ruin on ground nut oil...about a 100 years ago.
These regulations pertain to diesel from fossil fuels, which is pretty bloody toxic and actually needs that level of insuranvcce and safe guards.
Veggie diesel will never be big, if done properly it'll be small and local solutions for the environmentally concerned.
Bio fuels are not really going to replace current options, they'll augment them
Algae fuels, now that IS a good one.
"I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."
Run for your lives!
The article has a bitter tone. What's up with that? Don't they understand that its all about worker safety? And the taxes, well it's all for the children.
When the reality of the socialist nightmare they're building finally hits them, it will be too late.
Frankly, the fact that it infringes on numerous laws makes me want to convert my diesel to frialator all the more. I'll go electric first, though.
I really am regularly left amazed at the things you post.
It seems that unless a peson is gargling the blood of unicorns from the scooped out skull of Fidel Castro whilst revving the biggest and dirtiest engine in the world they are Communists to you.
I just don't understand how you can reach the key board, as your feet are so far out of contact with terra firma.
Just pay the road use tax like everyone else.
I thought the purpose of these boards was to comment on the subject(s) of the article and not to launch personal attacks on other posters.
While I, like everyone else, am quite capable of engaging in the latter, I think most people find it infantile.
We are ready at Lubbock Lubricant.