The Oil Drum

Gov. George E. Pataki wants to ... make ethanol and biodiesel, two controversial alternative fuels, available in the 27 service areas on the New York State Thruway and in 100 more stations throughout the state as early as this year, in a first small step toward reducing the state's petroleum consumption. The governor is also proposing incentives to bring refineries that produce ethanol into the state.

So, let's explore ethanol's place in New York's alternative energy basket.  

Let's envision the New York State the next generation will inherit from us - let's consider the limitless potential the future holds for the great State of New York.
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We don't have to look far for evidence that the time to transition away from foreign oil is now - it is right there on the gas pumps and in our home heating bills.

Not just here in New York, but across the nation, our reliance on foreign oil is hampering the financial freedom of our working families and their employers; it is hurting our economy, damaging our environment and enriching regimes that support, harbor and encourage the terrorists who threaten our national security.

I'm glad that Pataki is raising these issues as not just environmental do-gooding, but integrating financial and security issues. As a state with little fossil fuel reserves, stimulating development of renewables is critical for New York's survival in a peak oil world.

BROOKLYN BRIDGE, 7:30am As we enter day 3 of the transit strike, it's a good time to reflect on public opinion. NY media coverage has focused mostly on commuter frustrations and heated words between the heads of the MTA, TWU, Governor Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg (who actually has no control over the MTA). If you were to just watch the local Fox News channel, with their "Illegal Strike" graphics, you would think everyone hates the union and there is no public support for the strike. However, according a new Marist Poll, New Yorkers are actually pretty split about who's to blame for the strike with 39% blaming the MTA vs. 40% for the TWU. As you could imagine, due to the many inconveniences, a majority (55%) of New Yorkers are against the strike, but surprisingly 38% of people actually favor the strike. When broken down on ethnic and racial lines, there is a wide divide between support for the strike between New Yorkers who are white (23%), Latino (44%) and African-American (61%).

While no public official gets high approval rating for their handling of the strike, TWU president Roger Touissaint's approval is 39% vs. 27% for Pataki (who really controls the MTA's board). Bloomberg has a 43% approval rating for the strike.

In general I think this shows that there is little love for the MTA and shows that minority groups have higher support for unions taking action.

Again, I really hope there isn't a strike, but if there is I hope people will not only realize the value of mass transit but perhaps find that walking or biking or telecommuting is really not that bad. I also wonder how Bloomberg's mandatory carpooling experiment will work out.