Still no beef

Erie Times News Reporter Jim Carroll followed up today on yesterday’s article on the start-up of the new biofuels plant on Erie’s eastside, but provided few new details or information except that the cost of the plant, reported yesterday to be $50 million, has risen to $60 million.

But still unanswered are many key questions about whether the biofuels produced here will be available locally to help bring down soaring home heating costs and automotive fuel costs this winter, how much they will cost per gallon, and why the products are being targeted for marketing and export to the Northeast and Europe, rather than to local consumers.

It would seem to make economic sense to market the product as close to the manufacturing site as possible to cut down transportation costs, hence local consumer costs. Also unasked and unanswered is the question of whether corn, a plentiful biomass in this area, can be used to manufacture biofuels instead of, or in conjunction with, soybeans.

There may be valid answers to these questions, but so far they haven’t been forthcoming. Among those who reportedly spoke at yesterday’s plant opening were two Erie Management Group officials, Pat Black and John Higham, and two elected officials, Congressman Phil English and Erie Mayor Joe Sinnott. None of them mentioned the possibility of using biofuels made at the plant to help meet home heating and automotive fuel needs in the Erie area.