You’d think this would be a “Buy American” type of issue. Growth Energy, an ethanol industry trade group, wants to raise the content in gasoline from 10 percent to 15 percent in the United States.

The ethanol industry, of course, is firmly behind the proposal, made to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ethanol plant operators say a boost would bring jobs and investment on U.S. soil.

And even some government leaders, like Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, have expressed support for at least a “baby step” increase to 12 or 13 percent.

But other folks, seizing on the fact that most U.S. ethanol is made with corn, are telling the EPA to put the brakes on the plan.

Just today, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers filed comments with the EPA in opposition to Growth Energy’s “waiver request.”

The association is concerned about harm to conventional vehicles not designed to operate on higher blends of ethanol and harm to the planet from increased carbon emissions.

Is ethanol headed for the hay heep, with these and other concerns over the fuel’s connection to higher food prices?

At this rate, will cellulosic ethanol, from non-food plant materials, ever get off the ground?

Image Credit: ammocacher, via photobucket.

Reprinted with permission from Cleantechnica