Strassel: Behind an Ethanol Special Favor


Updated Aug. 13, 2013 7:59 p.m. ET

Why does the public demand transparency in government? Read on.

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency issued its annual renewable-fuels mandate, telling refineries how much ethanol they must blend into the nation's gas supply. This quota, which grows each year, is becoming a horrific financial burden on the industry, forcing many refineries to buy federal ethanol "credits" to satisfy the rules. The skyrocketing...

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