Hey guys,

In my line of work, many of the guys use their own personal trucks to haul. Well, a group of the diesel owners (mainly C-stuffed Rams and PSD's) have been brewing their own bio-D for the past 2 years. They've made it at a rate of about 250 gallons a week, give or take a few gallons regarding need. Anyways, we just received a visit from a police officer whom we are good friends with and he told us that the dynamics of the law concerning moonshining your own diesel is about to change drastically. He said bio-D is soon to become illegal (because there are about 10 bio-D plants opening in Alabama) in Alabama because the government wants THEIR cut. He said in order to get waste-oils on a large scale, you will soon have to be part of a "list" to legally obtain them. He said the government does not like not getting what they think they deserve in fuel tax and they are moving to change things. He said bio-diesel would be available at the state's discretion, but would only be $.30-.50 cents cheaper than regular D. He said the same legislation will effect guys making their own ethanol blend of gas... though I've never heard of anything to this liking??? Anyways, just interesting things to think about huh??

 

The amount of tax revenues that might be lost by guys brewing up batches of bio are nowhere near the cost in enforcing a law like that.

I think the cop was blowing sunshine up your skirt.

 

You know, I really, really want to agree with redford, but I think we've all had a time or two when new bills just boggle the senses. So I have no clue at all if thats legit or pure bunk, but if and when you find out, I wouldnt mind hearing the update.

 

Sounds like it's time to contact your state legislators and ask them if there are any bills like that proposed. If they are you can voice your concern and get the word out.

 

I hope redford is right but there are so many laws on the books out there that are not economically freezable but are still there just for principle so I wouldn't put it past the government. Why spend another dollar for a hungry person when we can use it to make sure people are paying the oil companies.

 

When was the last time any of you non-commercial types were stopped and inspected? In Jersey they'd never stop anyone without commercial plates. Commercial guys sure, but not private owners.

As someone explained it to me there's ALREADY laws on the books that limit the amount of bio you can home brew to 600gallons a year. Any more and you become a refinery and have to deal with all the associated permits and taxes. But good luck proving how much you make.

-Jay

 

Hey guys,

I wasn't posted this to start anything or cause everyone to riot. This officer is respectable and has never lied to us, and was just passing along the word of what the state government is starting to look at changing the current laws concerning making your own fuel. He related it to moonshine, saying that the government doesn't really profit from making moonshine illegal... it even loses money per capita via the law being enforced. It's the same with bio-D, the government basically just wants their hands on it... so that you, the consumer, has to pay something to the government if you want it, regardless of the amount of profit. He still said it would be roughly $.30-.50 cheaper, just that it would be illegal if you were caught producing or having the "capability to produce" in your possession. Anyways, this may never come to pass... I just thought it was interesting that the government felt the need to waste thoughts on this subject.

 

I don't doubt it a bit. We will likely see a domino affect in other states as most like to copy cat successful revenue generation laws from other states.

The spin will likely evolve around saftey...diesel spills...blowing up the neighbor's house etc. Probably not around lost taxes.

 

I don't doubt it for a second. State needs it cut of road tax, and like many of the dyed-diesel threads we've seen lately, this is the same issue.

My bet is that gov't waits until such practice is widespread, so as not to snuff out incentive to move it forward.

 

They started a 9 billion dollar a month war over crude oil, I think they may take exception to those producing their own fuel.

You all will just have to become bootleggers.

 

Who is they and what war are are you taliking about???? The war was over three years ago. It lasted about a month. We won. You're watching too much CNN and too many Jane Fonda movies.

 

Please forget I posted any of that. Wrong forum, and I am wrong, it's a matter of opinion and does not belong here. I have too much respect for the troops to post my random thoughts on the subject and I will leave at that. I apologize.

I happen to think that the governments in most states will begin regulating Biodiesel. It's my opinion that the next 10 yrs will see a major shift in alternative energies. The government will seek to regulate it and the industries that get involved will lobby for this. Energy will become everything, there will be alot alot more diesels on the road, and making alternative fuels for them will become big business. Just my opionion.

I do favor the DIY guy doing their own thing, making fuel, finding better ways to do things and depending on their own hard work and ingenuity. That's what always made this nation a nation full of innovators, something that we cannot afford to lose really. I live close to what will be the largest wind farm in the US, I like that idea alot.

Hopefully there will be a very large surge in biofuels soon, it would greatly aid this country and keep our foreign dependencies lower.

 

Cool. Apologize for the curt reply.

 

Hey guys,

I had a chance to talk to Jay (the P.O.) today and I asked him to explain what he knows to me. He said that the main reason for the new proposal of laws concerning homeade diesel is that they have found a growing number of people brewing their own Bio-D and selling it for profit. He said the state government disagrees with this and that it MUST be taxed, according to them. He said that state gov also believes that Bio-D is cleaner and would be better if in mass production, but that in order to do that... personal brewing would be outlawed in favor of obtaining a business license and operating as a refiner... but then you have to conform with standards and all sorts of things, he said that basically it would make it too costly for the little guy to make Bio-D... it all sounded confusing. It seemed to me like the government just wants control of what is a growing industry and will benefit the environment. I don't know... he also said the same thing about Ethanol blends of gas... I don't even know how to begin to do that, or I've never even heard of it... so I don't know, but that's what I figured out so far. I do know of 5 confirmed planned Bio-D production facilites in Bama though. So who knows???

 

sounds to me like it's more of a crackdown on those brewing and selling, than those just brewing for their own use