Scott Gier:  Ethanol is used in fuel as an oxygenate; it is one of many, such as MTBE, ETBE and TBA.  The push to require the use of ethanol in fuel in Hawaii was based on the idea that the sugar cane industry could be revived by doing so.  Never happened.  But the ethanol requirement lives on.  It is an expensive oxygenate, not so much as a result of its base price, but because it can't be pre-blended with gasoline for shipment.  Nor can it be transported by pipeline, because it absorbs water like a sponge.  There is no good reason for its use here, but that hasn't stopped a push by our elected leaders to increase its required fuel percentage from 10% to 15%.  Not many vehicles, and very few small engines, are designed to run on that.  But not to worry.  When the older cars and trucks have been destroyed by this government mandate, we can all jump on the train.