VETERANS GROUP JOINS E15 EFFORT IN CHICAGO

Tricia Braid

Sep 24, 2014  |  Today's News

Citing the need to reduce America’s reliance on Middle East oil, VoteVets.org, the largest group of progressive veterans in America, is joining numerous Chicago veterans in asking Mayor Emmanuel and all 50 of Chicago’s Aldermen to support Chicago’s Clean Air Choice Ordinance. Illinois Corn Growers Association supports the ordinance, as well. It would allow motorists the choice to fill up with E15 at gas stations in the City.

In the letter, Chicago veterans joined with VoteVets, which represents over 400,000 members, to say:

“As veterans, we have a unique perspective on the real cost of our dependence on foreign oil. We know it’s not measured solely in cost-per-gallons, or our changing climate, but also in the lives forever changed or lost through multiple deployments to protect the flow of oil in the Middle East.

That’s why we support the Chicago Clear Air Choice Ordinance, and ask you to approve it.

If passed, the ordinance will give consumers the option of choosing a cleaner, less expensive, higher performance fuel called E15 – the same blend used by NASCAR -- which contains more American-made renewable fuel and less foreign oil than regular gasoline.

We’re not alone in this fight. We were asked to join by a growing coalition environmentalists, health activists, and scientists.

This is an important issue and a real chance to make a difference at home in Chicago.”

Moving away from foreign oil and toward American renewable fuels will dramatically improve America’s energy security.

America’s reliance on foreign oil market has left consumers at the mercy of supplies from unstable regions and hostile foreign actors, resulting in less energy security, threatened national security and higher gas prices.

By ensuring that a mid-grade E15 ethanol blend will be available at all Chicago gas stations, the ordinance will also give Chicago drivers access to a cleaner, American-made renewable fuel that will clean Chicago’s air, move outsourced jobs home to Illinois and lower our gas prices.

With the Chicago Clean Air Choice ordinance, Chicago’s air will contain fewer cancer-causing pollutants and consumers will save 5-15 cents a gallon by choosing cleaner, higher-octane E15 gas.

Moving to E15 would also create 12,000 new Illinois jobs that can’t be outsourced.

Chicagoans are already behind the Clean Air Choice Ordinance.

A poll conducted by the Benenson Strategy Group found that a solid majority of Chicago registered voters support a proposal to require area gas stations to offer consumers the E15 option, with only 30% of voters opposed.

The letter’s signatories are voicing their support for an ordinance that will allow Chicagoans to choose a fuel made right here in Illinois that will clean Chicago’s air and reduce America’s reliance on foreign oil.

VoteVets is urging all Chicagoans who care about Illinois jobs, gas prices, air quality and America’s security to join them and sign the letter.