Doyle touts ethanol at GM plant

March 22, 2006
Janesville Gazette

Gov. Jim Doyle reiterated his commitment to ethanol Tuesday on a Rock County stage where he said the flexible fuel would boost two of the county's largest industries.

"It all comes together in Janesville," Doyle said in reference to the county's agriculture and automotive industries.

Doyle stopped at the local General Motors' assembly plant to celebrate the facility's production of its 500,000th flexible fuel vehicle. Since 2002, GM has built more than 1.5 million flexible fuel vehicles, which can run on either regular gasoline or E-85 fuel, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

Doyle said this country's foreign dependency on oil as well as its mandates for cleaner vehicles make E-85-compatible vehicles smart investments.

Nearly two weeks ago, the state Senate voted 17-15 to delay action on legislation that would require all regular unleaded gas to contain 10 percent ethanol. The bill, strongly supported by Doyle and Wisconsin's rural community, would have reduced the state's dependence on foreign oil, helped the environment, and boosted Wisconsin's rural economy, Doyle said.

Doyle blamed the bill's defeat on Republicans.

"Outside of a couple of talk radio hosts in Milwaukee, ethanol has strong support in Wisconsin, and for good reason," Doyle said in a statement. "For every dollar we spend at the gas pump, 70 cents leaves the Wisconsin economy. But for every dollar we spend on ethanol, 70 cents stays right here in Wisconsin, which is great news for our economy, and the hardworking farmers all across this state."

Doyle said Tuesday he remains committed to the technology, particularly as it relates to Wisconsin farmers and the thousands of people directly and indirectly affected by the GM plant in Janesville.

The local plant recently launched GM's new line of full-size sport utility vehicles, including the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL. The 3,400 hourly and 300 salaried workers will start producing Chevy Suburbans and GMC Yukon XLs on April 3, two weeks ahead of schedule.

About 70 percent of the vehicles built in Janesville are E-85 compatible.

The local plant has increased its line rate and plans to add overtime shifts to meet consumer demand for the new product.

"I've never seen a better launch," said Gary Malkus, plant manager in Janesville. "From a design and quality standpoint, the feedback from the marketplace has been great."

Malkus said the local product is just one of nine in GM's fleet of E-85 vehicles. That flexibility is important now and will be even more so in the future, he said.

"We need to be less dependent on foreign oil," Doyle said. "There are hard decisions to be made, and it's easy to talk about. But GM is doing something about it, and they are committed to being part of the solution."

Doyle said he is working to increase the number of E-85 fuel stations around the state.

A sampling of local pump prices Tuesday showed regular unleaded at $2.59 per gallon, while E-85 was selling for $2.69 per gallon.

Also Tuesday, the local plant announced that it will donate a Janesville-built Chevy Tahoe to the Wisconsin Nature Conservancy to be used to educate Wisconsin school children about conservation and protecting the environment.