I was reading a Community Statement in the Evansville Courier & Press regarding ethanol. The writer, Bill Denham, raises some valid points about the importance of facing up to ethanol's current limitations before advocating its use to the hilt. He starts off by noting how much energy is needed to produce ethanol, which we all know is one of the biggest challenges for ethanol. Yet, his second point seems even more profound. He notes the difficulties with transporting ethanol, since it cannot be transported via pipeline as it corrodes the pipes. It must therefore be transported via trucks, which burn gasoline or diesel fuel. Further, he notes that we do not know the long term effects of ethanol on vehicles, as it becomes corrosive when exposed to oxygen. He doubts the staying power of ethanol, given that although the prices of corn have taken off, farmers still need to pay for the petroleum needed to create the required fertilizer, as well as all of the pesticides and herbicides used to produce the corn. When you look at it from the latter angle, ethanol doesn't sound so clean, either. I am not as negative about ethanol's future as Mr. Denham, as I believe that with demand many of these problems can be worked out, yet his letter does serve as a cautionary tale for looking at the big picture before backing something like ethanol without reservation.