Bush talks about converting switchgrass and wood chips into ethanol again

[NNN0LHI]

http://english.pravda.ru/news/world/27-03-2007/88666-bush_ethanol-0

The attorney general is struggling to keep his job in a standoff with Congress over the purging of U.S. prosecutors. The war spending bill is bogged down over whether troops should stay in Iraq, another bit of brinksmanship with lawmakers.

And President George W. Bush is again talking, for two days in a row, about converting switchgrass and wood chips into ethanol.

The president's public schedule has Bush operating in two different worlds of news: the one threatening his administration, and the one he is determined to promote whether anyone is listening or not.

So while Congress challenges Bush on the firings of U.S. attorneys, the president is sticking to energy.

[tridim]

1. He just wants to get ripped. n/t

[CrazyOrangeCat]

2. He needs to STFU.

and go pound sand.

[Faux pas]

3. He gives dolts a bad name. n/t

[radfringe]

4. apparently it's a safe subject

talking about energy alternatives is a safe topic...at the moment

the dark clouds over the white house and his mis-administration collapsing around him has not penetrated his protective bubble...

[MotorCityMan]

6. Nero fiddling while Rome burns

[radfringe]

8. you can hear him plucking out a tune on the fiddle

"I ain't got no trouble...
I'm safe in my big ole bubble...."

[RC]

5. The problem with switch grass is that

it provides cover for wild life. Birds nest in it for one. And if it is "harvested" in the Fall,there is no cover till the new growth the following spring.

That might be tied to bu$h wanting to scale back and eliminate the Endangered Species Act. The list would get too long to keep track of.

[semillama]

7. Harvesting in very late fall wouldn't be that bad

Depending on the location of course, but if it were in northern states in late fall, you'd miss most of the migratory sparrows that are grassland specialists and wouldn't have to worry about nesting birds.

Of course, since we're talking switchgrass for fuel production, then you have to assume the powers that be are wanting multiple harvests a year if possible, so yes, there likely would be a negative impact.

[RC]

10. Yes it would because nesting would take place before the grass

had a chance to grow much. Kind of hard on the survival rate.

[semillama]

11. ah, I see your point - although it all depends on how fast

switch grass grows. Planted early enough in the season, it could get high enough to support nesting by June. In any matter, there are significant questions about the energy in, energy out ratio of the plant - some scientists say that up to 4 times as much energy is required to grow, harvest and process switchgrass for fuel as you get out of it in return - others say the opposite. It needs more study. Since it's a perennial, it would at least help in erosion control since no form of annual tilling would be required.

[NNN0LHI]

9. When Pravda is noticing this you just know we are in trouble n/t