AUDIO: Why allowing more ethanol in gas won’t impact Arizona gas prices

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: CN2GO
  • Runtime: 4:39
  • Downloadable audio here. (Note: Some web browsers may not support media download)

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THIS IS YOUR CRONKITE NEWS 2GO BRIEFING.

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I’M  THALIA LOPEZ              (  go to story ) 

Biden administration suspending the ban on higher levels of ethanol

MANY DRIVERS ARE STRUGGLING WITH HIGHER GAS PRICES INCLUDING HERE IN ARIZONA. POLITICIANS ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO BRING PRICES DOWN INCLUDING THE SUSPENSION OF FUELS TAXES AND WAVING FEDERAL RULES ON THE TYPES OF GASOLINE.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SAID TUESDAY THAT HIS ADMINISTRATION WILL SUSPEND THE BAN ON HIGHER LEVELS OF ETHANOL IN GASOLINE IN THE SUMMER. THE FUEL OTHERWISE KNOWN AS E-15 GAS, IS TYPICALLY TEN CENTS CHEAPER THAN REGULAR GAS. 

< JOE BIDEN/PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES>

“With this waiver, on June one you’re not gonna show up at your local gas station and see a bag over the pump that has the cheapest gas, you’re gonna be able to keep filling up with E-15 and it’s gonna solve a whole problem.”

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HIGHER ETHANOL GAS CAN ADD TO POLLUTION BECAUSE IT EVAPORATES FASTER AND REACTS WITH SUNLIGHT.

THE WAIVER MAY NOT IMPACT ARIZONA  ACCORDING TO TRIPLE A. THERE ARE ALMOST NO GAS STATIONS IN THE STATE THAT SELL E-15 GAS. 

Emergency water cutbacks for three major states 

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR IS CONSIDERING EMERGENCY CUTBACKS TO WATER SUPPLIES FOR ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, AND NEVADA. THE MEASURE IS DESIGNED TO KEEP WATER LEVELS IN LAKE POWELL FROM DROPPING. FURTHER DROPS AT THE NATION’S SECOND-LARGEST RESERVOIR WOULD MEAN A STOP TO HYDROPOWER GENERATION AT THE GLEN CANYON DAM. KATHRYN SORENSEN IS A WATER POLICY RESEARCHER AT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY.

“I think that it will push us further in the direction of finding the real solutions on the river. I mean, this is going to cause real hardship and real difficulties for different stakeholders and water users in the basin, and that will force us to come together”

THE CUTS WOULD REDUCE WATER SUPPLIES BY ABOUT SEVEN PERCENT, OR ENOUGH TO SUPPLY ABOUT HALF A MILLION HOMES ANNUALLY. // REDUCTIONS WOULD BE FELT MOST SHARPLY IN CENTRAL ARIZONA.

U.S. Energy Secretary visits for infrastructure highlight in rural America 

U.S. ENERGY SECRETARY JENNIFER GRANHOLM IS VISITING NORTHEASTERN ARIZONA THIS WEEK AS PART OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S PLAN TO BOLSTER THE PRESIDENT’S STANDING IN RURAL AMERICA. GRANHOLM PLANS TO HIGHLIGHT THE BENEFITS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT BIDEN SIGNED LAST YEAR. GRANHOLM  VISITED HOLBROOK AND THE HOPI RESERVATION ON WEDNESDAY AND VISITS  KAYENTA (kay-ehn-tah) IN THE NAVAJO NATION TODAY. SHE PLANS TO HOLD ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS ON ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES IN RURAL AREAS AND THE CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION. SHE ALSO PLANS TO MEET WITH LEADERSHIP FROM BOTH TRIBES AND TOUR A SOLAR FARM IN KAYENTA.

Republican lawmakers proposing changes to teacher certification

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS IN ARIZONA ARE PROPOSING CHANGES TO THE TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROCESS THAT WOULD ALLOW MORE PEOPLE TO TEACH KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE. A FORMAL HOUSE VOTE IS STILL YET TO TAKE PLACE … BUT THE LEGISLATION HAS ALREADY PASSED THE SENATE WHERE IT MET SOME BACKLASH DURING A HOUSE DEBATE MONDAY.

DEMOCRATS SAY THE BILL WOULD ALLOW UNQUALIFIED PEOPLE TO BECOME TEACHERS.

THIS MEASURE BUILDS ON A 2017 LAW THAT HAS ALLOWED PEOPLE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO TEACH GRADES SIX THROUGH TWELVE WITH A SUBJECT-MATTER CERTIFICATE.

Biden administration extends mask mandate for public transit 

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WILL EXTEND THE NATIONWIDE MASK REQUIREMENT FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT THROUGH MAY 3RD AS IT MONITORS AN UPTICK IN COVID-19 CASES. THE ORDER WAS SET TO EXPIRE APRIL 18, BUT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION WILL  EXTEND THE ORDER BY TWO WEEKS. THIS PROVIDES TIME TO MONITOR FOR ANY INCREASE IN SEVERE VIRUS NUMBERS AS CASES RISE IN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. THE ADMINISTRATION HAD HOPED TO ROLL OUT A MORE FLEXIBLE MASKING STRATEGY THIS WEEK THAT WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE NATIONWIDE REQUIREMENT. ARIZONA HAS NEVER HAD A STATEWIDE MASK MANDATE AND MANY BUSINESSES HAVE RELAXED THEIR MASK REQUIREMENTS WHILE NEARLY 70% OF ARIZONANS HAVE RECEIVED ONE VACCINE DOSE. 

Support for Griner at WNBA draft as Howard goes to Atlanta

IN HER OPENING SPEECH TO THE W-N-B-A DRAFT, COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT SAID THE LEAGUE IS WORKING VERY HARD TO HELP BRING PHOENIX MERCURY PLAYER BRITTNEY GRINER BACK TO THE U-S. GRINER IS ONE OF THE LEAGUE’S BIGGEST STARS. SHE’S BEEN DETAINED IN RUSSIA SINCE ARRIVING AT A MOSCOW AIRPORT IN MID-FEBRUARY. RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES SAID A SEARCH OF HER LUGGAGE REVEALED VAPE CARTRIDGES THAT ALLEGEDLY CONTAINED OIL DERIVED FROM CANNABIS. THIS COULD CARRY A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF 10 YEARS IN PRISON.

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WE HAD HELP TODAY FROM ASHLEY CHORZELEWSKI (hudge-el-eski)  AND THANKS TO MASON MILLER FOR PRODUCING THE SHOW. 

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YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STORIES YOU HEARD IN TODAY’S NEWS UPDATE, BY GOING TO CRONKITENEWS-DOT-AZPBS-DOT-ORG. 

THAT’S ALL FOR YOUR CRONKITE NEWS 2 GO. I’M  THALIA LOPEZ                 . 

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