| U.S. CHRONICLES: Gasohol | ||
|---|---|---|
| This clip is not available for streaming at this time. Please contact WPA. | Tape Master: | 11509 |
| Catalog #: | 491337 | |
| Clip Number: | 491337-1 | |
| Orginal Film: | 31-0092 | |
| Timecode: | ||
| Location: | Gas Stations | |
| Year Shot: | 1981 (Actual Year) | |
| Audio: | Yes | |
| Color: | Yes | |
| Headings: | INDUSTRY/POWER & ENERGY: Fossil Fuels, Misc INDUSTRY/POWER & ENERGY: Gasoline / Petrol | |
| Description: | 08.31.15-Shot of a farmer demonstrating an ALCOHOL STILL. The farmer discusses forming a GASOHOL COOPERATIVE in Virginia, importance of having an outlet for small farmers to get into the GASOHOL MARKET. Shot of a STILL. Shot of a Virginia BOURBON DISTILLERY, which is used to bring the farmers' home-stilled alcohol up from 160 to close to 200 proof. Shot of barrels of BOURBON on a flatbed truck. V.O. of the STILL OPERATOR [named Robert E. Lee!!!], describing the still and the chance to profit from making ETHANOL. Shot of BOURBON pouring out the bung-hole [that's the correct usage, you can look it up] of a barrel. Shot of bottles of BOURBON on a conveyor in bottling plant. Closeup of machine that screws bottle tops onto the bottles of BOURBON. Shot of line worker inspecting the bottles on the conveyor, shot of bottles spinning through the machine that puts labels on them. Shot of large STILL in the distillery. Shot of STILL columns labeled "MALT" "RYE" and "CORN". Shot of huge wooden-lined FERMENTING TANKS in the DISTILLERY, audio of STILL operator discussing the distilling process from fermenting, yeasting, and distilling. Shot of copper column of the STILL. Still operator says that the Distillery's position on GASOHOL is that the energy crisis is here to stay, and people know that Ethanol works as fuel, it's a bonus that the Distillery can profit. He says the still is having no problems selling its Ethanol, but there could be problems if the Auto makers start mass-marketing electric cars [don't hold your breath for that one]. Shot of FUEL OIL TANKS on scaffolds, tanker truck. The owner of this fuel depot discusses the GASOHOL TRADE, says GASOHOL is on the ascent because GASOLINE PRICES have doubled in the past year. Shots of a small GULF GAS STATION. Closeup of GASOHOL pump, shot of GAS STATION OWNER, who says that he owns his station so the oil company can't dictate his policies, but most other station operators just lease a franchise, so they might have more trouble selling Gasohol or using independent wholesalers. Shots of SENATE ANTITRUST COMMITTEE HEARING to investigate whether OIL COMPANIES violated the law by barring dealers from selling independently produced GASOHOL. Rep. TOM DASCHLE testifies that the OIL COMPANIES prevent station operators from selling gasohol by contract in 84% of U.S. Gas Stations. A GAS STATION OPERATOR confirms this testimony, that the OIL COMPANIES are locking out GASOHOL from the market. 08.36.56-GAS STATION OPERATOR says that the big OIL COMPANIES only care about profits, and are only inventing other justifications not to sell GASOHOL to conceal their interests in MONOPOLY. GASOHOL salesman says that the BIG OIL COMPANIES are trying to lock out GASOHOL at every level of the game. GAS STATION OPERATOR at his station, wearing uniform jumpsuit, describes GULF OIL threatening to remove his pumps when he planned to start selling GASOHOL, so he would have had to buy his own pumps. He got results by threatening to make bad publicity for Gulf Oil over the threat, so Gulf sold him the pumps outright for a dollar. Shot of Gulf's Disclaimer sign on a Gasohol pump which tells customers that this is not a Gulf product. Shot of MOBIL OIL rounded gas pumps. V.O.-MOBIL considers it's pump shape a proprietary trademark, so dealers who want to sell GASOHOL have to buy a conversion kit to change the shape of the pump at cost of $400. Sen. HOWARD METZENBAUM (D-OH) in committee asks about the conversion requirements, a MOBIL executive offers obfuscation and deception. Shots of people pumping gas. Shot of old-school CREDIT CARD CARBON MACHINE. V.O.-the latest shot by the BIG OIL COMPANIES was to bar the use of CREDIT CARDS for GASOHOL purchases. Gas Station Owner says that GULF OIL sent him a letter to that effect, but the Congress is investigating this maneuver. Rep. BEDELL says that the OIL COMPANIES reversed themselves just before the scheduled hearings. Shot of TEXACO pumps in gas station with GASOHOL signs, Texaco being the only major oil company to market its own brand of GASOHOL. 08.40.09 | |
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