What happens when you mix soy bean oil with traditional fuel? You get bio-diesel fuel, something that you may never have heard of before now. But blending traditional fuel with plant oil may be an important part of what is to come in America.

Apparently, Congress agrees. Huge support was expressed by the US Senate on October 11th when the Senate approved the first bio-diesel tax incentive. A part of a bill known as the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 provides tax incentives designed to increase the production of and use of bio-diesel fuel in this country. According to the National Bio-Diesel Board, a watchdog organization that promotes the use and production of this fuel, if this incentive becomes law a billion dollars can be added to US farm income over a five-year period and US gross output could be increased by almost seven billion dollars.

Bio-diesel can be used in its pure form, which is referred to as B100, or what appears to be the more common blend of bio-diesel and traditional fuel, frequently at a 20 percent soy bean level. Farmers in this country have invested millions of dollars through a government incentive program to develop the bio-diesel industry in the United States. And the industry seems to be growing.

400 major fleets are using bio-diesel in the United States, a small but growing number. Routinely major school bus companies and corporate fleet operators are announcing that they are transitioning into the use of bio-diesel fuel.

While an insignificant 300 retail gas stations make this available to the public at this time, one could imagine that this number will grow as consumer acceptance is enhanced and technology develops. Approximately 1000 petroleum distributors carry this product nationwide.

What "they" say is that bio-diesel is non-toxic, biodegradable and free of many of the materials that pollute the air during the combustion process. Assuming its all true, that means less air pollution, more clean air, and less illness associated with traditional fuel combustion. Of course the MTBE fiasco should teach us to question these kinds of claims. We can't be readily accepting. But, this seems promising.

Recently, a large Pennsylvania heating oil supplier announced that it will be making a soy bean blend available to its customers this year. According to the company, all of its customers will be receiving a soy bean blend for heating oil purposes.

And several weeks ago, the American Lung Association of the District of Columbia included the use of bio-diesel as part of its solution to the asthma epidemic in America's inner city's. This occurred at a conference held in Washington, D.C., where an estimated 5.6 percent of the city's population suffers from asthma.

The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.