{"id":7027,"date":"2012-12-22T08:00:35","date_gmt":"2012-12-22T13:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/?p=7027"},"modified":"2012-12-22T22:41:07","modified_gmt":"2012-12-23T03:41:07","slug":"cross-border-train-mystery-highlights-problems-with-energy-credit-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/2012\/12\/22\/cross-border-train-mystery-highlights-problems-with-energy-credit-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Cross-border train mystery highlights problems with energy credit program"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

A well-traveled CN tank car. Photo: Michael Rosenstein<\/a>, CC some rights reserved<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

As reported this week by the CBC, a mystery involving strange cross-border train traffic has been linked to possible fraud<\/a>in a green-energy credit program.<\/p>\n

Basically, by shipping the same load of bio-disel back and forth across the international border valuable credits could be created, without activity of any ecological value taking place. (The subject is\u00a0sufficiently complicated to warrant\u00a0clicking through the source articles, should you wish to learn more.)<\/p>\n

CBC reports that CN Rail is\u00a0promising\u00a0full cooperation<\/a> with the Canada Border Services Agency and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as those agencies investigate further.<\/p>\n

This is not the first time programs that generate energy credits known as renewable identification numbers, or R.I.N.\u2019s.\u00a0have run into concerns about\u00a0accountability<\/a>. As explained in a July 2012 New York Times article about other fraud cases<\/a> in the U.S.:<\/p>\n

Biodiesel producers registered with the E.P.A., and every gallon of fuel they produced generated a number known as an R.I.N. The numbers are bought and sold by traders, who broker deals with petroleum companies that need to fulfill their renewable fuel obligations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

More about the Renewable Fuels Standards Program (RSF2)\u00a0and RINS can be found at this EPA\u00a0FAQ page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Incidents like these do raise some basic questions about various programs, however well-intended.<\/p>\n

Here’s a start:<\/p>\n

1. Does an\u00a0identifiable\u00a0problem exist?<\/p>\n

2. If so, does the proposed solution genuinely remedy said problem?<\/p>\n

3. Is the program vulnerable to fraud\/waste\/abuse?<\/p>\n

4. How can said program be measured for results and be protected against exploitation?<\/p>\n

Few taxpayers favor fraud and outright criminality. But situations like these frequently expose a large chasm of distrust. One faction believes government programs can help solve large societal issues. Another see government programs or intervention as part of the problem.<\/p>\n

Here, then, is a question for each side:<\/p>\n

Pro-government faction: Can\u00a0government\u00a0programs be effective and avoid fraud\/waste?<\/p>\n

Anti-government faction: Do you seriously think the private sector can solve problems without government restraint?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As reported this week by the CBC, a mystery involving strange cross-border train traffic has […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[880,9403,9404,7133,884,4857,20,9405],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7027"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7027"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7027\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}