Disagrees with Dr. Robinson.

Dr. Arthur Robinson states in the article "An Expert Look at the Energy 'Crisis'" (June 26 issue) that hybrid fuel "is pure, politically driven nonsense." He goes on to state, "Using diesel oil to grow corn to make ethanol--that's all political, and inefficient, and wasteful."

Dr. Robinson either is unaware or does not recognize another alternative, proven by years of usage but now on the upsurge due to higher conventional fuel costs. I have been running, for over 18 months now, on vegetable oil. In fact, it's waste vegetable oil, which costs me nothing and saves the restaurant owner the cost of hauling it away.

It contains the same amount of power, and I get the same mileage with a quieter engine as a bonus. This is a clean-burning fuel without sulphur or high particulate emissions. This alternative is so appealing that farmers are starting to devote acreage to oil crops, which power the tractors harvesting the fuel! Manufacturers could easily adapt diesel engines directly from the factory at a very small cost. Why not eliminate the subsidies we now pay many farms, eliminate our dependence on foreign petroleum, and clean the air?

STEVE HEYER, SR.

Mesa, Arizona 

Dr. Robinson puts the blame for the lack of refineries being built in America on the environmentalists and government regulations.

This doesn't seem right for an industry that contributes to the environmentalists and has more than enough lobbyists, not to mention a few congressmen, that they own.

The reason the oil companies have not built more refineries is a business decision. If they can afford to give $300 million retirement packages, they can afford to go on the talk shows and get the word out to the people that they could reduce the cost of fuel if they could only build another refinery or two. Can you imagine the calls that would be made to Congress by the people if the only thing that prevented cheaper gas were a few environmentalists? If the major environmental organizations were handed $100 million by Exxon, they would support a refinery in Yosemite National Park. Even if the things Dr. Robinson said were the reason, what would prevent the oil companies from putting a refinery in Mexico, one mile south of the Tex-Mex border?

RIC TREXELL

Berlin, Wisconsin