Vegetable oil fuels cars -- and tax bills
Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times
GREEN IDEA: Matthew Tiffany, 26, of Monrovia fills his 1981 diesel Mercedes with fryer grease from a neighborhood restaurant. His effort to launch a fuel cooperative failed because of red tape.
Diesel owners who switch to cooking grease can run afoul of the law. Just ask the governor.
Dave Eck, a Half Moon Bay mechanic, had attracted a media spotlight with his fleet of vehicles fueled by used fryer grease from a local chowder house. So when Sacramento called, he figured officials wanted advice on promoting alternative fuels.
Not at all. The government rang to notify Eck that he was a tax cheat. He was scolded for failing to get a "diesel fuel supplier's license," reporting quarterly how many gallons of grease he burns, and paying a tax on each gallon.More......
Not at all. The government rang to notify Eck that he was a tax cheat. He was scolded for failing to get a "diesel fuel supplier's license," reporting quarterly how many gallons of grease he burns, and paying a tax on each gallon.More......
