Fined for Not Using Nonexistent Biofuel

Uncle once again brought another story to my attention that demonstrates how nice is must be to be the state. In their desire to extract as much money as possible from everybody the state decided to make a regulation requiring fuel companies to use a nonexistent biofuel and is now fining those companies for not complying with the impossible:

When the companies that supply motor fuel close the books on 2011, they will pay about $6.8 million in penalties to the Treasury because they failed to mix a special type of biofuel into their gasoline and diesel as required by law.

But there was none to be had. Outside a handful of laboratories and workshops, the ingredient, cellulosic biofuel, does not exist.

In 2012, the oil companies expect to pay even higher penalties for failing to blend in the fuel, which is made from wood chips or the inedible parts of plants like corncobs.

Obviously I’m not a rocket scientist but it seems rather difficult to comply with a regulation that requires the use of unicorn farts. Even though complying with the state’s regulation is literally impossible the fuel companies have no option but to pay less the state bring violence to play. If I were agents of the state I would just make a regulation against emitting CO2 and fine everybody for exhaling.