Your assumption is not correct. It is not enviornmental regulation that
is
preventing new refineries from being built. The biggest reason that no
"new" refineries have been built is that it is cheaper to increase
capacity at an existing refinery than to build a new one.

Your point is irrelevant. Their costs are lower largely because of the
onerous environmental regulations that essentially prevent the construction
of new refineries until the cost of gasoline has risen so incredibly high
that consumption will fall to a level where the refinery is no longer
needed.

This phenomenon is called "social engineering", and is diametrically opposed
to the laws of "supply and demand." Educated observers have always known
that this was the ultimate goal of the most radical environmentalists (and,
hell -- the ADMIT it) -- to make construction of refineries (or nuclear
power plants, for that matter) economically impossible.

They have succeeded.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"