11:54 PM CST on Thursday, February 16, 2006

By BRETT SHIPP / WFAA-TV

NEWS 8 INVESTIGATES

A week after a News 8 investigation into the Green Plus diesel additive, federal officials confirmed they are looking into the so-called "Holy Grail" additive.

Questions have also been raised about how the product was approved for sale by state environmental officials.

But despite the federal and News 8 investigations, the state might be about to give the company another big break.

Approved by the state four months ago, Green Plus quickly became the inexpensive additive of choice among companies now required to sell or use low emission diesel fuel.

However, News 8 tests showed the product was 99.5 percent almost pure isopropyl alcohol, which is distributed by Univar in Houston.

While the makers of Green Plus tout their product is scientifically proven, experts said it was highly unlikely the product could work, especially in the minute concentrations recommended.

"Somebody could run down to the store and buy some rubbing alcohol and put it in their diesel engine if it was that simple," said Neil Carman, Sierra Club. "But I don't think that isopropyl alcohol would be a beneficial fuel additive. I've never heard of this idea in 25 years."

"Anybody who is in the industry would look at this and laugh," said Mark Rossow. "It's ludicrous."

Only Rossow of Dallas said he is not laughing. He's the president of a company that also makes a diesel additive called EXP4.

Rossow said when he applied for state grant money to have his EXP4 tested in an approved laboratory he was told he was 15 minutes late putting in his application.

He said when he saw that the state had awarded Green Plus more than $1 million in product testing grants last week he found it hard to believe.

"...First you want to cry because something like that happens, but I get so angry I just wanted to scream," he said.

Rossow said his diesel additive was tested by the City of Dallas two years ago, which determined it "reduced emissions and particulates within the ranges desired by the city."

In contrast, two glowing testimonials on the Green Plus web site have been removed after business owners told News 8 they "are not currently using Green Plus and are not convinced it's a valid product."

The Environmental Protection Agency informed the state that the Green Plus emission tests were improperly performed. Green Plus has missed state deadlines to have the product retested twice.

The first deadline to have the product retested was December 15. When Green Plus missed the deadline, the state extended it until Wednesday. Green Plus missed that deadline too.

State officials still haven't decided whether to extend the deadline again.

E-mail bshipp@wfaa.com