new energy indiana limbach argued march decided may ohio statute awards tax credit ohio motor vehicle fuel sales tax gallon ethanol sold component gasohol fuel dealers ethanol produced ohio produced another state extent state grants similar tax advantages ethanol produced ohio appellant indiana limited partnership manufactures ethanol indiana sales tax exemption ethanol wherefore appellant ethanol sold ohio ineligible ohio tax credit appellant sought declaratory injunctive relief ohio common pleas franklin county alleging ohio tax credit violates commerce clause federal constitution discriminating ethanol producers denied relief ohio appeals ohio affirmed held ohio statute discriminates interstate commerce violation commerce clause pp clause negative aspect directly limiting power discriminate interstate commerce prohibits economic protectionism regulatory measures designed benefit economic interests burdening competitors thus state statutes ohio clearly discriminate interstate commerce invalid unless discrimination demonstrably justified valid factor unrelated economic protectionism merit appellees argument availability ohio tax credit manufacturers give tax advantages ethanol shows ohio provision discriminatory rather likely promote interstate commerce encouraging enact similar tax advantages spur interstate sale ethanol discriminatory tax treatment goods validated promise remove reciprocity accepted categorical exclusion goods merit appellees argument ohio statute considered discrimination interstate commerce apparently one ohio ethanol manufacturer appellee south point ethanol benefited one manufacturer appellant clearly disadvantaged discrimination patent neither widespread advantage interests widespread disadvantage competitors need shown moreover market participant doctrine negative commerce clause limitations apply state acting governmental capacity acting capacity market participant application state action issue ohio purchase sale ethanol assessment computation taxes although tax credit scheme purpose effect subsidizing particular industry transform form state participation free market pp clear discrimination case validated justifications advanced appellees health commerce appellees argue ohio statute encourages use ethanol reduce harmful exhaust emissions ohio surrounding whose polluted atmosphere may reach ohio reason suppose however ethanol produced state offer tax advantages ethanol produced ohio less healthy thus importation ohio suppressed denial otherwise standard tax credit ethanol use outside ohio effectively fostered subsidizing ethanol production sale fashion giving tax credit ethanol thus health purpose ohio provision merely occasional accidental effect achieving purpose favorable tax treatment ethanol essentially reasoning applies asserted justification ohio reciprocity requirement designed increase commerce ethanol encouraging enact ethanol subsidies pp scalia delivered opinion unanimous herman schwartz argued cause appellant briefs david young richard farrin assistant attorney general ohio argued cause appellees brief appellees limbach et al anthony celebrezze attorney general david crago karen mozenter filed brief appellee south point ethanol briefs amici curiae urging affirmance filed state idaho et al michael gottesman peter shinevar james jones attorney general idaho tam ormiston assistant attorney general iowa robert stephan attorney general kansas hubert humphrey iii attorney general minnesota state illinois neil hartigan attorney general shawn denney solicitor general rosalyn kaplan michael wynee assistant attorneys general national governors association et al benna ruth solomon stuart smith justice scalia delivered opinion appellant new energy company indiana challenged constitutionality ohio rev code ann provision awards tax credit ohio motor vehicle fuel sales tax gallon ethanol sold component gasohol fuel dealers ethanol produced ohio state grants similar tax advantages ethanol produced ohio question presented whether discriminates interstate commerce violation commerce clause art cl ethanol ethyl alcohol usually made corn last decade come widespread use automotive fuel mixed gasoline ratio produce called gasohol interest ethanol emerged reaction petroleum market dislocations early product originally promoted means achieving energy independence providing market surplus corn recently emphasis shifted environmental advantages replacement lead enhancing fuel octane see department agriculture ethanol economic policy tradeoffs ethanol however continues expensive gasoline emergence ethanol production commercial scale dates enactment first federal subsidy form exemption federal motor fuel excise taxes see energy tax act pub stat codified amended ed supp iv since many particularly areas country enacted ethanol subsidies see general accounting office importance impact federal alcohol fuel tax incentives ohio first passed measure providing ohio gasohol dealers credit many cents per gallon ethanol used product ohio motor vehicle fuel sales tax payable ethanol gasoline credit originally available without regard source ethanol see act june ohio leg acts however ohio enacted denies credit ethanol coming grant tax credit exemption refund ethanol ohio state grants smaller tax advantage ohio granting equivalent credit ethanol state appellant indiana limited partnership manufactures ethanol south bend indiana sale several including ohio indiana repealed tax exemption ethanol effective july see act mar ind acts time also passed legislation providing direct subsidy indiana ethanol producers sole one appellant see ind code supp thus reason ohio reciprocity provision appellant ethanol sold ohio became ineligible ohio tax credit appellant sought declaratory injunctive relief common pleas franklin county ohio alleging violated commerce clause discriminating ethanol producers advantage industry denied relief ohio appeals affirmed divided ohio initially reversed finding discriminated without adequate justification products origin shielded ohio producers competition ohio granted appellees motion rehearing reversed majority finding provision protectionist unreasonably burdensome ohio noted probable jurisdiction ii long accepted commerce clause grants congress authority regulate commerce among also directly limits power discriminate interstate commerce see hughes oklahoma hood sons du mond welton missouri negative aspect commerce clause prohibits economic protectionism regulatory measures designed benefit economic interests burdening competitors see bacchus imports dias hood sons supra guy baltimore thus state statutes clearly discriminate interstate commerce routinely struck see sporhase nebraska ex rel douglas lewis bt investment managers dean milk madison unless discrimination demonstrably justified valid factor unrelated economic protectionism see maine taylor ohio provision issue explicitly deprives certain products generally available beneficial tax treatment made certain thus face appears violate cardinal requirement nondiscrimination appellees argue however availability tax credit manufacturers give tax advantages ethanol shows ohio provision far discriminating interstate commerce likely promote encouraging enact similar tax advantages spur interstate sale ethanol rejected similar contention earlier reciprocity case great atlantic pacific tea cottrell regulation issue permitted milk state sold mississippi state origin accepted mississippi milk reciprocal basis mississippi put forward among arguments assertion reciprocity requirement effect provision advancing identical national interest served commerce clause response said mississippi may use threat economic isolation weapon force sister enter even desirable reciprocity agreement recently characterized nebraska reciprocity requirement export ground water state facially discriminatory legislation merited strictest scrutiny sporhase nebraska ex rel douglas supra quoting hughes oklahoma supra true cottrell sporhase effect state refusal accept offered reciprocity total elimination transport subject product offering state whereas present case effect refusal product placed substantial commercial disadvantage discriminatory tax treatment makes difference purposes commerce clause analysis leading case baldwin seelig new york law excluding milk impose absolute ban rather allowed importation sale long initial purchase dairy farmer made new york price words appellant order sell product ohio cut profits reducing sales price market price sufficiently compensate ohio forgone tax credit also milk baldwin order sell product new york cut profits increasing purchase price market price sufficiently meet new minimum viewed new york law economic barrier competition equivalent rampart customs duties similarly hunt washington apple advertising found invalid commerce clause north carolina statute exclude apples merely imposed additional costs upon washington sellers deprived commercial advantage distinctive grading system present law likewise imposes economic disadvantage upon sellers promise remove reciprocity accepted justifies disparity treatment justify categorical exclusion indicated reciprocity requirements per se unlawful see cottrell supra case cited proposition kane new jersey discussed context state offered reciprocity accept consequence sure less favored treatment citizens nonetheless treatment complied minimum requirements commerce clause quite contrary threat used induce indiana acceptance effect taxing product made manufacturers rate higher product made ohio manufacturers without shall see justification disparity appellees argue considered discrimination interstate commerce practical scope limited apparently one ohio ethanol manufacturer exists appellee south point ethanol one manufacturer appellant clearly disadvantaged provision cases however indicate discrimination patent neither widespread advantage interests widespread disadvantage competitors need shown example bacchus imports dias supra held unconstitutional commerce clause special exemption hawaii liquor tax certain locally produced alcoholic beverages okolehao fruit wine even though locally produced alcoholic beverages subject tax lewis bt investment managers supra held unconstitutional florida statute excluded certain business activities florida entities bank holding companies banks trust companies neither cases consider size number businesses favored businesses disfavored relevant determination varying strength bar economic protectionism according size number firms affected serve purpose except creation new uncertainties already complex filed appellees contend even discriminatory discrimination covered commerce clause doctrine doctrine differentiates state acting distinctive governmental capacity state acting general capacity market participant former subject limitations negative commerce clause see hughes alexandria scrap thus example state chooses manufacture sell cement business methods including favor residents greater constitutional concern private business see reeves stake doctrine application ohio action ultimately issue neither purchase sale ethanol assessment computation taxes primeval governmental activity sure tax credit scheme purpose effect subsidizing particular industry many dispositions tax laws transform form state participation free market opinion alexandria scrap supra case appellees place great reliance remotely establish proposition examined upheld commerce clause attack basis doctrine maryland cash subsidy program discriminated favor processors purpose program achieve removal unsightly abandoned autos state characterized proprietary rather regulatory activity based analogy state private purchaser auto hulks subsequently observed subsidy programs unlike alexandria scrap might characterized proprietary see reeves supra think clear ohio assessment computation fuel sales tax regardless whether produces subsidy plausibly analogized activity private purchaser escaped notice appellant eligible receive cash subsidy indiana program ethanol producers potential beneficiary scheme less discriminatory one attacks less effective conferring commercial advantage competitors believe indiana scheme valid however believe ohio scheme must valid well commerce clause prohibit state action designed give residents advantage marketplace action description connection state regulation interstate commerce direct subsidization domestic industry ordinarily run afoul prohibition discriminatory taxation manufacturers course even indiana subsidy invalid retaliatory violation commerce clause ohio acceptable see cottrell iii cases leave open possibility state may validate statute discriminates interstate commerce showing advances legitimate local purpose adequately served reasonable nondiscriminatory alternatives see maine taylor sporhase nebraska ex rel douglas hughes oklahoma dean milk madison perhaps another way saying may appear discriminatory provision constitutionally prohibited sense protectionist enactment may closer analysis however put standards justification high cf philadelphia new jersey simple economic protectionism effected state legislation virtually per se rule invalidity erected hughes oklahoma supra acial discrimination may fatal defect minimum invokes strictest scrutiny appellees advance two justifications clear discrimination present case health commerce first argue provision encourages use ethanol replacement lead gasoline reduce harmful exhaust emissions ohio surrounding whose polluted atmosphere may reach ohio certainly protection health legitimate state goal assume purposes argument use ethanol generally furthers obviously except perhaps accident far ethanol use ohio concerned reason suppose ethanol produced state offer tax advantages ethanol produced ohio less healthy thus importation ohio suppressed denial otherwise standard tax credit far ethanol use outside ohio concerned surely effectively fostered subsidizing ethanol production sale fashion giving tax credit ethanol helpful expedients qualify tax credit clearer health purpose provision merely occasional accidental effect achieving purpose favorable tax treatment ethanol essentially reasoning also responds appellees second related justification discrimination reciprocity requirement designed increase commerce ethanol encouraging enact ethanol subsidies encouraged ethanol subsidies general favorable treatment ethanol sum appellees health commerce justifications amount implausible speculation suffice validate plain discrimination products manufacture reversed footnotes appellant also argued excessive burden commerce test set forth pike bruce church extent claim requires separate analysis find unnecessary reach light disposition discrimination claim appellant also alleged state courts violations equal protection clause privileges immunities clause fourteenth amendment challenges issue appeal interpret trial acceptance appellees proposed finding fact april judicial finding protecting health fact purpose ohio general assembly rather merely one several conceivable purposes enactment event subjective purpose little rational relationship provision question merely implausible even true inadequate validate patent discrimination interstate commerce