Environmental leaders push back against biofuels bullies
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Environmental groups delivered a letter <http://www.foe.org/pdf/Response_to_Johnson_RFSILUC.pdf>
to the Environmental Protection Agency today calling on it to meet its
responsibility under the law and reject a biofuel industry attempt to weaken
global warming standards for ethanol.
In the next few days, the EPA is expected to release calculations of
greenhouse gas emissions caused by biofuel use. In an attempt to influence
these calculations, the biofuel industry recently sent a letter <http://www.foe.org/pdf/Academ_Letter_to_Johnson.pdf>
to the EPA asking it to break the law and ignore congressionally mandated
guidelines for how such emissions should be calculated. According to the
energy bill enacted last December, indirect emissions such as land use
change must be included in estimates of total greenhouse gas emissions.
Research shows that emissions from land use changes such as deforestation
can cause greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels to be twice those of
gasoline.
"It's telling that the biofuel industry and its supporters have become so
accustomed to government handouts that they took offense when Congress asked
for proof that federally subsidized ethanol and biodiesel will reduce
greenhouse gas emissions," said Jonathan Lewis, an attorney for the Clean
Air Task Force. "But research indicates that biofuel production contributes
to global warming, and the United States can no longer support biofuels
without regard to their environmental impact."
"The EPA must follow the law and account for all greenhouse gas emissions
from biofuels," said Kate McMahon of Friends of the Earth.
"The industry’s attempt to pressure the EPA to disregard legally required
standards is preposterous. Biofuels are making global warming worse. The EPA
must take this into account."
"We are merely asking the EPA to accurately measure greenhouse gas emissions
from every step in biofuel production. In times of tight budgets, taxpayers
have the right to know if they are subsidizing fuel that makes the climate
crisis worse. EPA should suspend the renewable fuels mandate unless it can
clearly demonstrate that biofuels are effective in reducing greenhouse gas
emissions," said Sandra Schubert, the director of government affairs at the
Environmental Working Group.
The groups’ letter can be viewed here:
http://www.foe.org/pdf/Response_to_Johnson_RFSILUC.pdf
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