Nelson supports bill to protect ethanol from EPA ruling

Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., is part of a bipartisan group of senators who have introduced legislation to protect biofuels from potential Environmental Protection Agency regulations regarding indirect land use.

Joining Nelson are Sens. Tom Harkin and Chuck Grassley, both of Iowa.

The legislation, introduced last week, would prevent the EPA from going ahead with regulations that would limit the production and use of biofuels required by Congress' 2007 energy bill.

According to Nelson, the EPA regulations would penalize U.S. biofuel producers for greenhouse gas emissions that the EPA claims result from changes in land use in other countries, such as the clearing of land for cropping, allegedly caused by the increased production of biofuels in the United States.

Nebraska is the nation's second leading producer of ethanol behind Iowa.

The proposed amendment to the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations bill would prohibit the EPA, for one year, from spending funds to include international indirect land use change emissions in the implementation of the renewable fuels standard (RFS). At this time, the data and analytic methodologies for credibly calculating international indirect land use change emissions do not exist. Because of this, including these international emissions in the EPA's rule would put an unjust burden on the biofuels industry.

"Biofuels are an important part of the diverse energy mix that will reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy," said Nelson. "This amendment will stop the EPA from using inaccurate or incomplete calculations that could compromise our ability to expand production of biofuels. More complete studies need to be conducted before land use calculations can be effective."

According to Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen, reducing America's reliance on foreign oil and stimulating struggling economies are equally as important goals of the RFS as efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"In pursuing its greenhouse gas agenda, EPA is threatening to short circuit the success the RFS is achieving by reducing America's tab with foreign oil producers and providing jobs and economic opportunity in many rural areas," Dinneen said. "Based on unproven theory and overreaching policy, EPA is unfairly penalizing biofuels for highly uncertain carbon emissions beyond its control to the benefit of petroleum and other fossil fuels. This is antithetical to the goals of the RFS and must be remedied."

Supporting the amendment is the National Farmers Union.

According to Roger Johnson, NFU president, using indirect land use calculations would put U.S. agriculture in jeopardy by making farmers responsible for actions in other countries that are beyond their control.

"The theory of indirect land use is just that, a theory," Johnson said. "This is not based on universally accepted science and should not be considered when regulating renewable fuels."

Johnson is also urging the Senate support an amendment offered by Nelson directing the EPA to approve a waiver request to increase the allowable ethanol content of gasoline to 15 percent (E15).

"The arbitrary 10 percent limitation on the amount of ethanol that can be blended into gasoline jeopardizes the nation's ability to meet the mid- and long-term requirements of the renewable fuels standard," Johnson said.

Approving the waiver will enable continued growth of the ethanol industry and development of the next generation of biofuels, as well as decrease our nation's dependence on foreign energy sources and protect the environment, Johnson said.

But Nelson's amendment is facing opposition from a coalition of meat, oil, environmental and other organizations opposing the increase in the ethanol blend.

In a letter sent to Senate leaders of both parties, the coalition said the amendment would "disregard the consumer and environmental protections embedded in the Clean Air Act that require significant testing before a new fuel is introduced."

"We collectively, and strongly, oppose such an ill-considered approach as contrary to scientific integrity and potentially harmful to our environment, public health, consumers and manufacturers," according to the coalition. "We are united in our opposition to any legislative effort to force the introduction of "mid-level ethanol blends" into commerce until completion of the ongoing, independent, rigorous and verifiable testing indicates that the use of such blends will not pose a risk to gasoline-powered engines, to public health, to the environment and to consumers."

Ethanol is an important economic driver in Nebraska as more than 600 million bushels of corn grown in the state are processed here for ethanol.

According to research compiled by NPPD, the ethanol industry in Nebraska has created more than $3 billion in economic activity and more than 3,000 jobs, when accounting for the indirect effects of the industry.

The Nebraska Ethanol Board recently found through an industry survey that ethanol plants in Nebraska now have more full-time employees than during 2008.

"Aside from saving drivers money at the pump, ethanol is creating new jobs and economic activity right here in Nebraska," said Ethanol Board Chairman Mike Thede. "Plants that were closed have reopened, other plants are producing at a higher rate, and that means more economic activity for Nebraska and more ethanol for the U.S."

NPPD estimates that the ethanol industry and its indirect effects have added $2.13 million to household income and generated more than $63.3 million in new tax revenues.

"Ethanol has been a boon to the drivers, farmers and communities of Nebraska," said Ethanol Board Administrator Todd Sneller. "Ethanol proves again that it's a cheaper, cleaner, renewable alternative to gasoline."

source: independent