In response to the Environmental Working Group’s testimony in today’s House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Energy and Power, hearing entitled, “Overview of the Renewable Fuel Standard: Stakeholder Perspectives,” in which they erroneously claim corn ethanol is increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Growth Energy released the following statement: “Today’s testimony by the Environmental Working Group is completely devoid of facts, and shows a fundamental disconnect in their understanding of the EPA’s data. “What they fail to understand is that there would be no path forward under the RFS for ethanol if it does not meet certain GHG reductions. The EPA noted under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, in which the RFS was strengthened, that the law ‘required a 20 percent reduction in lifecycle GHG emissions for any renewable fuel produced.’”
“Additionally, the EPA noted that, ‘The expanded use of renewable fuels is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 138 million metric tons when the program is fully implemented in 2022. The reductions would be equivalent to taking about 27 million vehicles off the road.’”
“Furthermore, an independent study published in the Yale Journal of Industrial Ecology found that traditional corn ethanol reduces GHG as much as 59 percent compared to gasoline.”
“So, this begs the question, after a history of environmental damage from Big Oil, does the Environmental Working Group truly believe oil is a cleaner, lower carbon intensive fuel? Apparently, rather than continue a program that does, in fact, reduce GHG emissions, improve our environment and create jobs at home, while providing a choice and savings for consumers at the pump, the Environmental Working Group would prefer we stay addicted to oil and the accidental, yet frequent spills and environmental disasters that have come along with our addiction over the last century.”