WASHINGTON, DC — Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, a coalition of American ethanol supporters, issued the following statement in response to the publication of a study in Science magazine seeking to add penalties against biofuels and farmers in a global climate change accord:
“Ethanol is part of the natural carbon cycle. It has taken the lifetime of our planet to produce the oil that is in the ground. Biofuels come from the top of the earth, with emissions that are used by the next year’s crop in a recycling of carbon. What this study suggests would give an indirect benefit to oil – they’re saying it’s OK to pump oil out of the ground and use trees to absorb the carbon. But that does nothing to address our country’s dependence on expensive and carbon-intensive fossil fuels like oil, extracted from overseas oil fields or tar sands, where emissions are three to five times the rate of normal crude oil production.
“In truth, there’s no new science in this report. It’s a policy proposal, trying to get a new standard that would limit the ability of developing countries to provide food and fuel – and would keep our own nation addicted to imported oil. It would penalize U.S. farmers for the decisions of foreign competitors, over which we have no control, and threatens the sovereignty of American agriculture.
“Growth Energy is opposed to this policy proposal. We believe biofuels, like ethanol, have a role replacing our dependence on oil – and thereby creating U.S. jobs, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and reinforcing our national and economic security.”
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About Growth Energy
Growth Energy is a group committed to the promise of agriculture and growing America’s economy through cleaner, greener energy. Growth Energy members recognize America needs a new ethanol approach. Through smart policy reform and a proactive grassroots campaign, Growth energy promotes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the use of ethanol in gasoline, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, and creating American jobs at home. More information can be found at GrowthEnergy.org.