Growth Energy: Litigation Makes No Sense
WASHINGTON, DC – Growth Energy, the coalition of U.S. ethanol supporters, issued the following statement today in response to litigation filed against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency challenging the Renewable Fuel Standard.
In their claim, the Friends of the Earth state that by replacing imported gasoline with domestic biofuels, such as ethanol, the RFS would make gasoline cheaper on the global market – thereby driving up consumption of oil outside of the U.S.
“It’s ironic that a group calling itself Friends of the Earth would be so quick to embrace oil, considering what’s happened in the Gulf of Mexico and the fact that it is our nation’s dependence on oil that has contributed to air pollution, high carbon in the atmosphere and global climate change. In their argument, they say that anything that decreases the use of oil in the United States is bad because it’ll make oil cheaper and lead to increased oil use in developing countries. By their logic, that means one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions is our own national CAFÉ standards – because by making vehicles more fuel efficient, we’re reducing demand for oil in the U.S., lowering prices and driving up the use of oil in other places around the globe,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy.
“Their argument could be made for anything that decreases the use of oil in the United States. It’s pretzel logic. And at the end, it means that Friends of the Earth and environmental groups like them are calling for the U.S. to stay with the status quo – which is an addiction to foreign oil.”
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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.