WASHINGTON, DC — Saturday, August 8, will mark the tenth anniversary of when President Bush signed the bipartisan Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) into law. The policy, which is slated to last until 2022, has been an overwhelming success and it is accomplishing the very goals it was designed to achieve. In recognition of this momentous anniversary, Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, issued the following statement:
“The RFS has been an overwhelming success and it is important that we as a nation recognize how much this policy has done to help improve the lives of all Americans. This bipartisan law was passed in Congress in 2005 and strengthened in 2007 with several policy goals: energy security, job creation and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. I am pleased to say that it has done that and more.
“Since the enactment of the RFS, we have reduced our dependence on foreign oil by more than half — from 60 percent to 27 percent. We have created nearly 400,000 jobs that cannot be outsourced and our industry is helping mitigate climate change by reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, no beaches have ever been closed because of an ethanol spill – and that is something to celebrate as Americans across the country take their vacations over the summer to beaches near and far.
“By using the level of biofuels contained in the RFS, greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 138 million metric tons– the equivalent of taking 27 million cars off the road. In 2014 alone, the 13.4 billion gallons of ethanol blended into gasoline in the United States helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 38 million metric tons, which is the equivalent of removing roughly 8 million cars from the road.
“So tomorrow, the American farmer, the backbone of our country, will acknowledge this anniversary as an important milestone increasing new markets and economic opportunity for their families and communities. Furthermore, consumers across the country will also celebrate this anniversary because ethanol provides them a choice and a savings at the pump.
“The RFS is the only meaningful policy to help break Big Oil’s stranglehold on the liquid fuels marketplace. The RFS is working. It is doing exactly what it was intended to do, with great success. That is why we should acknowledge this historic milestone, but more importantly, the success of the RFS should renew Congress’ and EPA’s faith in this program. They must ensure we continue down a path of renewable fuel innovation by continuing to support the RFS and refusing to accept the status quo of foreign oil and fossil fuels as our transportation energy future.”
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About Growth Energy
Growth Energy represents the producers and supporters of ethanol who feed the world and fuel America in ways that achieve energy independence, improve economic well-being and create a healthier environment for all Americans now. For more information, please visit us at www.GrowthEnergy.org, follow us on Twitter @GrowthEnergy or connect with us on Facebook.