WASHINGTON, DC — This morning, the House Science Committee held a hearing on the 10th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Science Committee has a history of misrepresenting biofuels, relying on misinformation and outright lies to cast a negative light on an American success story. In response to today’s hearing, Tom Buis, co-chair of Growth Energy, issued the following statement:
“Today’s hearing was nothing more than a coordinated attack against biofuels. Minus a few open-minded individuals who examined this issue based on facts, not pre-determined bias, this hearing did nothing to reflect the overwhelming contributions of the RFS.
“The RFS has been a resounding success since its passage a decade ago. It is important that we 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: improved energy security, job creation and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Ten years later, any objective analysis will prove this policy has done exactly what it was designed to do.
“With regards to the environmental benefits of ethanol, the facts are clear. According to Argonne National Laboratory, – an objective national laboratory – ethanol reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by an average of 34 percent compared to gasoline, even when the highly controversial and disputed theory on Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) is factored into the modeling. Furthermore, Argonne has found that without ILUC included, ethanol reduces GHG emissions by 57 percent compared to gasoline.
“It is unfortunate that the Science Committee missed an opportunity to provide an unbiased examination of the RFS. Instead, the Committee – which has no jurisdiction over this policy – continued to present a misguided agenda to smear biofuels, hosting several witnesses that fabricated information on the impact biofuels have on food prices, the environment and the American economy. This treatment of homegrown American fuels is insulting to the hardworking Americans across our country who are helping fuel our energy independence.
“Since the enactment of the RFS, biofuels have helped 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. Additionally, the RFS is the only meaningful policy that has helped loosen the near monopoly Big Oil has on the motor fuel marketplace, as well as provide market access to higher blends of renewable fuels, giving consumers a choice at the pump.
“The RFS is working. It is doing exactly what it was intended to do. This success should renew Congress and EPA’s faith in this program. They must ensure that we continue down a path of renewable fuel innovation by continuing to support the RFS and refuse 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.