Enviros Push Regulations to Double Price of Gas
In the face of the worst drought in decades, record high gasoline and diesel prices, and the fact that biofuels producers have yet to place a single gallon of cellulosic ethanol into U.S. fuel markets, a large number of Governors, members of Congress and stakeholders have called for either the repeal of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard or major reforms to the program. Support for an overhaul of the RFS program has come from all corners of the political debate, including Republican legislators (such as U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, R-OK), Democratic legislators (like U.S. Senator Chris Coons, D-DE), refiners, agricultural stakeholders and even some environmental groups.
However, the fact that these environmental groups are publically calling for reforms to the RFS program does not stem from their concerns about fuel prices or recognition that government programs cannot force the creation or sales of products into markets when they are not ready for commercialization. Unfortunately, some of these groups are attempting to use the debate to replace one costly and inefficient program with one that is even worse – a national Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).
Harold
