The Worst Environmental Policy in U.S. History
Yesterday Frank Rusco, Director of Natural Resources and Environment at the Government Accountability Office testified before the Senate to discuss the results of a study just released by the agency. The study found the Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires corn ethanol to be blended into gasoline, is unlikely to meet its targets to reduce carbon emissions.
And while reducing climate-warming carbon emissions was one of the primary reasons for the passage of the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2007, I think the GAO put it lightly when it said the law is not likely meet its targets.
The truth is the corn ethanol mandate has actually increased carbon emissions, as well as incentivizing the destruction for millions of acres of grasslands.
I can’t think of any other well-intentioned environmental policy that has done so much environmental damage.
And sadly, just recently the EPA upped the ante on this destructive policy. Last Wednesday, before Thanksgiving, the EPA set the 2017 mandate for corn ethanol at 15 billion gallons, the maximum amount of corn ethanol that can be mandated by the RFS.