Why Wait Until 2016 to Reform the RFS?

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) asserts that the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) has failed its primary goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, instead promoting corn ethanol production that increases emissions and raises food prices. The document highlights that corn ethanol produced between 2010 and 2015 failed to meet the 20% GHG reduction mandate and that the RFS has failed to stimulate the production of advanced cellulosic biofuels.

• The Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) has primarily driven a massive increase in corn ethanol consumption, which has led to higher food prices globally and increased air and water pollution, as well as habitat destruction.
• Corn ethanol produced between 2010 and 2015, representing nearly 90% of total biofuel production under the RFS, failed to achieve the minimum 20% greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction mandated by Congress in 2007. CATF's analysis of EPA data suggests that US corn ethanol production is actually increasing GHG emissions.
• The use of 40% of the US corn crop for fuel has caused record corn and food prices and forced land use changes in the US and other countries to compensate for displaced food production.
• The RFS has failed to stimulate the development of cellulosic biofuels from non-food feedstocks, such as agricultural residues, as annual consumption targets have proven insufficient to overcome economic and technological barriers.
• CATF opposes the classification of corn-kernel-based biobutanol as an 'advanced' biofuel, arguing this would increase GHG emissions and exacerbate competition between food and fuel markets by converting carbon-rich lands like wetlands and grasslands to corn production.

APA

Lewis, J. (2015). Why Wait Until 2016 to Reform the RFS? Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2015/03/why-wait-until-2016-to-reform-the-rfs/

Chicago

Lewis, Jonathan. Why Wait Until 2016 to Reform the RFS? Clean Air Task Force, 2015. https://www.catf.us/2015/03/why-wait-until-2016-to-reform-the-rfs/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Lewis |first1=Jonathan |title=Why Wait Until 2016 to Reform the RFS? |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=13 March 2015 |url=https://www.catf.us/2015/03/why-wait-until-2016-to-reform-the-rfs/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{lewis2015why, author = {Lewis, Jonathan}, title = {{Why Wait Until 2016 to Reform the RFS?}}, publisher = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2015}, month = mar, url = {https://www.catf.us/2015/03/why-wait-until-2016-to-reform-the-rfs/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }