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The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) submitted comments to the U.S. House of Representatives advocating for the maintenance of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as written. EESI argues that the RFS is critical for reducing petroleum dependence, improving urban air quality by reducing aromatic air toxics, and fostering rural economic development. The document contends that factors other than the RFS—such as extreme weather, global meat demand, and commodity speculation—are the primary drivers of corn and soybean price volatility.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute uses a national agro-environmental production model to analyze the environmental and economic consequences of creating a market for corn stover to support the ethanol industry. The study warns that harvesting agricultural residues for feedstock can increase soil erosion and greenhouse gas emissions, challenging the sustainability of harvest levels suggested in some government reports.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute analyzes the environmental impacts of harvesting corn stover for cellulosic ethanol production in the United States, highlighting risks to soil carbon, nutrient pollution, and erosion, while evaluating the effectiveness of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) to mitigate these effects.