Farm Bureau – Others – Against California Carbon Score Proposal

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman has written California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, asking for a - level playing field - in the development of that state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard. The standard requires oil companies to reduce the carbon sold in fuels in the state by 10 percent by 2020.

Under the proposal, all fuels are assigned a “carbon score” to reward the least carbon-intensive fuels. But, Stallman points out that only biofuels are being singled out for so-called - indirect effects - which raise the carbon score. As a result, the AFBF leader says, fossil fuels would receive a better carbon score and a competitive advantage over renewable biofuels.

If the California Air Resources Board carries through with its proposed plan biofuels’ carbon score would be increased by 40 percent or more. Opposition to the proposal has been strong and wide. Several stakeholder groups, including 111 scientists who submitted a letter to the governor’s office, are recommending that CARB adopt a regulation based only on emissions directly attributable to the production and use of the particular fuel.