House Ag Subcommittee Reviews Impact of Indirect Land Use

During a House Ag Subcommittee hearing to review the impact of the indirect land use and renewable biomass provisions in the Renewable Fuel Standard - Subcommittee Chair Tim Holden expressed disappointment with EPA’s path. Holden says continuing with those provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 will harm the biofuels industry. He says it’s important to expand the reach of biofuels - not hamper the farmer and forest owner.

According to Bob Goodlatte - Ranking Member of the Conservation, Credit, Energy and Research Subcommittee - the arbitrary restrictions in the RFS will limit the potential for biomass to meet the renewable fuels mandate. He said he not only favors development of advanced renewable fuels - but also developing policy that allows the market to develop the next generation of renewable energy.

The 2007 energy bill expanded the RFS and required that all biofuels produced from facilities built after the measure’s enactment achieve a reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA’s proposed rule for the implementation of the new RFS calculates the lifecycle emissions of each fuel - relative to the gasoline or diesel fuel it would replace. But biofuels are charged with emissions from indirect land use and gasoline is not. That’s something subcommittee members from both parties are not happy about.