Blog Archive
Subscribe in a reader

Let Your Voices be Heard

Posted: September 14, 2009 at 11:54 AM CST

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) recently hosted U.S. EPA officials to a tour of Iowa family farms and an information session by renewable fuels industry members. Grassley said he was driven to organize the event after learning that the EPA official in charge of determining the guidelines for indirect land use change in the second stage of the renewable fuel standard (RFS2) had never even been to a farm.

This brings to light the significance of presenting the industry’s case to the EPA regarding implementation of the RFS2. From indirect land use change to the 2010 cellulosic biofuel mandates and RIN regulations - the proposal is loaded with items that could critically impact the future of the domestic fuel production. The fact that the industry’s livelihood is in the hands of Washingtonians who have no first-hand knowledge of either agriculture or renewable fuels is a reminder that members of the ethanol industry need to continue to educate the public as well as policymakers.

The RFS2 comment period closes on Sept. 25. Have you submitted your comment yet? Thousands of comments have been received so far, but that doesn’t mean yours is not necessary. Without input from you, the people working in the industry and dealing with these issues on a daily basis, the EPA could easily be influenced by those that would rather see ethanol become a thing of the past than the road to the future. To review the RFS2 proposal and submit a comment, visit http://www.epa.gov/EPA-AIR/2009/May/Day-26/a10978a.htm.

-Kris Bevill