MADISON, Wis. - The U.S. government has acknowledged that the Renewable Fuel Standard is harming the environment.
In a recent report, the Environmental Protection Agency recognized for the first time that federal mandates for fuels based on corn and soybeans have consequences on wildlife habitat and water resources.
The standard was put in place in 2007 to reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuels.
However, Tyler Lark, an associate researcher at the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment at University of Wisconsin-Madison, says the standard has resulted in water pollution, soil degradation, loss of biodiversity, increased air pollution and greater food insecurity.
"By rigorously reviewing the existing data and evidence, this tri-annual report helps lay to rest some of the tired debate about whether these landscape changes and environmental changes are occurring and thus enables more meaningful conversations," he states.
The standard has meant all-time high demands for corn. Supporters of the standard say along with decreased dependence on fossil fuels, it also has boosted rural economic development.
David DeGennaro, an agriculture policy specialist, National Wildlife Federation, says runoff from farmland contributes to harmful algae blooms and water contamination. And demand for land to grow corn has cut into important habitats for butterflies, bees and migratory birds.
"The report is a red flag, warning us that we need to reconsider the mandate's scope and its focus on first-generation fuels made from food crops," he stresses.
The EPA is currently taking comments on its proposed plans for next year's fuel mandates.
The National Wildlife Federation and other conservation groups are calling on Congress to pass the GREENER Fuels Act, which would wind down the ethanol mandate and invest billions of dollars to reclaim farmland lost to corn and soybean production as wildlife habitat.
