Bush's Renewable Fuels Rule Empty and Hollow

[IChing]

The Bush Administration wants to increase the percentage of renewable fuels that make up our transportation fuel mix. The EPA is proposing that the combined use of ethanol/biodiesel make up 3.71 of transportation fuel in 2007, up from the previous minimum of 2.78 percent.

The renewable fuels standards (RFS) proposed in 2005 as part of the Energy Policy Act has already been surpassed by industry demand (in part spurred by tax credits and incentives), so the standard is somewhat hollow as it is only trying to keep up with what is already happening.

Critics say our current RFS is not nearly aggressive enough. Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has called for the standard to be raised to 20 percent by 2015, while Missouri recently enacted a 10 % RFS, and Iowa's RFS will be 25 % by 2019. By comparison Canada currently has a 5 % RFS.

The new program also includes a trading program so that fuel companies that can't or don't want to change their ways can buy their way out.
>>>>>snip

http://blog.wired.com/cars/index.blog?entry_id=1553108

See, they don't care just another cheap talk and giving lip service.

[sam sarrha]

1. just like his head

[louis-t]

2. Is this no surprise, since I hear Carlyle Group

is getting into the ethanol business?

[jpak]

3. Yup (link)

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060908/nyf113.html?.v=1

Carlyle/Riverstone Renewable Energy Infrastructure Fund and Bunge North America to Build Ethanol Production Plants in the U.S.

NEW YORK, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Carlyle/Riverstone Renewable Energy Infrastructure Fund I, L.P. (CRREIF) and Bunge North America ("Bunge") announced today they will jointly build ethanol plants resulting in ultimate production capacity of several hundred million-gallons-per-year by the end of 2008. The plants will be adjacent to grain facilities controlled by Bunge in the U.S. CRREIF will be the majority owner of the facilities with Bunge retaining a minority interest in each plant. Financial terms were not disclosed.

<more>

[jpak]

4. 10% by 2015 is doable, but stringent new car fuel economy standards

and investments in public/mass transit are gonna have to be part of the equation too.

They could transform "10%" into "20%" (or more).

[JohnWxy]

5. good post. The Republicans are always passing programs that don't really

amount to anything. They want air-heads to think they have really contributed to solving a problem when all they've done is produce a bit of public relations copy. And of course, the corporate media keep repeating their propaganda without pointing out that their 'programs' are behind private sector and aren't promoting progress at all.

They passed "No Child Left Behind" and then just didn't fund it! NO funding, no program.