TPA Joins Coalition Urging Elimination of the Corn Ethanol Mandate

Renewable energy fuel reform is a major issue regarding the health of the United States economy, as well as a concern of where taxpayer dollars are being used. The issue has become increasingly important the last several months with a movement in Congress to “reform” the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The RFS is a “command and control mechanism” that requires a certain level of ethanol to be blended into the nation’s transportation fuel supply. The Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees the Renewable Fuel Standard, recently proposed for the first time to reduce the amount of ethanol it requires to be blended in gasoline. Even though the move was met with criticism by ethanol advocates, the reality is that the move is only a minor step that doesn’t solve the fundamental problems with the RFS policy as a whole. The move, while a small step in the right direction, would do little to reduce ethanol’s share of the annual corn crop and virtually nothing to alleviate the broad economic and environmental damage currently caused by using corn for fuel. Taxpayers are hit directly as the government’s fleet of more than 600,000 owned or leased vehicles that guzzle more of the expensive fuel. With that in mind, this week TPA was part of a coalition effort led by the R Street Institute that included ActionAid USA, American Bakers Association, American Frozen Food Institute, American Meat Institute, Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees, California Dairy Campaign, California League of Food Processors, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Dairy Producers of New Mexico, Dairy Producers of Utah, Environmental Working Group, Freedom Action, Friends of the Earth, Idaho Dairymen’s Association, International Dairy Foods Association, International Foodservice Distributors Association, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, Milk Producers Council, National Chicken Council, National Council of Chain Restaurants, National Frozen Pizza Institute, National Franchisee Association, National Grocers Association, National Marine Manufacturers Association, National Restaurant Association, National Taxpayers Union, National Turkey Federation, Nevada State Dairy Commission, North American Meat Association, Northwest Dairy Association/Darigold, Oregon Dairy Farmers Association, Oxfam America, R Street Institute, Southeast Milk, Inc., Snack Food Association, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Washington State Dairy Federation, and Western United Dairymen sending this letter to the House of Representatives and Senate to call for elimination of the Corn Ethanol Mandate in the Renewable Fuel Standard. Taxpayers deserve better energy policy from Washington and this action would constitute a very major step in that direction.

Read the full letter below:

Dec. 10, 2013

Dear Congress:

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency, which is charged with implementing and administering the Renewable Fuel Standard, released its proposal for the amount of biofuels that must be blended into the nation’s fuel supply in 2014. As you may know, the bulk of the RFS mandate is filled by corn ethanol, which now consumes approximately 40 percent of the corn produced in the United States annually. Although the EPA is proposing a minor reduction in the overall volume of biofuels required by the mandate, thus deviating slightly from the RFS statute, this reduction will do little to reduce ethanol’s share of the annual corn crop and virtually nothing to alleviate the broad economic and environmental damage currently caused by using corn for fuel.

In short, the EPA’s proposal is a small step in the right direction, but is clearly insufficient to effectively address this harmful federal policy. Only Congress can solve this problem. We urge you to act now to eliminate the corn ethanol mandate in the RFS.

There are several bills that have been introduced in both Houses of Congress to achieve this result, and more are on the way. Please support one or more of these bills, today.

Sincerely,

ActionAid USA

American Bakers Association

American Frozen Food Institute

American Meat Institute

Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees

California Dairy Campaign

California League of Food Processors

Competitive Enterprise Institute

Council for Citizens Against Government Waste

Dairy Producers of New Mexico

Dairy Producers of Utah

Environmental Working Group

Freedom Action

Friends of the Earth

Idaho Dairymen’s Association

International Dairy Foods Association

International Foodservice Distributors Association

Marine Retailers Association of the Americas

Milk Producers Council

National Chicken Council

National Council of Chain Restaurants

National Frozen Pizza Institute

National Franchisee Association

National Grocers Association

National Marine Manufacturers Association

National Restaurant Association

National Taxpayers Union

National Turkey Federation

Nevada State Dairy Commission

North American Meat Association

Northwest Dairy Association/Darigold

Oregon Dairy Farmers Association

Oxfam America

R Street Institute

Southeast Milk, Inc.

Snack Food Association

Taxpayers for Common Sense

Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Washington State Dairy Federation

Western United Dairymen