A bill was introduced in the Senate this week that would keep the Environmental Protection Agency from using non-scientific data when determining greenhouse gas emissions.

The bill introduced by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is a companion to legislation introduced last week by Collin Peterson (D-MN), the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. Like the House bill, Grassley’s bill improves several provisions with the expanded Renewable Fuels Standard that were enacted in the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA).

Grassley says the use of indirect land use changes to determine greenhouse gas emissions makes no sense. “It’s ridiculous to think that Brazilian farmers are looking to see what Iowa farmers are doing to determine how they run their own business, and quite frankly it’s plain unfair to farmers,” said Grassley.

The bill would make sure that greenhouse gas calculations are based on proven science by removing the requirement to include indirect land use changes, and exempts from the lifecycle greenhouse gas reduction requirements any biodiesel plants that were in operation or under construction prior to December 2007 when EISA was signed into law.