The Renewable Fuels Association is taking issue with a recent report from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) making “specious” and unfounded claims about corn ethanol’s impact on greenhouse gas emissions.

In a letter today to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper blasted the draft “commentary” in which the SAB attempted to downplay the climate benefits of corn ethanol and recommended that EPA conduct more extensive research on ethanol’s carbon footprint.

“The overwhelming preponderance of scientific analyses and empirical data clearly shows that corn starch ethanol significantly reduces GHG emissions relative to the gasoline it replaces,” wrote Cooper. “We adamantly disagree with the SAB’s statement that ‘the best available science’ suggests there are ‘minimal or no climate benefits’ related to substituting corn ethanol for gasoline. Indeed, the best available science shows just the opposite.”

Cooper said he intends to bring these concerns up in his testimony at the Sept. 21 public meeting of the SAB in Washington. He urged EPA to continue its work on studying the issue—but objectively.

“While we strongly disagree with many of the assertions in the SAB’s commentary, we do support their recommendation that EPA ‘conduct more extensive research into the role the RFS plays in reducing GHG emissions,’” he wrote. “Any objective, science-based analysis will show that the RFS—and corn ethanol specifically—play an important role in decarbonizing our nation’s transportation sector.”