The Environmental Protection Agency released its final rule implementing new emissions standards for light and medium-duty vehicles that seeks to accelerate adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) by requiring approximately two-thirds of annual sales of new light-duty vehicles be EVs by the year 2032.
Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper says the new standards effectively disregard the carbon benefits of ethanol and force automakers to produce more battery electric vehicles based on the false premise that they are ‘zero-emission vehicles,’ “At the same time, the regulation would strongly discourage manufacturers from pursuing other technologies—like flex fuel vehicles and engines optimized to operate on high-octane, low-carbon ethanol—that could achieve superior environmental performance at a lower cost to American consumers,” said Cooper.
“Under the language of this rule, EVs are considered zero emissions,” explained Nebraska Ethanol Board executive director Reid Wagner. “This methodology is inherently flawed, especially when considering electricity used to power an EV may come from a multitude of sources from coal-fired power plants to wind farms.”
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Harold Wolle said, “We are deeply concerned and disappointed that EPA has chosen to force a one-size-fits-all solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ignore the readily available solution that biofuels like ethanol bring to the table.”
U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) was fired up about the decision to “force EVs on automakers and the public” and spoke about the “dirty truth behind this supposedly ‘clean’ technology” on the Senate floor this week in advance of the EPA’s announcement.
Sen. Fischer 2-19-24 22:34
“President Biden should abandon this attempt to appease climate activists and allow the market to take its course. More practical, market-driven changes—like allowing the year-round sale of E15 ethanol—would help achieve environmental goals for America’s vehicle fleet,” said Fischer about the EPA standards.
Sen. Fischer spoke last week at the American Coalition for Ethanol DC Fly-in about her Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act to allow year round E15 sales.
Sen. Fischer interview 3:47