Contact: Matt Dempsey matt_dempsey@epw.senate.gov 202-224-9797 

Inhofe Statement on EPA Draft RFS 2 Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following statement today in response to an Environment Protection Agency (EPA) draft rule for increasing the supply of renewable fuels, as mandated by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, to 36 billion gallons by 2022.

"EPA's proposed rule clearly reinforces the concerns I raised during debate on the 2007 energy bill," Senator Inhofe said. "I opposed that bill because I thought it would harm consumers and fail to strengthen our energy security. The reason is clear: A year and a half later few dispute that Congress erred in pushing too much ethanol too fast. Now we're stuck with a proposed EPA rule that magnifies the bill's flaws. Notable among the bill's many flaws is EPA's requirement to measure the immeasurable - the increases in CO2 emissions from indirect land use changes due to bio-fuel mandates. A farmer plants a new acre of corn in Iowa? Well, EPA will somehow quantify the effect that has on increased carbon emissions in Uruguay, Malaysia, or maybe India.

"In light of ethanol's blend wall, its economic feasibility, and its transportation and infrastructure needs, Congress should reassess the achievability of these mandates and their potential ramifications on consumers, America's energy security, and the environment."