EPA backs ethanol push again

Dallas Morning News:

The Obama administration cleared the way Wednesday for more ethanol to be used in cars, trucks and airplanes after government scientists ruled the fuel is greener than they previously thought.

A proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency in May found that some types of corn ethanol were in fact worse for the environment than gasoline, a finding that limited how much ethanol could be blended with gasoline.

But more studies showed that new corn ethanol plants could meet the greenhouse-gas reduction targets set by a 2007 law, the EPA said Wednesday.

"This really unlocks the door for advanced biofuel producers, including corn ethanol producers, to make investments and create jobs," EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said.

The revised renewable fuel standard is certain to disappoint Texas-based refiners and their allies in Congress, who already complain that Washington has embraced renewable fuels at the expense of the oil industry. Gov. Rick Perry unsuccessfully challenged the so-called ethanol mandate in 2008, arguing that corn-based ethanol drove up food prices for consumers and feed prices for ranchers.

Congress has required that refiners blend an increased amount of biofuels with gasoline every year, but the amounts are annually revised by the EPA. Jackson said the steps announced Wednesday are all designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

...

I am skeptical. I think they are really to address Democrat carbon phobes who would like to destroy the oil and gas industry. In the process they are driving up costs to consumers and making it harder for the insutry to find and produce more oil and gas. They hope that by doing that they can drive up the cost of oil and gas and make "magic" energy more competitive. Magic energy is what the carbon phobes hope will eventually replace oil and gas. So far all attempts at magic energy have been uncompetitive.