US senators want to eliminate RFS corn ethanol mandate

Two US senators have introduced legislation to eliminate the renewable fuels standard (RFS) corn ethanol mandate.

Sens. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Pat Toomey (R-PA) introduced the 'Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2015' last week.

'The federal mandate for corn ethanol is both unwise and unworkable,' says Senator Feinstein. 'Roughly 40% of corn in the United States is currently used for fuel, which increases the price of food and animal feed while also damaging the environment. Additionally, oil companies are unable to blend more corn ethanol into gasoline without causing problems for some petrol stations and older automobiles.

'This bill is a simple and smart modification of the Renewable Fuel Standard program. Once we remove the corn ethanol mandate, the RFS programme can finally serve its intended purpose: to support the development of advanced, environmentally friendly biofuels like biodiesel, cellulosic ethanol and other revolutionary fuels.'

'The RFS requires fuel suppliers to blend millions of gallons of biofuels -- most often corn ethanol -- into the nation's gasoline supplies. It drives up gas prices, increases food costs, damages car engines, and is harmful to the environment,' says Senator Toomey.

In response to the legislation, the Renewable Fuels Association said: '[the senators] continue to operate under the misguided assumption that the RFS is driving food prices higher. It is not. Corn is less expensive today than when the RFS was passed. As the World Bank recently concluded, most of the contribution to food price changes from 1997-04 and 2005-12 comes from the price of oil.'