More than 200 scientists and economists issued a letter today (23rd September) calling on Congress and US federal agencies to account for emissions from indirect land use change in biofuel laws and regulations. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), which organized the letter, is running advertisements in Congress Daily this Wednesday and Thursday to publicize the letter. Including "indirect land use change…in the lifecycle analyses of heat-trapping emissions from biofuels…," the letter states, "will encourage development of sustainable, low-carbon fuels that avoid conflict with food and minimize harmful environmental impacts."
The letter's release coincides with the end of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) public comment period for the Renewable Fuels Standard, which would significantly increase biofuel production. EPA is required to consider these emissions under current law.
The letter is aimed at stymying the lobby efforts of the ethanol industry which is calling for changes in the existing law to stop the EPA from considering factors of indirect land use change. According to the letter, to do that would ignore the scientific evidence. "Grappling with the technical uncertainty and developing a regulation based on the best available science is preferable to ignoring a major source of emissions," they write.
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