House Committee Defeats Change in Lifecycle Analysis
Posted: June 22, 2009
The House Appropriations Committee last week narrowly defeated an amendment that would have stopped the EPA from considering international indirect land use changes under the Renewable Fuels Standard.
The amendment offered by Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) was defeated by just one vote during consideration of the FY 2010 $32 billion spending bill for EPA and the Interior Department, which was approved. The committee did vote to ask USDA to study the issue of indirect land use changes as it relates to biofuels.
Even though EPA has yet to make a final rule on how it will determine the lifecycle analysis of greenhouse gases as required for the increased renewable fuels standard, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) and other farm state lawmakers are threatening to oppose the climate change bill if the indirect land use consideration goes forward as proposed.
Most farm groups have come out against that bill anyway, regardless of whether there are changes in the EPA rule. The climate bill could be just as bad, if not worse, for agriculture.
