NJ Governor Corzine Says U.S. EPA Food-To-Fuel Mandate Hurts Families And The Environment

August 8, 2008 -- TRENTON – New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine today expressed disappointment over the U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s refusal to lower the nationwide Renewable Fuels Standard that calls for the production of nine billion gallons of ethanol and biodiesel this year and an even greater quantity during 2009.

“Corn belongs on the tables of our hard-working families, not in the gas tank,” Governor Corzine said. “The EPA’s decision is regrettable because food-to-fuel mandates drive up food prices and may do more to harm the environment than good.”

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As the price of crops goes up, farmers in the United States and around the globe are clearing more and more land for planting and pasture. The result is deforestation and increased carbon emissions. In addition, the production of ethanol requires enormous amounts of energy that must be sourced from fossil fuels. The production process also creates harmful by-products that often wind up in our nation’s waterways.

“Turning over one-quarter of our corn into ethanol last year barely made a dent in our oil consumption. Clearly, turning food into fuel cannot end our petroleum dependency. To be sure, ethanol has been a welcome boon to many communities. But surely there are better and more sustainable ways to grow rural economies without promoting a policy that is literally taking the food out of hungry mouths here in America and around the world,” Governor Corzine said.

Source: New Jersey Governor