Failure of the ‘Biofuels’ mandate

Can government ever admit a mistake and reform?

Government “biofuel” mandates are a mistake we should eliminate.

CFACT senior policy advisor Paul Driessen reminds us at CFACT.org of Ronald Reagan’s quip that, “the closest thing to earthly eternal life is a government program.”

“The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS),” Driessen writes, “created under the 2005 Energy Policy Act and expanded by the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, is a perfect example. It has more lives than Freddy Krueger.”

“The laws require that refiners blend steadily increasing amounts of ethanol into gasoline, and expect the private sector to produce growing amounts of ‘cellulosic’ biofuel, ‘biomass-based diesel,’ and ‘advanced’ biofuels. Except for corn ethanol, the production expectations have mostly turned out to be fantasies. The justifications for renewable fuels were scary exaggerations then, and are now illusions.”

“Bio-fuel” mandates reduce mileage, distort markets, raise prices, clog engines, reduce natural habitats and increase CO2 emissions (if that’s your thing).

They have no energy or environmental benefits and certainly are of no help to the climate.  They are an agricultural welfare program.

We love our farmers.  While some may defend these mandates to keep the cash flowing, virtually all admit that they are a big government mistake.

“Biofuel” mandates are ripe for cutting.

Congress should dust off and sharpen its ax and cut these foolish mandates off.

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