Theres an entire cottage industry of organizations that accept oil industry cash to attack alternative fuels, from windmills to nuclear power. Lately, those attacks have been focused on homegrown biofuels, like ethanol, which are produced from renewable farm crops. Biofuels are a target because they supply a full 10 percent of Americas motor fuel, and every extra gallon increases competition at the fuel pump, holding down prices for American drivers.
In fact, U.S. oil imports are down by more than half since passage of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The 13-year-old law guarantees that U.S. biofuels cant be locked out of the market by petroleum companies, which control the distribution chain for many of the nations gas stations. Biofuels cost less than petroleum, and thanks to the RFS, more affordable biofuel blends are now standard at the pump.
To undermine their competition, biofuel critics now argue that renewable feedstocks like corn contribute to a growing agricultural footprint, offsetting the environmental benefits of homegrown energy. But those arguments are not only misleading, they are complete fabrications.
