Quote Originally Posted by riverrunner1984 View Post
Anyone else get this today after signing the petition?

Dear Brian :

I received your letter expressing your concerns about the Renewable Fuel Standard. Your correspondence is important to me, and I welcome this opportunity to respond.

The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requires that the volume of renewable fuel increase every year from 9 billion gallons in 2008 to 36 billion gallons in 2022. Each year, the RFS requires that an increasing portion of renewable fuels be low carbon "advanced biofuels," which have lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions that are significantly lower than gasoline. However, the RFS does not include any mandate for E-15.

I do not support a mandate for the use of corn ethanol. On December 12, 2013, I introduced the "Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2013" (S. 1807), which would eliminate the corn ethanol mandate within the RFS. Under this mandate, almost 44 percent of U.S. corn is diverted from food to fuel, increasing the cost of food and animal feed. I strongly support greater use of low carbon fuels, like biodiesel, E-85 made with cellulosic ethanol, hydrogen, and electricity, and I share your concern that the RFS is not bringing about this shift to cleaner fuel.

Please know that I appreciate hearing your thoughts on the economic impact of corn ethanol and the RFS, and I will keep your thoughts in mind as I work to enact the "Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2013."


Again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you have any additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841, or visit my website at http://feinstein.senate.gov . Best regards.

Also, may I take this opportunity to wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.

Sincerely yours,


Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
There is a problem with her numbers. While 41% of the 2012 corn crop was sent to ethanol plants only 28% or so is consumed by the process. The other 13% is returned to the market in such things as cattle feed. Also 2012 was a drought year, so the corn production was at a low. In a regular year, the percentage is much lower as ethanol's use of corn is a constant which doesn't fluctuate with yield.

While I don't support the bill this thread discussed, I do agree with Bruce that gov't regulation can and should be minimized. The only thing their regulations do is make someone rich. And it's never us.

I do believe in truth in facts.
Edit: The facts I discussed can be found in this article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...8J65JU20120808