Bill Seeks to Revise Renewable Fuel Standard

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) have introduced legislation seeking to change certain provisions in the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The bill, known as the Renewable Fuel Standard Improvement Act (H.R. 2409), would remove the requirement that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency consider indirect land use when caculating the greenhouse gas emissions associated with advanced biofuels.

According to Ethanol Producer Magazine, Lucas called the bill a "legislative response to poorly crafted EPA regulation." He added: "The most important provision in the bill is the expansion of the acreage eligible to produce biomass feedstock. This will ease pressure on the current corn production system and it will open the way for more rapid development of next-generation ethanol."

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.