House Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson said today that he won't support pending House climate legislation because he has lost faith in U.S EPA for its handling of proposed biofuels regulations.
The rest of us have lost faith, period - but it's a place to start...
"I will not support any kind of climate change bill," the Minnesota Democrat said at a hearing on the biofuels proposal with EPA and Agriculture Department officials. "I don't care. Even if you fix this. I don't trust anybody anymore."
Welcome to our world, Mr. Peterson.
Peterson said later that he would support a climate bill only if it were "ironclad" and detailed enough to keep EPA from writing implementing rules. But he added that he was unsure this was possible.
It ain't, honey, but I'm sure your compatriots will promise you a LOT to get on board....
At issue: EPA draft rules for implementing the expanded renewable fuels standard that includes measurement of biofuels' greenhouse gas emissions. The rules include measurement of emissions from "indirect" land-use changes associated with biofuels -- an aspect Peterson and other ethanol defenders decry as unfair and unready for adoption.
Whatever it takes to stop
The draft rules conclude, depending on the time frames modeled, that traditional corn ethanol could have slightly more "lifecycle" emissions than gasoline when these land-use changes are factored in.
Peterson told reporters he was suggesting to Democrats from other ethanol states that they also not support the House climate bill.
Get 'em all on board, sir!
"By the time it gets down to the agency, what the hell is going to come out of it?" he said. "This thing is out of control."
You're just now noticing? Oy.
Peterson said at the hearing, "You are going to kill off the biofuels industry before it gets started." Later, he told reporters: "If they think anyone is going to invest in next-generation ethanol, given what's going on, they are kidding themselves."
At least we know whose ox is getting gored here. Sucks to be a Dem, eh, Collin?