March 2019
New Research Findings Link Biofuel Mandate to Environmental Harm
New research shows the Renewable Fuel Standard and its implementation are fueling an environmental disaster that is destroying monarch butterfly habitat and forage, draining western aquifers, accelerating climate change and numerous other effects. The new research, prepared by the University of California-Davis, Kansas State University, and University of Wisconsin, provides the most detailed and comprehensive assessment to date of the direct connection between U.S. biofuels policy and specific economic and field-level environmental changes following passage of the Renewable Fuel Standard 10 years ago.
Read the Report
Beyond Corn: The Drive for Better Biofuels A campaign to protect water, human health, and wildlife
A decade ago, the federal government started requiring that our gasoline include a growing amount of ethanol—an alternative fuel made mostly from corn. Despite being a well-intentioned attempt to foster the development of cleaner fuels, corn ethanol has turned out to be anything but. Soaring demand for corn led farmers to destroy an area of wildlife habitat the size of Massachusetts, putting species at risk and fouling our waterways with additional pollution.
The evidence is in, and after 10 years of a broken policy, the National Wildlife Federation is calling on Congress to fix the corn ethanol mandate. We need your help. Read on to learn more and find out how you can be a part of the solution.
Impact
Habitat Destruction
By driving demand for corn to all-time highs, the ethanol mandate has accelerated the destruction of America’s most imperiled landscape and the species that depend on it. Today, less than 10 percent of native grasslands remain. Find out what’s at stake. SAVE THE AMERICAN PRAIRIE
Impact
Poisoned Drinking Water
More than 40 percent of U.S. corn is grown for gasoline. Growing massive amounts of corn for ethanol sends pollutants into our waterways and depletes aquifers, threatening drinking water, and killing aquatic life. PROTECT DRINKING WATER
Photo Credit: Jordan Lubetkin
Solution
Wildlife-Friendly Fuels
The loss of grasslands across the country has been a major factor in the decline of iconic species like the monarch butterfly. But there are ways for wildlife and clean fuels to thrive together. SUPPORT WILDLIFE-FRIENDLY FUELS
Photo Credit: Marie Serrazina
Solution
Policy Updates
Congress is considering reforming the law that mandates corn ethanol. In place since 2007, the current law badly needs fixing. The National Wildlife Federation and our affiliates are working for changes that benefit all of us.
ENACT POLICY SOLUTIONS
TAKE ACTION
Tell members of Congress to co-sponsor the GREENER Fuels Act and stand up for clean water, wildlife habitat, and a more sustainable energy future.
TAKE ACTION NOW