EPA Faces Question on Ethanol’s Effects

The Environmental Protection Agency is close to proposing standards for ethanol use, but officials face a question on whether or not ethanol’s indirect effects on the environment should be considered in the rule-making process, the Associated Press reported Sunday.

Environmentalists have cited indirect effects such as deforestation and future land use in communications with EPA, asking officials to consider such factors when calculating the fuel’s environmental effects.

Congress mandated in 2007 that fuel produced from corn emit 20% less in greenhouse gases than gasoline, and 60% less if the fuel is made from cellulosic crops, AP said.

But whether to consider direct emissions from consuming the fuel, or to consider more indirect effects as well, is yet to be seen, AP said.