Earth Equity News

Now New Jersey Wants off Ethanol Bandwagon Too. By Brian T. Murray, Star-Ledger (NJ), August 15, 2008. "[NJ] Gov. Jon Corzine is considering a petition to the EPA to freeze or reduce [the federal mandate to increase the use of corn-based ethanol for fuel in his state]. The Sierra Club of New Jersey yesterday urged the governor to act before a September deadline. A similar plea was made in June by Food Before Fuel, a coalition of local food producers and retailers. State officials said a decision has yet to be made… [At issue are the federal] 'renewable fuel standards,' [enacted last year,] which set annually increasing quotas on the amount of ethanol to be mixed into the national fuel supply. The Corzine administration says the mandates are actually having adverse effects… [and it] tried to weigh in behind an exemption requested by Texas, but the EPA rejected it last week. Now, the state is turning to a possible waiver request of its own. State officials said a decision has yet to be made."