Setting America on the right biofuels path

Excerpt

Nearly all Americans support the concept of moving our nation toward less reliance on foreign oil and toward clean, renewable sources of energy. To some it is simply a matter of national security; to others it is about surviving the worst impacts of global warming. Global warming is already having broad and profound impacts on our planet, with our native ecosystems and wildlife species showing some of the strongest signs of distress. Addressing global warming is a top priority for the National Wildlife Federation. We support the expansion of biofuels as a part of our renewable energy portfolio.

Under the best case scenario, biofuels could help to improve our soil, air, water, and wildlife resources, while greatly reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and benefiting rural economies. Yet, if not done carefully, biofuels could cause serious degradation of our soil, air, water, wildlife, and native ecosystems with only marginal greenhouse gas reductions. The course must be set today if we are to aim toward the best case scenario. The “how, where, and what” of biofuels make a difference in determining the future of biofuels. Unfortunately, few in the United States Congress seem to want to address the issue of …