ACU: EPA PUTS IDEOLOGY AHEAD OF AMERICAN TAXPAYERS

Alexandria, VA—The American Conservative Union called the Environmental Protection Agency’s denial of the state of Texas’ request for relief from ethanol mandates “a decision that puts ideology ahead of what’s good for the American taxpayer.”  Texas Governor Rick Perry had asked that his state be given a waiver to reduce the massive increase in mandates for corn-based ethanol.

“Since the mandates went into effect, we have seen a dramatic rise in the price of corn, which in turn has helped drive food price inflation and drive up the cost of animal feed which has caused severe economic distress to many of our nation’s farmers,” said Larry Hart, ACU’s Director of Government Relations.  “ACU believes this clearly meets the criteria of ‘severe harm to the economy’ listed as a prerequisite for an EPA waiver.  It is disappointing that the bureaucrats at EPA would put their ideological commitment to ethanol over the well-being of the American taxpayer.”

Hart said the rigid stance by EPA is all the more remarkable in that ethanol has been shown to have no positive effect on the environment.

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