We already knew the ethanol mandate was bad for the environment. New study finds it is destroying wildlife habitats.
Federal and state governments, through subsidies and
mandates, push the agriculture and energy industries to grow corn for
burning in car engines, and this has many political, economic and
environmental downsides.
Here's another: "A University of Wisconsin-Madison study showed that millions of acres of wildlife habitat nationwide have been converted to crop production — most of it planted with corn for ethanol."
Specifically, the study found: "Aggregated across the U.S. ethanol sector, the four-year conversion rate of arable non-cropland to cropland was highest within 25 miles of refineries ..."
In short, grasslands and prairie were twice as likely to be
converted to farm fields if they were close to ethanol refineries.
Grasslands are crucial habitats for animals from bison to ferrets to
meadowlarks.Here's another: "A University of Wisconsin-Madison study showed that millions of acres of wildlife habitat nationwide have been converted to crop production — most of it planted with corn for ethanol."
Specifically, the study found: "Aggregated across the U.S. ethanol sector, the four-year conversion rate of arable non-cropland to cropland was highest within 25 miles of refineries ..."
The major driver of U.S. ethanol production is the federal ethanol mandate (known as the Renewable Fuel Standard), which candidate Donald Trump supported while trying to win the Iowa caucuses, but on which he has been cagey since the election.
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