On April 30, Senator John Thune (R-SD) introduced a bill (S. 943) providing new direction to EPA in determining the carbon footprint of renewable fuels. Currently, the national Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requires that renewable fuels meet specific emissions reduction thresholds (greenhouse gas emissions "screens") in order to be eligible for the program. As the law is currently written, EPA is required to determine the carbon footprint of each fuel based on both direct emissions and significant indirect emissions. Direct emissions are the measurable, quantifiable emissions incurred while growing and harvesting biomass, as well as producing and using the fuel. Indirect emissions, on the other hand, are market-mediated emissions that are assumed to occur as a result of demand-driven expansion of global agriculture. The inclusion of indirect emissions in greenhouse gas accounting has been a controversial issue, with many arguing that current estimates are insufficiently supported to justify inclusion in public policy at this time.
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