Fuels America released a statement today in response to new legislation introduced by Sens. Bob Corker and Joe Manchin designed to chip away at the Renewable Fuel Standard.

To combat Big Oil’s monopoly on transportation fuels, the RFS requires refiners to gradually increase the amount of renewable fuels available to consumers over time. However, refiners now say it cannot be done. Once again, they are wrong.

Tom Philpott of Mother Jones recently published a sensationalist, irresponsibly reported blog post insinuating that ethanol production is linked to E. coli contamination. This post ignored public health trends, as well as a wealth of peer-reviewed data on the safety of DDGS, and cherry-picked one study that did not demonstrate a causal link.

Growing crops in Ohio for food, feed and fuel is one part of the solution for a better future. With unpredictable high gas prices and the need to create jobs and spur our economy, we must support one of the few industries making progress on all of these fronts.