California’s Proposed Fuel Standard Threatens National Security

Retired Members of the Armed Forces, the Intelligence Community and Pres. Reagan’s NSA Advisor Bud McFarlane Petition Gov. Schwarzenegger to Fix Proposed Fuel Standard

WASHINGTON, March 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The following was released today by the Truman National Security Project:

Sixty-six retired members of the U.S. armed forces and intelligence community petitioned Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to fix the proposed California fuel standard, which imperils our national security. The group includes Robert “Bud” McFarlane, President Ronald Reagan’s National Security Advisor (1983-1985).

When creating the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), the California Air Resources Board (CARB) used unproven science to create a bias against biofuels. This bias promotes increased use of fossil fuels, which will prolong the United States’ reliance on oil, damaging our energy independence and prolonging the problems of climate change.

A copy of the letter can be found here: http://www.trumanproject.org/files/Petition_Letter.pdf

“The United States’ national security is directly tied to Governor Schwarzenegger’s willingness to step in and fix the proposed California fuel standard,” said William C. Holmberg, chairman of the Biomass Coordinating Committee of the American Council on Renewable Energy and a retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant Colonel. “While well-intentioned, the Air Board has created a fuel standard that puts biofuels at a competitive disadvantage, meaning fossil fuel usage will only increase in California. Putting more imported oil and finished gasoline in California’s transportation system threatens our national and energy security, sets back the advance of domestic cellulosic biofuels, could increase demands for fuels from oil and tar sands, and exacerbates global climate change.”

The petition sent to the Governor highlights six critical aspects of national security that could be threatened if the proposed LCFS becomes law in California:

1. Our reliance on fossil fuels puts petrodollars in the hands of dictators and terrorists.
2. Oil kills democracy.
3. Protecting the world’s oil infrastructure costs U.S. taxpayers billions.
4. The cost of oil places undue stress on the U.S. military.
5. Climate change places undue stress on the U.S. military.
6. Climate change creates political instability and acts as a catalyst for failed states and terrorism.

There is great concern with the category of indirect “land-use” effects, known as iLUC, which the proposed LCFS uses only to judge biofuels and not other fuel types. From the letter: “The science of indirect effects is far from precise, and the model on which the iLUC effect is based is highly variable depending on the assumptions of the individuals conducting the research. Put simply, the jury is out on the science of iLUC. Equally important is the fact that no other fuels are penalized for their indirect effects. Singling out one fuel source – in this case biofuels – puts that source at a comparative disadvantage, thereby undercutting new investment and the development of new technologies.”

“Governor Schwarzenegger has always stood up for members of the U.S. armed forces. We hope the Governor will use this opportunity to stand up for our national security and ensure that the fuel standard judges all fuels fairly,” concluded Holmberg.

SOURCE Truman National Security Project