New Fuels American Campaign Highlights Consequences of Losing RFS
The Fuels America coalition has launched a new campaign featuring one of its largest digital campaigns to date, pointing to actors like the Koch brothers and others who stand to personally gain if America loses the Renewable Fuel Standard.
The campaign—which also highlights the negative consequences for Americans if the RFS is weakened—will run in Washington, DC and will focus on state delegations like Colorado. Colorado is a top-5 advanced biofuels producer.
Fuels America also put out an accompanying blog post announcing the “Top 10 People That Benefit from a Weakened Renewable Fuel Standard,” including “Supertankers,” “Big Oil Execs,” and less obvious folks like “Asthma Inhaler Manufacturers,” “China and Brazil,” and “The Dowager Countess.”
The ads ask, “If America loses the Renewable Fuel Standard, who wins?” and go on to suggest answers: “Less Lower-Cost Ethanol = More $$$ For Big Oil,” or “There were 6,000 oil spills in 2012—16 per day.”
Fuels America has been a leader in the fight to protect America’s Renewable Fuel Standard following a proposal from the EPA that would effectively gut the rule—which would lead to more dependence on foreign oil, higher prices at the pump, and fewer jobs for the thousands of Americans employed by the renewable fuels industry. Highlights of Fuels America’s campaign have included the “Oil Rigged” campaign’s television advertisements and Memorial Day’s advertisements on radio and gas station monitors.
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Top 10 People That Benefit from a Weakened Renewable Fuel Standard
For months, the EPA has debated the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which sets the amount of affordable, cleaner-burning fuels used in America’s fuel supply. Now — thanks to pressure from oil companies and their allies — they’re on the verge of weakening the RFS. That would harm American farmers, workers, and small business owners whose jobs depend on this homegrown industry.
Like high gas prices? How about cleaning up oil spills? Are you a Koch brother? If not, you’re one of the millions of Americans who benefits from cleaner air, lower gas prices, and more fuel choices as a result of the RFS. Since 2005, the RFS has opened up the market to new fuel sources, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.
The stakes on this issue are high. That’s especially true for those who would benefit from weakening the Renewable Fuel Standard. And who are they? Well:
- Supertankers: Cutting production of U.S. renewables means more oil imports.
- Big Oil Execs: Ethanol is affordable. Less in your tank means more in big oil’s wallets.
- Asthma Inhaler Manufacturers: Biofuels improve air quality. Cutting the RFS equals dirtier fuel and dirtier air.
- The Air Conditioning Industry: Cutting renewable fuel = more CO2 = climate change. Time to upsize your AC unit.
- Persian Gulf Realtors: Less American fuel = pumping more dollars overseas.
- China and Brazil: Killing the RFS means advanced biofuel investments go overseas instead.
- The Dowager Countess (from Downton Abbey): Afraid of change? Killing the RFS kills investment in American innovation.
- Oil Spill Cleanup Crews: There were 6000 oil spills in 2012. That’s 16 a day.
- The Koch Brothers: Filling up on fossil fuels fills up their pockets.
- Gondoliers: Climate change = more sunken cities.
The only way we can counter the millions that Big Oil is spending is by setting the record straight. Weakening the RFS will hurt our environment — and hurt our wallets.