Chronicle Editorial

Uncertainty abounds following latest RFS announcement

     A recent development regarding the nation's ethanol industry was a mixed bag of news for grain farmers across Iowa. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) delayed a decision that would reduce the amount of blended ethanol required in the nation's gasoline supply, consequently fogging corn growers in a cloud of uncertainty as they plan for the future.

     The announcement comes one year after the EPA proposed a rollback to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which sets the nationwide ethanol requirement. The reduction has drawn heavy criticism from Midwestern lawmakers, farmers and special interest groups, and it has only bolstered skepticism amongst critics of the ethanol industry. Despite these mixed opinions, the detriments of the EPA's delayed action are clear if it doesn’t develop a long-term strategy in the near future.

     The delayed RFS rollback has obvious short-term positives. Ethanol production will remain on schedule and biofuel plants can continue pumping out product. This should help safeguard corn prices for now, even though they're significantly lower than years past. Fifty percent of Iowa's corn crop is dedicated to ethanol production, and reducing the RFS would hit farmers right where it hurts – their pocketbooks.

     However, the temporary delay creates other problems. The EPA said an RFS rollback would come sometime in 2015 at the earliest, but who's to say the agency won't kick the can further down the road yet again? Will Iowa corn producers be forced to live under constant uncertainty, unsure if their crop will be needed after it's harvested in the fall? The EPA's reluctance hints at the implausibility of its own proposal, and the vehement outcry over the reduction plan seems to have forced the agency to second guess itself as it looks ahead.

     Reducing the RFS would only backtrack on the EPA's investment in renewable energy sources. Ethanol has its pros and cons, but other immediate alternatives are few and far between. The ethanol industry has made strides to improve fuel quality and implement innovative technologies in recent years. Reducing the requirement for the industry's product would damage rural economies like ours and cripple the demand for grain. Rolling back the RFS is an unneeded move by the EPA, and the agency would be wise to implement a long-term strategy that continues to invest in ethanol as a main source of alternative energy.

Winter sports wonderland

     There's not much to like about winter. The days are short, the temperatures are cold, and the wind is bitter. November's brisk weather was enough to put everyone's mood on ice, and it appears we're in for the long haul during the next four frozen months.

     However, it's not all doom and gloom. Winter sports are heating up throughout the area following the Thanksgiving holiday. Local athletes are hitting the hardwood and slamming the mats, and we encourage you to support our local teams in force this season. Franklin County's schools are primed for action, and they'll no doubt deliver just the right amount of excitement to fend off the winter blues.

     Winter also provides a chance of rebirth for fans of our state's two biggest college programs. Iowa and Iowa State are coming off two incredibly lackluster football seasons, so basketball and wrestling season couldn't have came sooner. The Hawkeyes and Cyclones certainly have a lot on their shoulders as they try to help their fan bases forget a football season swamped with losses.

     We wish all area athletes the best of luck this season – we know you'll do great!