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EPA’s Own Scientists Warn Ethanol Might Not Be Green Enough

  • US science advisers say deeper look needed amid uncertainty
  • Board urges more study of emissions tied to corn-based fuel

A drop of ethanol and gasoline at a gas station in Birmingham, Michigan.

Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg
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The US government’s own scientists on Thursday questioned whether corn-based ethanol is better for the environment than traditional petroleum-based fuels, nearly two decades after Congress first mandated its use.

The EPA’s Science Advisory Board — a panel with dozens of experts that reviews how the agency uses research and technical information — agreed to advance a report questioning ethanol’s carbon intensity and urging more study.