Water Implications of Biofuels Production in the United States (2008) / Chapter Skim
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6 Policy Options
6 Policy Options
Pages 55-62
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From page 55... ...
Later, ethanol was shown to reduce carbon monoxide emissions in motor vehicles. Ethanol derived from corn kernels was a logical starting point to replace imported petroleum and, in addition, it provided another market for farmers' products in the United States.
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From page 56... ...
. As total biofuels production expands to meet national goals, the long-term sustainability of the groundwater and surface water resources used for biofuel feedstocks and production facilities will be key issues to consider.
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From page 57... ...
Although water quality improvement efforts in some areas have held nutrient levels steady, there has been little progress in improving water quality in key watersheds or in further reducing erosion to meet water quality and soil maintenance targets. Biofuels production is developing within the context of shifting options and goals related to U.S.
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From page 58... ...
Policies to Encourage Biofuels Produced from Cellulosic Alternatives Given the likelihood that cellulosic biofuels often will have less impact on water quality per unit of energy gained, it seems prudent to encourage the transition from corn ethanol to the next generation of biofuels. One of the issues within the current system is that investors will continue to prefer corn ethanol over cellulose because cellulose is riskier (W.
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From page 59... ...
CSP provides incentives to farmers specifically for improved nutrient management as part of an overall farm plan for reducing the environmental impact of the farming operation. At the watershed or river basin level, some areas produce greater sediment and nutrient loadings than other areas.
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From page 60... ...
For example, measuring greenhouse gas emis sions per unit of energy produced can be a useful metric when attempting to capture some of the environmental consequences of biofuels production. Or, measuring petroleum displacement per unit of energy produced can be useful when assessing strategies that are driven by a policy leading to greater energy independence for the United States.
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From page 61... ...
For example, feedstocks could be chosen using metrics of energy output per unit of water quality impact and water use, and more performance measures that directly monitor impacts of biofuels production on water resources could be applied. REFERENCES Doering III, Otto C
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