MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin is among the top ten states for ethanol production, with nine plants pumping out more than 500 million gallons of ethanol each year. But a new study shows a strong tie between ethanol production and the destruction of wildlife habitat.

Environmental Protection Agency rules say wildlife habitat should not be converted to crop production. But study coauthor Ben Larson, senior manager of forestry and bioenergy at the National Wildlife Federation, said the EPA has been taking shortcuts and not enforcing that rule. He said wildlife habitat near ethanol plants is being turned into land for crop production.

"Rather than actually requiring that ethanol plants check where their feedstocks were coming from, EPA said they would just look at a national level, and assume that none of the feedstocks were coming from recently converted land,” Larson said.

The study shows this assumption is faulty, and shows a clear connection between corn ethanol production and habitat destruction.

A University of Wisconsin Madison study showed that millions of acres of wildlife habitat nationwide have been converted to crop production - most of it planted with corn for ethanol. Study coauthor Chris Wright, a complex systems analyst with the Natural Resources Research Institute, said that land was habitat for ducks, butterflies, grassland birds, and other species. But there's another impact.

"Those lands play an important role in terms of preventing excessive runoff, erosion control; they also actually absorb a lot of carbon from the atmosphere,” Wright said. "So, they have a positive benefit in terms of greenhouse gas reduction."

Larson said the study points to the need for the EPA to rethink how it implements the Renewable Fuel Standard, and to enforce the rule about ethanol plants and corn use.

"Mind you, we're talking about millions of acres - it's not like we're talking about minute areas of land,” he said. "But on a national scale, even millions of acres are relatively small. But for the species that rely on grasslands and wetlands, this is a really major impact, because we've been losing grasslands and wetlands for a long, long time."

The National Wildlife Federation has said it wants to work with the EPA and Congress on strong policies that protect wildlife habitat and water quality, while still promoting sustainable fuels to reduce American dependence on foreign oil.


get more stories like this via email

New Mexico conservation advocates say the state's budget awaiting the governor's signature would make great strides in addressing climate change and protecting public health.

Justin Garoutte, advocate, climate and energy with the group Conservation Voters New Mexico, highlighted 21 bills awaiting the governor's signature that will protect air, land, water and wildlife resources. He said Senate Bill 48, known as the Community Benefit Fund, would be a groundbreaking investment in adapting to climate change through locally driven projects that strengthen communities and create jobs, including jobs for those employed in the extraction industry.

"So, helping workers in the oil and gas industry or other industries transition to more clean jobs - there's 17-million that's going to the workforce solutions department for clean-energy worker training," he explained.

SB 48, which passed by a vote of 39 to 26, would provide grants for infrastructure and clean energy projects that reduce pollution, improve resiliency against extreme weather, and enhance grid reliability in cities and towns across the state. The governor has until April 11th to approve spending for fiscal year 2026, which begins on July 1st and ends on June 30th next year.

Garoutte said with state guidance, individual communities could implement projects unique to their region, prioritizing rural and underserved communities.

"The end goal is ensuring that we as a state continue advancing to protect our communities from the impacts of climate change that we're feeling now, right? We have to adapt, we have to do mitigation efforts, and we just want to keep moving forward as a state when we don't see that at the federal level," he continued.

Legislation included in the next budget includes two transportation provisions. $60 million for electric vehicle charging infrastructure for school districts and improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure are part of the spending plan.


get more stories like this via email

Large, energy-intense buildings used in Bitcoin mining, cloud computing and artificial intelligence data processing industries could become more common in West Virginia under legislation being considered by lawmakers.

Advocacy groups said high-impact data centers pose environmental and public health risks for communities.

Morgan King, climate and energy program manager for the West Virginia Citizen Action Group, pointed out Mingo, Mason and Tucker counties have already seen data center growth, along with an increased strain on natural resources. She added under House Bill 2014, such facilities would not be required to follow local zoning, land use or noise ordinances.

"These centers can take up anywhere from three to four square miles of land that will be repurposed for construction of these buildings for data centers," King explained. "Even more, they require an intense water use and energy use."

The bill would allow companies to develop independent energy grids using coal and gas. Supporters of the legislation, including West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, argued the bill would bring significant investment to the state.

The bill places no limits on how much of the water supply these facilities can draw upon. King noted in neighboring Virginia, some data centers are using nearly a million gallons of water a day.

"It doesn't put any restrictions on the facility, which could have an impact on local water resources," King emphasized. "It also requires that the power generation of coal throughout the state be remaining at a 69% base load."

She added there is increased exposure to light and sound pollution for residents and disruption of wildlife habitats.

"One of these centers is posed for Tucker County, right outside of Davis, that's in one of the most beautiful natural areas of the state," King observed. "If we put a data center in there, it's going to create a lot of noise and light pollution that will impact local ecosystems."

Energy experts are concerned data centers could lead to higher electricity bills for Mountain State households, and worsen communities' climate change resilience.


get more stories like this via email

As Congress debates cuts to offset tax-cut extensions, the future of the Clean Fuels Production Tax Credit remains uncertain, with potential impacts on Michigan's growing clean-fuel industry. The Clean Fuels Production Tax credit was established under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. It offers 20 cents per gallon for nonaviation fuels and 35 cents for aviation fuels which cut emissions by 50% compared with petroleum. Michigan has six key clean-fuel and alternative-energy initiatives, including Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Alex Muresianu, senior policy analyst for Tax Foundation, estimates that repealing the credit could net about $12.8 billion over a decade based on Treasury projections, although he questions the math.

"That was based on some estimates from Treasury. It doesn't make sense to take a revenue cost estimate from Treasury and assume it will one-for-one translate into revenue raised from reversing a policy," she said.

Critics call credit initiative costly, favoring big companies while possibly raising fuel prices and distorting the market. It started on January 1st and is slated to run through 2027 unless extended.

Congress is divided on the future of these tax credits. While some want to eliminate them altogether to offset tax cuts, others warn that doing so could harm energy investments and job growth.

Nan Swift, a resident fellow of the Governance Program at R Street Institute, believes that right now, Congress is likely far from debating the finer details, and the tax credit is just one of those specifics.

"Certainly, it's on a a wish list for a lot of members, but we don't even know yet if the House and Senate can find agreement between their two-bill or one-bill plans," she explained.

Shortly after the Clean Fuels Production Tax Credit was enacted, debates arose about its cost, effectiveness and fairness over the broader economy.


get more stories like this via email