Congressman James Lankford (R-OK) recently introduced legislation, the “Phantom Fuels Elimination Act,” that would repeal the corn ethanol mandate under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and require the remaining mandate to be fulfilled with domestic production (biodiesel, advanced biofuel, and cellulosic biofuel). 

According to Lankford, the legislation “would allow the sale of corn ethanol, but it would eliminate the mandate.  It is irrational to require Americans to purchase ethanol when the final price is higher for the consumer and domestic supplies of energy continue to rise.” 

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFS) said, “Congressman Lankford should get his facts straight. In dropping this bill, Rep. Lankford suggests ethanol is a ‘phantom fuel.’ Wrong! There is more than enough ethanol to meet the RFS. If it didn’t exist, the oil companies wouldn’t be fighting so hard to protect their monopoly over the nation’s fuel supply.”