California's Proposed Fuel Standard Threatens National Security

Retired Members of the Armed Forces, the Intelligence Community and Pres.
Reagan's NSA Advisor Bud McFarlane Petition Gov. Schwarzenegger to Fix
Proposed Fuel Standard

WASHINGTON, March 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released
today by the Truman National Security Project:

Sixty-six retired members of the U.S. armed forces and intelligence community
petitioned Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to fix the proposed California fuel
standard, which imperils our national security. The group includes Robert
"Bud" McFarlane, President Ronald Reagan's National Security Advisor
(1983-1985).

When creating the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), the California Air
Resources Board (CARB) used unproven science to create a bias against
biofuels. This bias promotes increased use of fossil fuels, which will prolong
the United States' reliance on oil, damaging our energy independence and
prolonging the problems of climate change.

A copy of the letter can be found here:
http://www.trumanproject.org/files/Petition_Letter.pdf

"The United States' national security is directly tied to Governor
Schwarzenegger's willingness to step in and fix the proposed California fuel
standard," said William C. Holmberg, chairman of the Biomass Coordinating
Committee of the American Council on Renewable Energy and a retired U.S.
Marine Corps lieutenant Colonel. "While well-intentioned, the Air Board has
created a fuel standard that puts biofuels at a competitive disadvantage,
meaning fossil fuel usage will only increase in California. Putting more
imported oil and finished gasoline in California's transportation system
threatens our national and energy security, sets back the advance of domestic
cellulosic biofuels, could increase demands for fuels from oil and tar sands,
and exacerbates global climate change."

The petition sent to the Governor highlights six critical aspects of national
security that could be threatened if the proposed LCFS becomes law in
California:

1. Our reliance on fossil fuels puts petrodollars in the hands of
dictators
and terrorists.
2. Oil kills democracy.
3. Protecting the world's oil infrastructure costs U.S. taxpayers
billions.
4. The cost of oil places undue stress on the U.S. military.
5. Climate change places undue stress on the U.S. military.
6. Climate change creates political instability and acts as a catalyst for
failed states and terrorism.

There is great concern with the category of indirect "land-use" effects, known
as iLUC, which the proposed LCFS uses only to judge biofuels and not other
fuel types. From the letter: "The science of indirect effects is far from
precise, and the model on which the iLUC effect is based is highly variable
depending on the assumptions of the individuals conducting the research. Put
simply, the jury is out on the science of iLUC. Equally important is the fact
that no other fuels are penalized for their indirect effects. Singling out one
fuel source - in this case biofuels - puts that source at a comparative
disadvantage, thereby undercutting new investment and the development of new
technologies."

"Governor Schwarzenegger has always stood up for members of the U.S. armed
forces. We hope the Governor will use this opportunity to stand up for our
national security and ensure that the fuel standard judges all fuels fairly,"
concluded Holmberg.

SOURCE Truman National Security Project

Frankie Sturm of Truman National Security Project, +1-202-216-9723 (office),
+1-309-222-5788 (cell), frankie@trumanproject.org