The California Air Resources Board has approved NEW low carbon fuel standards for cars and trucks.   
 
The requirements are intended to lower greenhouse gas emissions in the state by ten-percent over the next decade. 
   
The new requirements rely heavily on increased use of cleaner burning ethanol in gasoline. 
 
ARB chairman Mary Nichols says the new standards would set a global precedent and they’d reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil… 
  
“We’ve squeezed the emissions from the automobiles and the petroleum industry which has a lot more cash reserves to put it mildly really has gotten off scott-free in respect to greenhouse gases, so this is a way to bring them into the problem and to be part of the solution…”
 
 
But, some fuel companies oppose the standards.  They say they’re based on “flawed science” and won’t do much to reduce emissions.    
Eric Holt-Jiminez is Executive Director of an organization called “Food First.”  He’s concerned ethanol fuels made from corn will do more harm than good because the crops will come from outside the U-S… 
  
“Those plantations abroad which are owned in large part by North American companies like ADM and Cargill…chop down forests and plow up the savannah and emit more carbon than they capture…” 
 
Ranchers argue that ethanol fuels will drive up the cost of grain and consumers will pay more for food at the supermarket.  Trucking companies say they’re concerned they won’t be able to afford to retrofit their vehicles to run on the new fuels.