USDA Study finds ethanol reduces carbon emissions by nearly 50% as industry gears up for major environmental regulatory changes ahead. An enormous agenda around climate offers both a challenge and opportunity in the legislative and regulatory arenas to demonstrate what a solution ethanol can be in both adding higher octane and lowering carbon emissions. That's according to former South Dakota Democratic Sen. Tom Daschle and main architect of the initial Renewable Fuel Standard advanced in Congress nearly two decades ago. While speaking at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association virtual meeting Jan. 26, Daschle recalls when he and former Sen. Dick Lugar, R-Ind., started the RFS movement as those in agriculture sold the idea ethanol offered a pathway to oil independence after the events of 9/11. Today, ethanol can position itself around the unifying message that it provides a solution to eliminating emissions as focus ramps up on mitigating climate impacts.