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The increased production of corn-based ethanol in the United States and research into the next generation of biofuels has raised concerns about their potential impacts on water resources. This report, based in part on a colloquium held on July 12, 2007, concludes that, if projections of increases in corn-based ethanol production are correct, water quality could be considerably compromised as the result of increases in the use of fertilizers and pesticides and soil erosion. Water supplies could also be stretched thin, both from the water requirements for growing biofuel crops and for supplying...
The increased production of corn-based ethanol in the United States and research into the next generation of biofuels has raised concerns about their potential impacts on water resources. This report, based in part on a colloquium held on July 12, 2007, concludes that, if projections of increases in corn-based ethanol production are correct, water quality could be considerably compromised as the result of increases in the use of fertilizers and pesticides and soil erosion. Water supplies could also be stretched thin, both from the water requirements for growing biofuel crops and for supplying ethanol-processing plants, especially in areas where water supplies are already overdrawn. "Cellulosic ethanol" from fibrous material is expected to have less impact on water quality but cannot yet be produced on a commercial scale. The study committee concludes that reducing the impacts of biofuels on water resources may require a policy bridge to encourage the development of new technologies, the use of best agricultural practices, and the development of crops that require less water and fertilizer and are optimized for fuel production.