This decision was considered by environmentalist group Friends of the Earth US as a “huge gift to the biofuels industry”, which among other things, had requested the EPA to increase the percentage of ethanol allowed in gas.

The EPA also ruled that the use of biofuels should account for 8,25 per cent of the total sales of gas and diesel in US this year, which contradicts their previous position which demanded limitations to the use of ethanol due to its direct and indirect gas emissions which cause global warming.

The new plan mandates a massive increase in domestic biofuel consumption by 2022, which was strongly criticized by Friends of the Earth US.

Kate McMahon, climate and energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said that the production of biofuels is the cause of many serious environmental problems, such as the excessive use of water and the pollution of water due to the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and the use of lands for food production to produce fuel.

“Because of this, large-scale biofuel consumption is unlikely to be a viable long-term transportation fuel solution. Better approaches include the use of more efficient vehicles, smart zoning and transportation plans that reduce the need for driving, and the eventual use of clean electricity as a vehicle fuel”, Mc Mahon said.

"Global warming is another concern. The EPA’s prediction that in 2022 most corn ethanol will result in less carbon pollution than regular gasoline is surprising and strikes us as highly optimistic, especially since the EPA acknowledged in its rule finalized today that corn ethanol production is driving the destruction of natural areas around the world, which in turn leads to biodiversity loss and immense carbon emissions.” she concluded.