President Joe Biden’s recently unveiled a tax plan to accompany his $2 trillion infrastructure proposal that takes direct aim at fossil fuel subsidies in favor of clean energy incentives. The “Made in America Tax Plan” is set to raise the corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28% and replace fossil fuel subsidies with clean energy incentives. The plan outlines several clean energy tax credits, including a 10-year extension of wind, solar, and battery tax credits, but does not specify which fossil fuel subsidies could face the chopping block.

Hopes were high as the world entered a new year that 2021 was going to be the year that things went back to “normal,” but the first few months made those hopes seem like a far fetched idea. Improved economic activity and global mobility in the first quarter of 2021 was stalled by slow vaccine rollouts around the world and a stubborn third wave of lockdowns imposed throughout Europe. Luckily the second quarter has seen an explosion in global crude oil demand as vaccination campaigns have picked up the pace and travelers worldwide seem to have caught the summer travel bug. While the timeline to pre-crisis demand has been delayed, people around the world will still need plastics for their daily activities, roads and vehicles to travel from place to place, goods and services created and shipped with hydrocarbons, and other consumables derived from crude oil which will continue to boost demand through 2021.

With fuel demand returning as individuals emerge from lockdowns to enjoy the fresh spring air and a new national focus on the climate crisis, the folly of corn-based ethanol gasoline must be addressed. Historically, scientists viewed biofuels as inherently carbon-neutral but new studies performed over the past decade suggest that once all the emissions associated with growing feedstock crops and manufacturing biofuel are factored in, biofuels actually increase carbon dioxide emissions rather than reduce them. While renewable fuels are important to America’s clean energy future, growing corn for fuel instead of food never has been an environmental or economic solution.

Like many of their fossil fuel producing counterparts, the Bakken states of North and South Dakota are fighting new federal regulations from the Biden Administration threatening fossil fuel development. As President Biden attempts to lead the country towards a carbon-neutral future, leaders in the Dakota’s are rallying support in their attempt to lead the states towards sustained revenue and prosperity through the development of the area’s natural fossil fuel resources. State leaders have realized that halting new oil and gas leasing on federal lands as well as the revoked permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline project will slash investment, cut jobs, drop wages, and pummel tax revenues throughout the region. As their fight continues, they are working to evaluate the impact of the climate related executive orders and enact legislation for the state to decide how their state’s resources should be developed.