@article{Sedjo:188107,
      recid = {188107},
      author = {Sedjo, Roger},
      title = {How do environmental regulations affect investments in  biofuel and biofuel R&D?: the case of transgenic  trees.},
      address = {2010},
      number = {1014-2016-81550},
      pages = {15},
      year = {2010},
      abstract = {Genetically engineered or transgenic trees can play a  major role in providing the
feedstock for an energy sector  that relies increasingly on renewable energy.  Biomass
energy sources such as wood, both in the form of  direct combustion and in the production
of liquid biofuels  for transport, are being viewed as a major energy source of  the near
future. Worldwide there is a growing emphasis to  shift from fossil fuel to renewable
energy sources largely  in recognition of the GHG emissions associated with fossil  fuels.
The potential exists for customizing trees to  provide energy, both as a feedstock for liquid
biofuels and  for direct combustion either as raw wood chips or a wood  pellets. However,
in the U.S. all transgenic plants,  including trees, automatically come under regulation  and
must be deregulated if they are to be grown in large  commercial operations. Although
there is a process for  deregulating transgenic plants through the US Department  of
Agriculture – Animal Plant Health Inspection Service  (APHIS) and other government
agencies, the process has  become increasingly slow and cumbersome, particularly  for
perennial plants including trees. Indeed, it is argued  that the obstacles to deregulation
have been increasing.  This paper looks at that situation and identifies some of  the
elements that contribute to the slowing of the process.  It notes some inherent conflicts
and social tradeoffs  between a timely deregulation process and concerns  about
environmental obstacles given current legal  decisions.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/188107},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.188107},
}