Biofuels Event Draws Protesters

Protesters marched outside a biofuels conference held at the Bancroft Hotel yesterday in opposition to the $500 million research partnership between the campus and energy company BP.

Faculty, student and community members gathered to voice their concerns over the deal, which campus officials said will likely be finalized within the next two weeks.

The award was announced in February, but the contract between the campus and BP has yet to be signed. Funds will go toward the establishment of the Energy Biosciences Institute, which will facilitate biofuels research.

Protesters marched to the hotel, where the Agricultural and Resource Economics department was hosting a biofuels conference that continues today. The event was organized by professor of agricultural and resource economics David Zilberman, executive committee member of the institute.

“We are deeply concerned about private interest controlling our university,” said senior Severine von Tscharner Fleming, a conservation and resource studies major. “Biofuel research

proposed by BP does not promote long-term sustainability.”

Protesters carried a large green paper horse labeled “A harmless gift from BP to Berkeley” to symbolize what they consider BP’s profit-driven intentions.

“The Trojan horse shows that the BP deal looks good on the outside but bad on the inside,” said senior Jessica Castillo, an environmental science, policy and management major, adding that the contract has the potential to cause a lot of damage to the school.

But Zilberman said biofuel research will benefit the public sector .

“The EBI project, if successful, will be great for the environment,” Zilberman said. “There are advantages of working with the private sector because your ideas can be implemented.”

Miguel Altieri, a professor of environmental science, policy and management, pointed to concerns over the impact the institute’s research on biofuels could have on the environment.

“EBI has no idea about ecology,” Altieri said. “(Their) research is dictated by private interests.”

Protesters also pointed to concerns over how BP scientists will be working alongside UC Berkeley faculty members in conducting research. Fifty scientists from BP would work at the institute.

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