By Taylor W. Anderson, The Bulletin.

SALEM — Misconceptions abound about Oregon’s fuel policy that’s become the bane of oil companies and bastion of environmentalists, in part because of the policy’s complexity.

The cutting-edge policy is known as a low carbon fuel standard or Clean Fuels because it aims to “clean up” transportation fuel over the coming 10 years.

And while supporters — from lawmakers to the governor and environmental groups — have pegged the program as a way to clean up Oregon’s air, the Clean Fuels program will, at best, directly prevent only a small fraction of carbon from being emitted over its 10-year life.