The Renewable Fuels Association today thanked Reps. Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Cindy Axne (D-IA), and Angie Craig (D-MN), as well as Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), for leading a letter signed by 11 other congressional Democrats calling on the Biden administration to reject any reduction in biofuel blending requirements and increase biofuels usage.
“We thank these congressional champions for their strong support and reaching out to the administration at this crucial time,” RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper said. “As the U.S. EPA prepares to roll out proposed renewable volume obligations for 2021 and 2022, rumors are circulating about massive cuts that will even reach back to 2020’s volumes, which were settled back in 2019 and automatically adjusted based on lower volumes during the pandemic. If true, these reduced volumes will be devasting for the ethanol industry and rural America—and slow down the goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions as low-carbon biofuels are replaced by more fossil fuels. In fact, the new, lower volumes, if true, would increase GHG emissions by up to 15.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.”
“We have strong reservations about the potential for the Administration to destroy over 5 billion gallons of biofuel volume from the 2020, 2021, and 2022 RVOs,” the letter states. “This action would directly undermine your commitment to address climate change and restore integrity to the Renewable Fuel Standard. Every gallon of biofuels that is blended into our nation’s fuel supply displaces a gallon of oil and cuts carbon emissions. Reducing biofuel blending requirements will increase greenhouse gas emissions.”
The letter was also signed by Reps. Mark Pocan, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Bobby Rush, David Scott, Tim Ryan and Ron Kind, and Sens. Dick Durbin, Tammy Duckworth, Tina Smith, Tammy Baldwin and Debbie Stabenow.
