The U.S. biofuels industry sent a message to Congress today asking them not to mess with the RFS. Specifically, the industry encouraged lawmakers “to stand firm in the face of calls to waive or repeal the groundbreaking biofuels provisions included in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), including the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).”

Several biofuel organizations came together to sign the letter including Michael McAdams, president of the Advanced Biofuels Association; the Honorable Jim Greenwood, president and CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Organization; Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association; Brooke Coleman, executive director of the Advanced Ethanol Council; and Brian Jennings, executive vice president of the American Coalition for Ethanol.

The letter, delivered to Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, was in response to several current proposed bills and amendments that hinder or help the domestic biofuels industry. Also targeted was ranking member Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) as well as U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and its ranking member, U.S. Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK).

The message to Congress remained the same and stressed that the biofuels industry is creating jobs, helping to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and is a strong contributor to the nation’s economy, providing $53 billion. A recent report found that additional job creation from advanced biofuels production under the RFS could reach 807,000 by 2022. The letter also stressed that the industry is “committed to ensuring the U.S biofuels policy is implemented in a way that builds upon current technologies and fosters the development of new ones.”

The letter also expressed that “calls to reduce, waive or eliminate the RFS would send a chilling signal to markets at time when dozens of new biofuels technologies are traversing the so-called “Valley of Death” to first commercialization.” More capital investments are needed to bring biofuel technologies to commercialization.

A full copy of the letter can be found here.