Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are leading a bipartisan group of 38 senators in calling for a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as the Environmental Protection Agency works toward finalizing biofuels volume requirements for 2018.

In a letter to EPA Scott Pruitt this week, the senators urged “the continued implementation of the RFS as intended by Congress and the release of a strong final rule that would give consumers more choices at the pump, strengthen the economy, and make the country more secure.”

EPA’s formal 2018 RFS proposal would maintain the 15 billion gallon statutory requirement for conventional biofuels, but would slash the cellulosic biofuel target by nearly one-quarter. Recently EPA issued an additional proposal with further cuts to the 2018 RFS volumes and now there are rumors that the agency is considering allowing U.S. biofuel export volumes to count toward compliance with the RFS.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen applauded the efforts of the senators. “EPA is sending all the wrong signals on a program that has helped clean the air, reduce dependency on petroleum and boost local economies,” said Dinneen. “We thank the senators for their leadership and hope Administrator Pruitt heeds their call to implement a final 2018 RFS that follows Congressional intent.”