A broad coalition of trade groups representing ethanol producers, petroleum refiners, farmers, and retailers is urging the newly formed Congressional Rural Domestic Energy Council to focus on only E15 to get legislation accomplished by the end of this month.
The coalition of stakeholders sent a letter to the co-chairs of the new council on Friday outlining recommendations for consensus legislation to permit year-round, nationwide sales of E15 and improve long-term policy certainty across the transportation fuel sector.
“[T]he time window for arriving at a recommended legislative solution is short, with the council expected to submit legislative solutions to the full House by February 15th, only 16 days from today. We applaud this expedited time frame as fuel producers and retailers are making decisions now about product offerings over the next year, farmers are making planting decisions, and a legislative fix is needed as soon as possible to provide fuel producers and retailers with a predictable policy framework as we approach the summer driving season,” the organizations wrote.
To “achieve a solution in short order,” the groups urged lawmakers to build upon H.R. 1346, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, which was amended and offered for consideration by Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE) last week before the Rules Committee. These include fixing outdated regulations on summer sales of E15 and limiting the marketplace distortions caused by Small Refiner Exemptions (SRE) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “H.R. 1346 has broad support from the overwhelming majority of biofuels, agriculture, fuel retail, and oil refining interests, and is the most comprehensive pathway to a legislative solution,” the organizations wrote.
Signatories on the letter included the Renewable Fuels Association, Agriculture Retailers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Petroleum Institute, Corn Refiners Association, Growth Energy, National Association of Convenience Stores, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, NATSO, National Corn Growers Association, National Sorghum Producers, and SIGMA.
The letter was sent to Reps. Stephanie Bice (D-OK) and Randy Feenstra (R-IA), who have been assigned as co-chairs of the council.