Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led a bipartisan group of 16 senators this week in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to “restore integrity, stability and growth to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the U.S. biofuel sector by raising Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) levels for biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels.”
In a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, the senators pressed EPA to implement multi-year RVO standards to provide certainty and growth for the biofuels industry. “We ask that the EPA raise RFS volumes for biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels to levels that are consistent with production and availability, while ensuring an equivalent increase in total volumes to preserve demand across all categories of biofuels,” the senators wrote.
“Additionally, should EPA grant any small refinery exemptions, the gallons that would have been obligated to those refiners should be added back into the total number of required gallons, as intended by the structure of the RFS, so that the full volume of the RVOs is accounted for and the overall RVOs are not effectively reduced after the rule is finalized.”
This is in line with what the ethanol industry is asking of the administration. “These senators understand the importance of lower-cost, American-made renewable fuels to both the farm economy and drivers across the country,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We thank Sens. Grassley and Klobuchar, and their colleagues, for urging EPA to swiftly finalize strong Renewable Fuel Standard volumes to support American energy independence and economic strength.”
The letter was also signed by Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Gary Peters (R-MI), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Josh Hawley (R-MO).
During Tuesday’s hearing on tariffs before the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Grassley questioned U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer about the impact of tariffs on agriculture and suggested one way to support farmers would be to strengthen the RFS and raise RVO levels. “The administration could move very quickly to increase RVOs on the Renewable Fuel Standard so that farmers get more robust domestic markets for their crops,” said Grassley.
Listen to Grassley’s comments and Greer’s response here:
Senate Finance Hearing - Grassley and Greer 5:06