Allies of corn growers in the U.S. Senate sent a letter to EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan today calling on him to prioritize the Renewable Fuels Standard.
Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), with the support from a bipartisan group of 12 senators, called on the administrator to maintain proposed blending requirements for 2022; deny all pending Small Refinery Exemptions; eliminate proposed retroactive cuts to the 2020 renewable volume obligations; and set 2021 RFS volumes at the statutory levels.
“The RFS is a significant tool for EPA to reduce the carbon footprint of our transportation sector,” the senators wrote. “By taking the above actions, the EPA can quickly restore integrity, stability, and growth to the RFS and the U.S. biofuel sector while ensuring that the program continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, diversify our fuels, drive down gas prices, strengthen our national security, and drive rural economic opportunity.”
NCGA’s leadership saw the letter as an important development.
“We are highly appreciative of these senators for their efforts to protect the integrity of RFS,” said Iowa corn grower and NCGA President Chris Edgington. “The RFS is an important tool that we will need to use to the letter if we’re to meet the president’s ambitious climate goals.”
Farmers also have a chance to weigh in with EPA on this issue, Edgington noted. He encouraged farmers to visit the NCGA Action Center and submit comments to EPA on proposed RFS volumes and denial of SREs through the Friday, February 4, comment deadline.
The bipartisan letter to the EPA was also signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.).
