Payne Leads House Members in Calling on EPA to Protect Biofuels Volume Requirement

(Office if Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr.) As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalizes proposed rules under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) and 15 of his House colleagues urged the agency not to reduce the biofuels volume requirement, which annually mandates how much biofuel must be combined with the traditional fossil fuels in gasoline.

“As you finalize the proposed rules under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), we respectfully urge you to not reduce the biofuels volume requirement,” the members wrote in a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “The RFS program has helped the environment, our economy, and has increased our confidence in renewable fuels. Renewable fuels like cellulosic and advanced biofuels have reduced greenhouse gas and carbon emission to an equivalent of removing more than 124 million cars from the roads. The result of this reduction is an increase in air quality. Poor air quality particularly affects those in urban areas and communities of color.”

The members noted that “Congress intended for the RFS to provide an incentive to drive investments in biofuel production and technology” that spur innovation and job creation, and that a reduction in the biofuels volume requirement would be against this intent. They also expressed concern that reducing the biofuels volume requirement would place an undue burden on “vulnerable communities that spend a weighty portion of their income commuting to work.”

The following organizations have announced their support for not reducing the biofuels volume requirement: Abengoa Bioenergy, ACORE, ADM Energy Research & Evaluation, American Coalition for Ethanol, Advanced Ethanol Council, AEM, American Security Project, Biotechnology Industry Organization, Clean Fuels Development Coalition, DSM, DuPont, Energy Future Coalition, Enogen, Fuels America, Growth Energy, Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, National Sorghum Producers, Nexsteppe, Novozymes, Poet, Renewable Fuels Association, UAW, Vote Vets, 25x25.

Click here for a PDF version of the letter. READ MORE and MORE (The Hill) and MORE (Politico) and MORE (State Journal-Register)

Excerpt from Politico: The Congressional Black Caucus may be a caucus divided against itself when it comes to the Renewable Fuel Standard. Last year, the Caucus sent a letter to the EPA calling on the agency to dial down the amount of corn ethanol blended into fuel. Today (November 2, 2015) 16 members of that caucus are sending a letter to the agency asking it not to lower the blend, citing job statistics and environmental benefits. READ MORE