Thune, Klobuchar Reintroduce Bill to Recognize Environmental Benefit of Biofuels, Efficient Farming

(Office of Senator John Thune (R-S.D.)) U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) today reintroduced the Adopt GREET Act, legislation that would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update its greenhouse gas modeling for ethanol and biodiesel. Specifically, the bill would require EPA to adopt the Argonne National Lab’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) Model for both fuels. EPA would then be required to update its modeling every five years or report to Congress to affirm its modeling is current or otherwise explain why no updates were made.

“I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation that would require the EPA to update its greenhouse gas modeling for ethanol and biodiesel, which will more accurately reflect the emissions reductions achieved by biofuels,” said Thune. “This will not only underscore how homegrown biofuels can be a cleaner part of our energy security and environmental policy, driving value for South Dakota farmers, but also make biofuel exports more attractive to countries seeking to lower their transportation emissions.”

“It is critical that the EPA’s decade old greenhouse gas modeling for ethanol and biodiesel be updated to fully reflect the newest science and technology,” said Klobuchar. “This legislation will allow us to fully understand how biofuels can help contribute to our emissions reduction goals while expanding and promoting the use of clean energy and rural jobs across the country.”

The Adopt GREET Act was cosponsored by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.).

“It is imperative that the EPA adopts the latest, most accurate science to quantify the environmental benefits of ethanol, which was recently shown to have nearly half the carbon intensity of traditional gasoline,” said Josh Shields, senior vice president for government affairs and communications of POET. “Senator Thune and Senator Klobuchar’s bill is a critical step in restoring integrity to the RFS, encouraging higher blends of biofuels and formally recognizing what ethanol producers and corn farmers have known all along: the power of biofuels and agriculture are some of the best tools available to grow our rural economies while staying in sync with nature.”

“The science shows ethanol is a low carbon fuel, and Senator Thune’s legislation to use sound science to update its carbon footprint at EPA is long overdue,” said Lisa Richardson, executive director of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association. “Senator Thune’s bill would help restore scientific integrity and accuracy to EPA regulatory actions on renewable fuels and SD Corn applauds Thune’s leadership on this issue.”

“As the EPA works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it is vital they use the most recent science and data accurately identifying ethanol as a proven low-carbon solution,” said Tim Waibel, president of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. “The GREET model and USDA analysis account for the continued innovation of our biofuel industry while capturing the air quality benefits of ethanol-blended fuels. The proposed legislation insuring they play a role in future EPA modeling is a step in the right direction for our shared mission to protect our air quality and reduce harmful emissions.”

"Biofuels continue to prove their environmental benefits and significance in our nation’s climate change efforts,” said Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy. “Just last week, a study was released that found that greenhouse gas emissions from corn ethanol are 46% lower than gasoline, up from a previous report of 39%. As the science on biofuels and innovative farming techniques continue to improve, updating the modeling at EPA is long overdue and necessary to fully reflect biofuels’ potential to decarbonize the transportation sector and provide Americans with immediate cleaner options at the pump. We thank Senators Thune and Klobuchar for introducing the Adopt GREET Act and for their tireless efforts on behalf of biofuels.”

“ACE thanks Senators Thune and Klobuchar for their continued attention to ensuring EPA replaces its antiquated lifecycle accounting of ethanol’s GHG emissions with the latest DOE GREET model, which shows that corn ethanol’s carbon intensity is approximately 50 percent less than petroleum gasoline, as recently validated in a study published by Harvard scientists and others,” said Brian Jennings, CEO of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE). “This legislation is an important tool in making sure farmers and ethanol producers are properly valued for the significant role they play in helping reduce GHG emissions.”

“This bill will ensure EPA uses the most recent science and data to accurately measure the greenhouse gas emission reduction benefits of ethanol,” said John Linder, president of the National Corn Growers Association. “The Department of Energy’s GREET model clearly shows ethanol is a key carbon reduction solution, resulting in significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline. Corn farmers thank Senator Thune and Senator Klobuchar for his leadership and look forward to working together to enact this legislation and take steps to advance greater use of low-carbon ethanol,” said John Linder, president of the National Corn Growers Association. READ MORE