September 28, 2021

Duckworth Joins Bustos, Axne, Craig, Klobuchar in Urging Administration to Increase Biofuels Usage

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), Cindy Axne (D-IA-03), Angie Craig (D-MN-02) and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in a letter urging the Administration to increase biofuels usage and reject any reduction in biofuel blending requirements.

“We have strong reservations about the potential for the Administration to destroy over 5 billion gallons of biofuel volume from the 2020, 2021, and 2022 RVOs. This action would directly undermine your commitment to address climate change and restore integrity to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS),” the letter states. “Every gallon of biofuels that is blended into our nation’s fuel supply displaces a gallon of oil and cuts carbon emissions…Reducing biofuel blending requirements will increase greenhouse gas emissions.”

“Rather than exempting refiners of their obligations under the Clean Air Act, we urge the Administration to provide additional certainty and stability to the renewable fuels marketplace by issuing strong RVOs for 2021 and 2022, and declining to remand any gallons from the 2020 RVO. These actions will create jobs, drive American investment, and cut carbon emissions from the transportation sector.”

After recent reports that the Administration may be considering lowering the Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs), the group raised serious concerns about the harm a reduction in biofuels usage could cause to the Administrations clean energy goals and economic stability of the renewable fuels marketplace.

The letter was also signed by U.S. Representatives Mark Pocan, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Bobby Rush, David Scott, Tim Ryan and Ron Kind, and U.S. Senators Dick Durbin, Tina Smith, Tammy Baldwin and Debbie Stabenow.

In June, Senator Duckworth also joined Bustos, Axne, Craig and Klobuchar in a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Economic Council (NEC) expressing concern about reports that the agencies were considering exempting oil refiners of their obligations under the Clean Air Act’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).