Today, March 31st, 2022, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) joined over 25 bipartisan Members of Congress in a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to prioritize homegrown, renewable biofuels as a replacement for Russian energy sources. The letter comes after Congress banned the importation of Russian oil earlier this month.
“As a candidate in 2020, President Biden made a promise to support biofuels producers and the Administration has yet to follow through on this promise. As we move to cut off energy imports from Russia, increasing access to biofuels is a consumer and environmentally friendly way to increase domestic energy production,” said Miller-Meeks. “We should not be begging dictators in countries like Venezuela and Iran to increase production when we have plenty of resources at home. Increasing biofuels production will also allow the United States to support our allies around the world as they look to cut off Russia.”
Background:
In their letter, the Members applauded the decision to ban imports of Russian oil and natural gas into the United States and argued that a renewed emphasis on renewable fuels would lower fuel prices for American consumers by more than $12 billion annually, generate substantial economic growth in rural communities and significantly decrease American dependence on foreign oil producers like Russia.
The letter asks the President to consider directing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow the summer sales of E15 this year and to direct the EPA to reverse course on proposed retroactive reductions to 2020 and 2021 Renewable Volume Obligations. As of today – and barring any action by Congress or the President – the summer sales of E15 in Minnesota and other states will be prohibited beginning on June 1, 2022 due to a D.C. Circuit Court decision on the Clean Air Act in July of 2021.
Actions to increase U.S. energy independence in light of Russian aggression are overwhelmingly supported by the American public. A recent Morning Consult poll indicated that 72% of Americans support increasing the availability of E15 as a way to replace Russian oil imports, and 83% of Americans support increasing domestic renewable fuel production – which includes renewable biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel – in the U.S. as a strategy to lower fuel prices.
“We thank these House members for encouraging President Biden to embrace domestic renewable fuels as a lower-cost, lower-carbon alternative to Russian oil imports,” said Geoff Cooper, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association. “E15 is typically selling for 20-30 cents per gallon less than regular gasoline right now; and as revealed by a new nationwide survey, three out of four voters support increasing the availability of E15 as a strategy for reducing pump prices and providing relief to American families. If the Biden administration fails to act on the straightforward request made by these Representatives, the lowest-cost fuel available at the pump today will disappear on June 1 and drivers will face another unnecessary price hike.”
“The message on both sides of the aisle remains loud and clear: to immediately offer relief at the pump and move toward a more secure energy sector, the Biden Administration must increase access to homegrown, low-carbon biofuels,” said Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy. “As gas prices hit their peak, higher blends of biofuels like E15 were selling for more than 50 cents cheaper per gallon at the pump in some areas of the country. Increasing access to lower-cost biofuels, through year-round E15 and robust RVOs, would offer these savings to more drivers and reduce our country’s dependence on foreign oil.”
“ACE members are incredibly grateful for the leadership being demonstrated by Rep. Angie Craig to spearhead this bipartisan letter urging the President to act now to allow E15 year-round and get the Renewable Fuel Standard back on track,” said Brian Jennings, CEO of American Coalition for Ethanol. “Ensuring year-round access to domestically-produced E15 for all parts of the country is the quickest way to address pain at the pump and make the U.S. more energy secure.”
“Corn farmers appreciate the bipartisan leadership of the House Biofuels Caucus and the 29 House Members who joined this letter asking President Biden to prioritize renewable fuels, like ethanol, when it comes to lowering prices for drivers and increasing our domestic energy supply,” said Chris Edgington, President of the National Corn Growers Association. “Throughout this month, E15 has been priced around 10 to 40 cents less per gallon than regular, or E10, making ethanol the low-cost and low-emission solution the country needs now. However, unless the Biden administration or Congress act soon, drivers will lose retail access to lower-cost E15 on June 1. We urge continued bipartisan cooperation to keep this money-saving choice available.”
“Over the last two years, the more than 65,000 U.S. workers in the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry worked hard to maintain fuel supplies and provide value to consumers,” said Kurt Kovarik, Vice President of Federal Affairs at the Clean Fuels Alliance America.” Clean Fuels and its members thank the members of the Biofuels Caucus for prioritizing homegrown, clean fuels to boost America’s energy independence.”
Original source can be found here
