Today, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Rep. Randy Feenstra (IA-04) as well as Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Reps. Cindy Axne (IA-03), Ashley Hinson (IA-01) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) in urging Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to prioritize American energy independence. Specifically, the Iowa lawmakers – representing the top ethanol-producing state in the nation – are pressing the Biden administration to promote and incorporate Iowa-made ethanol and other biofuels in an American energy strategy that significantly reduces reliance on foreign oil and gas imports. This comes after fuel prices have hit record highs and Russia continues its unprovoked attack on Ukraine.
“According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Russia ranks as the world’s third-largest producer of petroleum and other liquid fuels, producing an average of 10.5 million barrels per day in 2020. The United States and our allies across the globe are now looking to decrease our reliance on Russian oil. As conflict continues in the region, we urge the Biden administration to expand the production and potential export of domestic ethanol and biodiesel to meet global energy needs,” the lawmakers wrote.
“As a domestically produced, renewable fuel source, ethanol and other biofuels strengthen our national security and achieve the Administration’s climate goals. Bolstering our domestic energy production through policies that prioritize the increased use of America's ethanol and other biofuels will ensure a reliable and stable source of energy for years to come,” the lawmakers continued.
In light of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Grassley has explicitly called on the Biden administration to cease all imports of Russian oil. He has also helped introduce the American Energy Independence Act of 2022, which seeks to return American energy to full production.
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