Reps. Craig, Smith, Bipartisan Colleagues Urge EPA to Prioritize Biofuels as Part of Administration’s Energy Agenda

WASHINGTON, DC – This week, Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN) and Adrian Smith (R-NE) led nearly 30 colleagues in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prioritize renewable fuels as the Agency works to set the new Administration’s energy agenda. 

In a bipartisan letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, the lawmakers emphasized the important role that American biofuels can play in lowering energy costs and investing in an all-of-the-above energy policy and encouraged the EPA to issue timely and science-driven guidance to fulfill the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). Reps. Craig and Smith are co-chairs of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus.

“Steady growth in U.S. biofuel production means more American fuel in the marketplace and lower prices at the pump for hardworking families who have spent years suffering under high inflation,” Rep. Craig and her colleagues wrote. “Homegrown fuels serve as a bulwark against price manipulation by foreign, state-owned oil exporters. They also promise to play a central role in fulfilling our vision for strengthening the farm economy, supporting domestic processing, and revitalizing rural communities.”

“Under your leadership, we request the EPA put the RFS back on track by providing a path for growth for all biofuels and rejecting proposals to undermine the statute and destabilize the market,” the lawmakers continued. “Additionally, EPA must eliminate decades-old regulatory barriers to growth so all retailers in all 50 states can offer E15 year-round if they so choose. E15 lowers gas prices for consumers, creates new markets for our farmers and helps reduce our energy dependence from foreign countries. To account for innovation in technology, feedstocks, fuel utilization, and carbon sequestration, EPA must ensure timely administrative actions which encourage growth in the industry.”

The letter was co-signed by: Reps. Mark Alford (R-MO), Don Bacon (R-NE), James Baird (R-IN), Mike Bost (R-IL), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Ron Estes (R-KS), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Brad Finstad (R-MN), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Mike Flood (R-NE), Sam Graves (R-MO), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI), Mark Messmer (R-IN), Max Miller (R-OH), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Zachary Nunn (R-IA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Derek Schmidt (R-KS), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), and Derrick Van Orden (R-WI).

You can read the full text of the letter here.

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