Senators Send Letter to EPA Opposing Cuts in Biofuel Volumes

Letter expresses strong concern over the agency’s original proposal, which would lower biofuel volumes for 2018 and 2019.

October 06, 2017

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, a bipartisan group of 38 Senators sent a letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt asking EPA to reverse its proposed cuts to biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol volumes in the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The letter was led by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).  In their letter, the Senators praised EPA for setting corn ethanol volumes for 2018 at the maximum allowed by law, as EPA did for 2017 volumes.  However, they expressed strong concern over EPA’s original draft proposal which would lower biofuel volumes for 2018 and 2019, specifically the lowering of volumes for advanced biofuels, cellulosic biofuel and the flat-lining of biomass-based diesel.  The Senators were also highly critical of EPA for its recent announcement to seek comments to lower biodiesel volumes, which was published in the Federal Register earlier this week.

Several of the Senators who signed the letter will be meeting with Administrator Pruitt in the next few weeks.  The public comment period closes on October 19, 2017.  EPA must finalize the renewable volume obligations for 2018 biodiesel volume for 2019 by November 30, 2017.

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