Baldwin Joins Bicameral Group Across Seven States in Urging Administration to Increase Biofuels Usage

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin joined a bicameral group of  lawmakers spanning seven states in a letter urging the Administration to increase biofuels usage and reject any reduction in biofuel blending requirements.

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 Administration’s clean energy goals and economic stability of the renewable fuels marketplace.

“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 Members wrote. “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,” the members continued.

In September, Baldwin joined a bicameral group of colleagues on a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi urging them to include support for homegrown renewable fuels in the upcoming reconciliation package.

Text of the letter is available here.

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