Baldwin Joins Bipartisan Group of Colleagues in Urging Biden Administration to Prioritize Fertilizer Production

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in urging the Biden administration to prioritize domestic production of green fertilizer to support American agriculture, ensure price stability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

The senators specifically called on the Biden administration to focus on domestic manufacturing of green ammonia for fertilizer as they develop Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs. Authorized by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs will boost economic growth and reduce hydrogen costs by expanding the use of clean hydrogen in the industrial sector and beyond. 

“A clean, stable, domestic source of ammonia-based nitrogen fertilizers is extremely important for America’s agriculture industry. A Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub focused on the manufacture of green ammonia for fertilizer would allow America’s farmers to drastically reduce their carbon footprint while also providing price and supply stability to this critical farm input. We urge you to prioritize green ammonia production through the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs,” the lawmakers wrote to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. 

The letter was led by Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and was also signed by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Deb Fischer (R-NE).

The full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

Thank you for your leadership in implementing the many provisions contained in the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy (DOE). We write to urge you to prioritize green ammonia for fertilizer and other uses when considering end-use diversity for the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs. 

Congress passed the IIJA with strong bipartisan support in November 2021. The law is a once in-a-generation investment in our infrastructure, which will grow our economy by enhancing U.S. competitiveness in the world, creating good-paying jobs, and making sure underserved communities benefit. The Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs are an integral component of that transformation. 

The production of ammonia for fertilizer is currently responsible for more than 1 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Green ammonia is one of the best tools we have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because it can immediately be fed into existing ammonia infrastructure  and deployed on farms, even while additional uses of ammonia as a fuel are developed and deployed. 

A clean, stable, domestic source of ammonia-based nitrogen fertilizers is extremely important for America’s agriculture industry. The current record-breaking fertilizer prices have been difficult for farmers and ranchers and bad for inflation. A Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub focused on the manufacture of green ammonia for fertilizer would allow America’s farmers to drastically reduce their carbon footprint while also providing price and supply stability to this critical farm input. 

We urge you to prioritize green ammonia production through the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs and thank you for your consideration.

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