U.S. Representative Rodney Davis (R-IL), Congressional Biofuels Caucus Chair, lead over two dozen members of Congress in a letter to President Biden urging him to boost domestic biofuels production as a replacement of Russian energy imports, and support. Earlier this month, Congress banned the importation of Russian oil and gas in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“To ensure that this ban – and future actions that the U.S. may need to take to defeat Russian aggression – is economically sustainable for the American economy and American people, we urge you to consider the following actions that would prioritize homegrown and renewable biofuels,” Davis and the Members wrote. “Taken together, these actions would significantly increase U.S. energy independence, lower prices at the pump and ensure the continued success of our sanctions on the Russian economy.”
In their letter, the Members applauded the decision to ban imports of Russian oil and natural gas into the United States and argued that a renewed emphasis on renewable fuels would lower fuel prices for American consumers by more than $12 billion annually, generate substantial economic growth in rural communities and significantly decrease American dependence on foreign oil producers like Russia.
The letter urges the President to direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) permanently reinstate the year-round availability of E15, and to reverse course on proposed retroactive reductions to 2020 and 2021 Renewable Volume Obligations that hurt farmers and producers.
Actions to increase U.S. energy independence in light of Russian aggression are overwhelmingly supported by the American public. A recent Morning Consult poll indicated that 72% of Americans support increasing the availability of E15 as a way to replace Russian oil imports, and 83% of Americans support increasing domestic renewable fuel production – which includes renewable biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel – in the U.S. as a strategy to lower fuel prices.
“Over the last two years, the more than 65,000 U.S. workers in the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry worked hard to maintain fuel supplies and provide value to consumers,” said Kurt Kovarik, Vice President of Federal Affairs at Clean Fuels Alliance America. “Clean Fuels and its members thank the members of the Biofuels Caucus – and especially Representatives Rodney Davis, Angie Craig, Cindy Axne, Dusty Johnson, Mark Pocan, and Adrian Smith – for prioritizing homegrown, clean fuels to boost America’s energy independence.”
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