Farm Bureau urges Congress: Bless, caress, but don’t suppress the RFS
In Washington, Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation wrote to members of the House of Representatives urging them to reject efforts to de-fund implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard, as contained in a potential amendment to a House appropriations bill proposed by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.).
“As the House prepares to debate the Fiscal Year 2016 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill,” Stallman wrote, “Farm Bureau urges you to reject any proposals that amend, repeal, defund or otherwise modify or interfere with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). We specifically ask you to oppose the potential amendment by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) that would defund implementation of the RFS. The EPA is currently in an open rulemaking process that would set the volumetric targets for biofuel for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016; that process would be derailed by this amendment. Destabilization of the current regulatory and policy environment would impede further investment that drives innovation in the biofuels space and would have detrimental impacts to the rural economy.
“Renewable fuels have been a tremendous success story for the nation as a whole and to our rural economy in particular. The RFS has reduced our country’s dependence on foreign oil, reduced air pollution, increased farm incomes and has provided good paying jobs within rural America. Farm Bureau members, comprised of hard working farmers and ranchers, have clearly enunciated in our policy that they support the RFS2 as adopted in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Dismantling the RFS will stifle innovation, discourage diversification of our fuel supplies and lead to economic harm to rural America. Farm Bureau respectfully requests that you reject the Loudermilk amendment and any other proposed legislative changes to the RFS.”
Category: Policy
