Group of 14 bipartisan Senators ask Department of Commerce to look closer at Argentine biodiesel

In Washington, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) thanked a bipartisan group of 14 Senators – led by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) – for writing to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross regarding his agency’s recently launched “changed circumstances” review of U.S. duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina. In the letter, the Senators ask Commerce to develop a complete record of Argentina’s biodiesel trade actions before determining whether revisiting the U.S. duties is warranted.

The letter notes that in early 2018 the U.S. Department of Commerce issued countervailing duty and antidumping orders on imports of certain biodiesel products from Argentina, following an extensive trade investigation. Then in December 2018, Commerce initiated “changed circumstances” reviews to assess Argentina’s most recent modification to its export tax regime and whether it warrants a review of the U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty orders issued only months before.

Domestic biodiesel production increased by 17 percent or more than 300 million gallons in 2018, compared to 2017.

The letter is co-signed by Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO), Mike Braun (R-IN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-WI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), John Thune (R-SD), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).