Democratic Senators express concerns to EPA administrator about 2020 RFS proposal

December 4, 2019 |

In Washington, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), led a public comment letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler expressing concern over the proposed supplemental rule establishing the Renewable Fuel Standard’s (RFS) 2020 Renewable Volume Obligations and 2021 Biomass-Based Diesel Volumes. The RFS has proven critical to strengthening states’ rural and agricultural economies while also helping to ensure a clean energy future. The Senators argued that the proposed rule—which determines how much biofuel is required to be blended into our transportation fuel supply on an annual basis—fails to adequately account for the small refinery exemption (SREs) waivers, including those given to big oil companies. Since 2016, the Trump Administration has granted 85 SREs, effectively waiving more than four billion gallons of biofuels.

Joining Durbin, Duckworth, and Klobuchar on the letter were Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Tina Smith (D-MN).

Category: Policy

Thank you for visting the Digest.