Rep. Cindy Axne secures $1B for biofuels infrastructure in draft Build Back Better Act
“This is a great day for our rural communities, our agricultural economy, our planet, and for hundreds of thousands of Americans whose jobs will be supported by the investments I’ve helped secure in the Build Back Better Act,” said Rep. Axne. “Make no mistake, this was no easy fight. For months, I have been helping members of the administration, the Senate, and my own colleagues in the House understand the key advantages of biofuels – from the fact that it’s been proven to be more than twice as clean as fossil fuels to how much it can help the economies of states like Iowa. But I wouldn’t let up, because it was clear from other infrastructure negotiations that this was not as much of a priority for others in Washington.
“While I will still withhold my final decision on this package until I see the full bill, seeing these investments included will be a critical part of my choice,” Rep. Axne added.
This week, House committees are beginning to consider their sections of the Build Back Better Act, a comprehensive legislative package that will tackle a range of issues from infrastructure to health care, education, and climate.
Included in the initial draft of the bill is $1 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide grants over the next 8 years to expand biofuel pump infrastructure, upgrade existing tanks and pumps, and increase usage of higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel.
That investment is double the amount originally proposed by Axne in her Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act, which she introduced in March.
Axne has reiterated the value that renewable fuels will have in the fight against a warming planet and a changing climate in discussions with her colleagues to secure this funding.
Category: Policy
