On October 26, a group of nine senators sent a letter to the White House reiterating a request to meet with President Biden and members of his cabinet to discuss whether biofuels can contribute to his administration’s agenda. energy, environment and transport.

“As rising energy prices fuel consumer fears of more resolute and long-term inflation, our demand takes on new urgency,” the senators wrote.

The letter emphasizes that access to affordable and reliable sources of energy requires a comprehensive energy strategy that also leverages responsible resource development and innovation. “US biofuels represent both, and as we pointed out in our previous letter, they have the proven ability to provide consumers with greater choice for cleaner, more affordable energy,” the senators wrote. “These contributions would increase with timely action by your administration.”

Senators note that they have seen reports that the administration is meeting with the oil and gas industry to address growing energy concerns. While the letter does not discourage expansion of domestic oil and gas extraction, senators “warn of attachés who misinterpret the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) as the source of the price hikes energy in the United States or seek to harness global influences to undermine the American biofuels industry. “

Senators point out that higher blends of biofuels, like E15, offer consumers cheaper and greener options at the fuel pump. In addition, higher blends of ethanol will expand consumer choice and reduce the amount of conventional fuel needed for each vehicle, alleviating the ongoing supply constraint while generating more – and thus reducing the price of – RINs, RFS compliance credits, “wrote the.

Senators urge Biden to establish robust RFS blending obligations and not underestimate those blending obligations with exemptions for small refineries (SREs). The letter presents several policy suggestions, including the use of updated GREET modeling to assess transportation fuels and the approval of long-standing RFS fuel registrations, including those for corn fiber ethanol. Senators are also asking Biden to present biofuels as part of the administration’s international outreach on energy, environment and trade, including the upcoming COP26 in Scotland.

“Mr. Speaker, biofuels are a readily available energy solution that deserves full consideration, not only to help stem the recent increase in fuel prices, which subsequently accelerated inflation, but also to serve as a fundamental source of reduction in transportation emissions as part of your energy and environmental agenda, “wrote the senators.” We call on your administration to use the full capacity of American agriculture to act on both fronts, and we reiterate our request to discuss these matters with you in more detail. “

The US Ethanol Coalition issued a statement applauding the letter. “ACE today thanks the Senate Biofuels Champions for reiterating their request to meet with President Biden and discuss the enormous opportunity that biofuels like ethanol present to contribute to the administration’s agenda on fuel. ‘energy, environment and transportation,’ said Brian Jennings, CEO of ACE. “Achieving net zero emissions by 2050 will be more achievable if we start moving forward now with low-carbon ethanol, and we join these senators in calling on the president to give biofuels full consideration. “

The letter is signed by Senator John Thune, RS.D .; Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa; Roy Blunt, R-Mo. ; Jerry Moran, R-Kan .; Deb Fischer, R-Neb .; Mr. Michael Rounds, RS.D. ; Joni Ernst, R-Iowa; Ben Sasse, R-Neb .; and Roger Marshal, R-Kan.

A full copy of the letter can be downloaded from the Thune website.