Blunt, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Increase Biodiesel Volumes, Provide Certainty to Producers

In Letter to the Environmental Protection Agency, Senators Highlight How American Biodiesel Moderates Fuel Prices, Benefits the Economy and Environment

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), along with U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Patty Murray (Wash.), and John Thune (S.D.), sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan urging the agency to increase the proposed biodiesel volumes in the upcoming Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for 2023 and 2024 to provide certainty to farmers and producers. The senators highlighted how American biodiesel moderates fuel prices and benefits the economy and environment.

“We strongly encourage EPA to utilize the upcoming RVOs for 2023 and 2024 to continue to increase volumes of biomass-based diesel,” the senators wrote. “The production and use of biomass-based diesel contributes significantly to our economy and environment. These homegrown fuels add to our country’s critical fuel supplies, which helps to moderate fuel prices.”

“Farmers and biofuel producers are an essential part of the solution to the nation’s economic, environmental, and energy security challenges. They deserve certainty in this policy. A multiyear rule would provide the predictability and market signals that the biomass-based diesel industry needs to grow,” the senators continued. “Biofuels are poised to play an essential role in a sustainable, homegrown energy future. With the increased use of biomass-based diesel, we can advance efforts to diversify our nation’s fuel supply while creating and sustaining jobs, strengthening local economies, generating tax revenues, and improving energy security.”

In addition to Blunt, Klobuchar, Grassley, and Thune, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Tina Smith (Minn.), Roger Marshall (Kan.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Joni Ernst (Iowa), Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Susan Collins (Maine), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Jerry Moran (Kan.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Deb Fischer (Neb.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Josh Hawley (Mo.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Maggie Hassan (N.H.), Angus King (Maine), and Bernie Sanders (Vt.).