Letter urges Environmental Protection Agency to increase E15 availability and production to boost energy independence and diminish reliance on foreign energy sources

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in urging President Biden to permit the year-round sale of E15 fuel in order to reduce the United States’ reliance on foreign sources of energy. The senators note that American biofuels are a clean and reliable energy solution that will help drive down fuel costs for consumers who are facing record-high prices at the pump.

“As the United States joins global partners in seeking to hold accountable and isolate the Russian Federation for its unprovoked assault on Ukraine, we must deny Russia’s economic lifeblood of energy dominance,” the senators wrote to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan. “This will require tapping every accessible contribution of American energy technology. As you know, American biofuels are one such readily available energy solution that offer consumers affordable and cleaner options at the pump.”  

“Preserving the option for American drivers to select E15 throughout the busy summer driving season will benefit our families and businesses while blunting a vital source of funding for Vladimir Putin’s campaign of destruction. Additionally, committing to this policy now will send an important signal of certainty and stability to fuel retailers currently or considering selling E15 in the year ahead,” the senators continued. “[This] is a foundational way to leverage the strength of American agriculture to provide energy security for consumers and show that the United States is committed to lessening our dangerous dependence on foreign sources of energy.”

The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators John Thune (R-SD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Tina Smith (D-MN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Roger Marshall (R-KS). 

Klobuchar has been a strong advocate for investing in renewable fuel infrastructure, increasing American biofuel production, and upholding the Clean Air Act’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). She recently introduced the Home Front Energy Independence Act with Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), bipartisan legislation to expand the availability and production of American biofuel, following President Biden’s ban on importing Russian oil.

In February, she and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) led a bipartisan letter urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prioritize the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by maintaining the blending requirements for 2022; denying all pending Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs); eliminating proposed retroactive cuts to the renewable volume obligations (RVOs); and setting 2021 RFS volumes at the statutory levels.

Klobuchar and Grassley also introduced bipartisan legislation in December to provide certainty to biofuel producers by preventing the EPA from retroactively reducing RVO levels once finalized.

Additionally, last July, Klobuchar and Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to permit the year-round sale of E15. 

Last June, Klobuchar led a letter with 15 colleagues to the EPA and National Economic Council (NEC) expressing concern about reports that the Biden administration was considering options to exempt oil refiners from their obligations under the RFS.

The full letter is available HERE and below:

Dear President Biden:

We write to request your urgent consideration of a no-cost, immediate step your administration can take to help curb rising domestic energy costs and displace banned Russian oil imports. Specifically, we request that you utilize any administrative authority to permit the sale of E15 fuel over the 2022 summer driving season, extending the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver from June 1 through September 15.  

As the United States joins global partners in seeking to hold accountable and isolate the Russian Federation for its unprovoked assault on Ukraine, we must deny Russia’s economic lifeblood of energy dominance. This will require tapping every accessible contribution of American energy technology. As you know, American biofuels are one such readily available energy solution that offer consumers affordable and cleaner options at the pump. Wholesale ethanol has recently traded for approximately $1.20 cheaper than gasoline per gallon, a discount that is passed on to consumers and amplified in higher blends like E15, E30, and E85. 

Additionally, higher blends of biofuels, as well as biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel, displace a greater share of imported oil each time they are chosen by consumers. Preserving the option for American drivers to select E15 throughout the busy summer driving season will benefit our families and businesses while blunting a vital source of funding for Vladimir Putin’s campaign of destruction. Additionally, committing to this policy now will send an important signal of certainty and stability to fuel retailers currently or considering selling E15 in the year ahead.

We know this is but one energy solution at your disposal that can contribute to our nation’s broader response to Russia’s malign aggressions, but it is a foundational way to leverage the strength of American agriculture to provide energy security for consumers and show that the United States is committed to lessening our dangerous dependence on foreign sources of energy.

Thank you for your swift consideration of this request.

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