Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), and Ron Kind (D-Wis.) introduced the Defend the Blend Act. This legislation would prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from retroactively reducing past Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) which have already been finalized. Several ethanol-supporting associations lauded the effort.
“ACE thanks House members for introducing the Defend the Blend Act to help ensure EPA and oil refiners follow the law when it comes to the Renewable Fuel Standard. The way the program has been carried out over the past few years has created uncertainty for not only biofuel producers and farmers, but for fuel retailers and oil refiners. The RFS was a well-written piece of legislation, and this bill would help keep EPA from continuing to play politics when it comes to administering the program.”
“We thank these Representatives for introducing the Defend the Blend Act, legislation that would offer more certainty in the marketplace, especially as we await the 2021 and 2022 RVOs from EPA,” said Growth Energy’s CEO Emily Skor. “The Renewable Fuel Standard was put into place to blend more low-carbon biofuels into our nation’s transportation fuel supply and includes a built-in mechanism that adjusts for any changes in fuel demand. Retroactively changing RVO levels is completely unwarranted. It is unnecessary, adds uncertainty to the marketplace, and far exceeds EPA’s legal authority.”
Other original cosponsors include Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Cindy Axne (D-Iowa), Jim Baird (R-Ind.), Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.), Jake LaTurner (R-Kan.), and Darin LaHood (R-Ill.).
