Senators Edward Markey and Barbara Boxer Issue Letter to White House Re Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)

We are grateful for your leadership in addressing the threat of climate change in America and around the world.  Your proposal to address carbon pollution from existing power plants is a critical step that our nation must take to lead the world in combatting climate change.  We look forward to contining to work with you on the proposal and the rest of your Climate Action Plan.

We must use every tool at our disposal to address climate change.  We are writing today to raise concerns about the 2014 Renewable Volume Obiligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).   If adopted, this rule would increase, not decrease, carbon pollution.  

The RFS is a critical piece of our nation's climate mitigation policies.  It is helping to break the oil sector's monopoly over our nation's liquid fuel supply by opening the market to competition from America's growing renewable fuel industry, bringing low carbon cellulosic, advanced biofuels and biomass-based diesel to market.  Just this month, two new cellulosic biorefineries came online producing the lowest carbon motor fuel in the world.  

Read the letter in its entirety here.