Lots of people are talking about biofuels and the biobased economy this week. Here’s an update.
ICYMI: Five state governors (Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Wyoming) requested the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waive the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirements to include a certain percentage of biofuel in U.S. transportation fuel.
But biofuel states are fighting back. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz also sent a letter explaining how biofuel producers were already suffering due to the unprecedented number of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs)—and their pain was exacerbated by the pandemic.
What they said: “Granting the requested waiver would only worsen the economic harm that biofuel producers, supporting technology providers, and agricultural producers are experiencing and would do nothing to improve the financial health of the refiners,” they wrote. “Undermining the RFS at a time when rural America is struggling economically, farmers are fighting to stay in business, and the biofuels industry has been impacted by furloughs and plant closures is unconscionable.”
Bipartisan U.S. Senators chimed in, too. Led by Sens. Tina Smith (D-MN), Jodi Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), another letter explained how waiving the RFS could “cause further harm to the U.S. economy, especially our most vulnerable rural communities” and “exacerbate the effects experienced by the biofuel sector as a result of COVID-19.”
Oh, yeah: a waiver might be illegal, too. “Recent requests for a waiver of the RFS are unjustified and clearly do not satisfy the rigorous requirements necessary for EPA consideration. RFS waivers can only be granted by EPA if there is a demonstration of ‘severe harm’ to the economy or environment of a state, region or the United States that is directly caused by the RFS,” they continued.
But it’s not just about the economy—it’s also about human health. As we’ve previously reported, there are clearlinksbetween higher levels of air pollution due to fossil fuels, and worse symptoms and even death due to the coronavirus. We should be encouraging the use of clean, renewable fuels—not thwarting them.
It’s another example of the need for policy to support the biobased economy, wrote Stephanie Batchelor, VP of BIO’s Industrial and Environmental Section, in Morning Consult. “The sustainable fuels sector is actively working to decarbonize the aviation sector, using many of the same sustainable sources to make biobased materials—a game-changer that would significantly clean up our air and improve public health. But these companies—many of which are in rural economies—are developing these breakthroughs without much of the policy support afforded to other industries.”
The bottom line: “We must build towards a resilient and cleaner future and that starts by promoting investment in low carbon fuels and supporting the farmers and sustainable fuel producers in rural America,” said Stephanie.
More Agriculture & Environment News:
POLITICO Pro [Subscription]: Trump deems farmworkers ‘essential’ but doesn’t make safety rules mandatory
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued recommended guidelines that cover a range of critical employment sectors, including farm labor. But the Trump administration has not made the guidelines mandatory, as the Department of Labor is empowered to do on an emergency basis. And the CDC has not released recommendations specific to field workers like it did for meatpacking employees as that industry fell into chaos in recent weeks.”
