Senators call on EPA administrator to boost biobased diesel and advanced biofuels in RFS

In Washington, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined her colleagues in calling on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to raise Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes for biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels to levels that are consistent with production and availability.

Last year, before the EPA implemented the finalized blending volumes for 2023 through 2025, Ernst urged the agency to increase the proposed Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) levels for advanced biofuels and biomass-based diesel fuels. Instead of listening to Ernst’s warnings, the EPA finalized blending volumes that failed to accurately reflect market conditions and future production capacity coming online. As a result, two biomass-based diesel plants have now closed, including one in Ralston, Iowa. Following the plant’s closure, Ernst pushed the administration to increase RVO levels for homegrown Iowa biofuels.