Reps. Craig, Hinson Lead Bipartisan Call to Expand Homegrown Biofuels Production
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN) and Ashley Hinson (R-IA) led 26 of their bipartisan colleagues in calling on the Administration to expand annual Renewable Volumes Obligations for biomass-based diesel in their upcoming rulemaking for 2026.
In a letter to President Donald Trump, the Members urged the Administration to support a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by adopting timely, robust blending requirements in the upcoming “Set 2” rule establishing Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for 2026 and beyond.
“Even before you took office, the EPA was months behind meeting the statutory deadline to set RVOs, which only exacerbated market instability,” the Members wrote. “Domestic biofuel production facilities have already idled, and further delays in action could result in additional closures, putting Americans out of work and disrupting key markets for farmers.”
“Congress established the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to provide certainty and encourage investment in biofuels to the benefit of American families, the economy, and U.S. energy security,” the Members continued. “A strong Set 2 will benefit our constituents by lowering prices at the pump, creating and maintaining U.S. biomanufacturing jobs, and driving economic growth. A strong RVO will also support market growth for farmers at a time when global markets are experiencing uncertainty.”
The EPA’s Renewable Volume Obligations for 2023 – 2025 were significantly lower than industry production trends, leading to a collapse in the value producers can receive in the renewable fuels market. Those poor market conditions led several biodiesel plants across the country to shut down last year. Higher RVOs will support market growth for farmers at a time when global markets are experiencing uncertainty.
In Congress, Rep. Craig has worked across the aisle for years to promote homegrown biofuels. Last month, following her push, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an emergency fuel waiver allowing the sale of E15 nationwide this summer.
Earlier this year, she introduced her bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act to make year-round access to E15 permanent nationwide – expanding market access for Minnesota farmers and lowering costs for drivers at the gas pump. And in February, she led a bipartisan letter to newly confirmed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin, urging the Agency to prioritize biofuels as part of the Administration’s energy agenda.
The full text of the letter can be found HERE.
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