DES MOINES – Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds on May 13 renewed their call for the Obama Administration to support a robust Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). As government official travel to Iowa to discuss the environment Tuesday and Wednesday, Branstad and Reynolds believe they should focus on empowering consumers with additional and lower-cost choices at the pump, diversifying our nation’s energy portfolio, reducing transportation emissions, supporting the growth of the Midwest economy, and reducing our dependence on overseas oil through a strengthened RFS.
Elected officials, including Branstad, Reynolds, Iowa Agriculture Secretary Northey, and the entire Iowa congressional delegation have repeatedly encouraged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reverse course on its short-sighted proposed 2014 RFS volume obligation levels.
“President Obama recently indicated that he would take every executive action possible and leverage every existing authority to move the economy forward and advance his agenda. The President and Administrator McCarthy have existing authority to grow production and use of renewable fuels,” said Branstad. “If the President is serious about advancing renewables, like biofuels, as a solution to reducing emissions, then I encourage him to pick-up the phone to direct senior leaders in his Administration to support a robust RFS. President Obama’s Administration can nurture, through the stroke of a pen, future economic growth in Rural America and common sense energy policy.”
“We are proud of Iowa’s leadership in the production and use of renewable energy – both wind energy and biofuels. The RFS provides consumers choices at the fuel pump, and when given that choice, they often choose renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel,” said Reynolds. “I renew the bipartisan call from leaders across Iowa, and entire Midwest region, for the Obama Administration to support a robust RFS.”
Iowa is a leader in diversifying our nation’s energy portfolio through the production of renewable fuels, like wind energy and biofuels. Iowa leads the nation in wind power generation and places third behind only Texas and California for wind energy capacity. In 2013, Iowa was ranked among the top 12 states in the nation by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Iowa also leads the nation in biofuels production. By supporting a robust RFS, the Obama Administration can diversify our nation’s transportation fuels, add value to commodities grown in rural America, reduce emissions, and provide consumers low-cost choices at the pump.
Highlights of Iowa leaders’ engagement on the RFS include:
- State and Federal elected officials, including Gov. Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds, participated in a “Defend the RFS” event.
- Gov. Branstad traveled to Washington, DC, joining a small group of Iowa farmers and biofuels producers, to testify at the Federal government’s only public hearing and met with EPA Administrator McCarthy.
- Gov. Branstad, Lt. Gov. Reynolds, Secretary Bill Northey and the entire Iowa congressional delegation sent a joint letter to Federal leaders advocating for the many benefits that flow from the RFS.
- Gov. Terry Branstad brought together a bipartisan group of six governors to sign on to a letter to President Barack Obama, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack expressing their support for a strong RFS.
- Leaders from across the Midwest joined Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds for their “Hearing in Heartland,” which was open to all interested citizens; 83 panelists from across the Midwest Region spoke from the heart about the importance of the RFS to their livelihoods and a healthy rural economy while only two individuals expressed opposition to a robust RFS.
- The Iowa Legislature unanimously passed bicameral, bipartisan resolutions(House Resolution 101|Senate Resolution 101) calling for the EPA to reverse course and support a strong RFS.
- State of Iowa leaders submitted formal comments to the EPA with current data and analysis that provides Federal leaders the opportunity and obligation to revise their initial volume obligations upward.
