March 29, 2024

EPA stands pat, abandons lower RFS numbers

Iowa lawmakers continue to fight for RFS increases

Iowans may have won this round in the renewable fuels fight, but they’ll have to continue to be vigilant to protect the state’s burgeoning biofuels industry.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced last month it would honor its commitment to maintain previously agreed on levels of biofuels for 2018, but lawmakers say Iowa’s facilities are still nowhere near capacity.

Jasper County drew national attention this fall as it became a battleground in the fight to preserve the Renewable Fuels Standard, or RFS at its current levels. EPA chief Scott Pruitt had proposed cuts to the program, which could have a negative effect on Jasper County’s economy.

Renewable Energy Group, REG, operates a biofuel plant in Jasper County, part of the county’s focus on renewable energy. Biofuels are big business in Iowa, and REG’s impact on Newton has been significant. Seventy million gallons of biodiesel produced in Iowa plants is delivered to 284 locations nationwide. In 2016 REG purchased 770 million pounds of feedstock from Iowa vendors, which they claim added $216 million to the state’s economy.

During a visit to REG this fall U.S. Sen.Chuck Grassley, R-IA, said he planned to remind the president of his promise to support Iowa’s biofuel industry and threatened to block EPA appointments if the agency made good on its promise to scale back the proposed 2018 guidelines.

“A platform isn’t just something to run on, it’s something to stand on,” Grassley told the crowd at REG this fall. Promising to continue his fight for biodiesel and renewable energy the senator told the assembled crowd he’s seen the value of Iowa’s biodiesel industry, and he plans to keep fighting for it on the Senate floor. Lowering the minimum volume standard for 2018, which was established more than a year ago, along with rolling back the 2019 numbers will hurt Iowa’s economy, Grassley said.

“This proposal is harmful to Iowa soybean producers,” Grassley said.

In a statement released last month, Grassley said he’s glad the EPA backed down, but he’s not done fighting for biofuels in Iowa, calling it a “good news story.” Grassley said the current biofuel volume obligations the EPA has set still far short of the industry’s potential.

“I’m glad that EPA backed off a later proposal, which would have represented an abandonment of President Trump’s stated commitment to biofuels and the integrity of the RFS. Iowa, rural America and the entire country are made stronger by the many jobs, increased energy independence and cleaner air that biofuels provide,” Grassley said.

The fight to preserve Iowa’s biofuels industry has been a rare bipartisan effort, with legislators from both sides of the aisle reaching out to push the EPA, and the president, to make a strong commitment to the industry.

In Newton, Sen. Chaz Allen has reached across the aisle to work with Grassley on the issue because he believes that protecting and promoting the state’s renewable energy industry is a “bipartisan effort.”

“It’s important for this renewable energy center here,” Allen said last month during an interview at REG. “Senator Grassley has been a big part of helping us with Maytag, not only with renewable energy but also to transition to a renewable energy industry.”

Congressman Dave Loebsack also released a statement promising to keep pushing to increase RFS standards. Like Grassley, Loebsack said he was disappointed to see little if any growth in the proposal and said he felt local farmers would have no trouble meeting the requirements. As a co-chair of the House’s Biofuels Caucus, Loebsack said he plans to keep fighting in Washington for a strong RFS.

“Under the RFS, there is plenty of room for our farmers to be able to meet increased blending requirements, but it nothing to expand investments and growth in the advanced biofuels industry,” Loebsack said. “Instead of acting to boost farmers and rural communities, the EPA has sat on its laurels when they could have been more aggressive and helped promote further growth.”

Contact David Dolmage at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or ddolmage@newtondailynews.com