Coalition Pushes for RFS in Conference

June 18, 2002

A broad coalition of agriculture groups, renewable fuel producers, and environmental organizations has urged the energy conference committee to enact a renewable fuels standard (RFS) as part of the final measure. An RFS would require a small percentage of the nation's fuel supply to be provided by renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. Under the pending legislation, the requirement would increase from 2.3 billion gallons in 2004 to 5 billion gallons in 2012.

"The RFS is a vital part of the carefully crafted fuels agreement in the Senate energy bill," said Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association. "Simply put, without the RFS the entire fuels agreement falls apart. While there will be efforts to remove the RFS, we remain confident the complete fuels agreement will be included in the final energy bill." In addition to creating an RFS, the fuels agreement bans MTBE, provides for refinery flexibility, and protects air quality.

A letter the coalition sent to conferees says, "We believe an extraordinary opportunity is at hand to increase energy independence, reduce oil imports, and stimulate rural economies. By establishing domestic renewable sources of energy, we will improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gases, diversify and increase our fuel supply, and promote investment and job creation in rural communities.

"The RFS lends certainty and confidence to the marketplace, encouraging investment in these value-added processing facilities… [I]f we are going to achieve energy security, we need to tap into our domestic renewable fuels resources… We urge you to support the renewable fuels provisions during conference, and provide the nation with a plan for energy independence that includes domestic renewable fuels."

The letter was signed by American Agriculture Movement of Arkansas, American Bioenergy Association, American Coalition for Ethanol, American Corn Growers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, Clean Fuels Development Coalition, Environmental and Energy Study Institute, Ethanol Producers and Consumers, National Biodiesel Board, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Organization, National Farmers Union, National Grain Sorghum Producers, National Sunflower Association, Renewable Fuels Association, U.S. Canola Association, and Women Involved in Farm Economics.