EPA’s McCarthy meets with senators on RFS
December 19, 2013 | 12:10 AM
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy met with a bipartisan group of senators to hear their views on the agency’s proposal to reduce the volumetric requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard, Sens. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said in news releases.
“At a time when we are rapidly increasing our production of North American energy resources, now is not the time to limit our ability to produce a home-grown renewable fuel like ethanol,” Heitkamp said in a letter she sent to McCarthy.
“In North Dakota, we see firsthand how biofuels help support our economy, create well-paying jobs, support rural communities, and provide cleaner energy.”
“I’m glad Administrator McCarthy listened to senators’ concerns,” Grassley said. “I tried to impress upon her that while President [Barack] Obama and his administration have claimed to be in favor of domestic biofuels, this proposal is a step backward and will harm our efforts to further diversify our fuel supply.”
“The fact is, the blend wall is a result of Big Oil’s obstruction to higher ethanol blends, and EPA’s proposal rewards its obstruction,” Grassley said.
“The administrator heard a lot about the harm this proposal would do to the environment, our national and energy security, and our rural economies. I also personally relayed the request of the entire Iowa delegation to host a field hearing in Iowa to hear directly from farmers and biofuels producers about the benefits of the RFS.”
Iowa Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, along with Grassley and other members of the Iowa state government and congressional delegation, wrote a letter to Obama, McCarthy, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging the EPA to hold a hearing on the RFS in Iowa. The letter was signed by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Republican Reps. Tom Latham and Steve King, and Democratic Reps. Bruce Baley and Dave Loebsack.
▪ Heitkamp letter to McCarthy
▪ Iowa letter
“At a time when we are rapidly increasing our production of North American energy resources, now is not the time to limit our ability to produce a home-grown renewable fuel like ethanol,” Heitkamp said in a letter she sent to McCarthy.
“In North Dakota, we see firsthand how biofuels help support our economy, create well-paying jobs, support rural communities, and provide cleaner energy.”
“I’m glad Administrator McCarthy listened to senators’ concerns,” Grassley said. “I tried to impress upon her that while President [Barack] Obama and his administration have claimed to be in favor of domestic biofuels, this proposal is a step backward and will harm our efforts to further diversify our fuel supply.”
“The fact is, the blend wall is a result of Big Oil’s obstruction to higher ethanol blends, and EPA’s proposal rewards its obstruction,” Grassley said.
“The administrator heard a lot about the harm this proposal would do to the environment, our national and energy security, and our rural economies. I also personally relayed the request of the entire Iowa delegation to host a field hearing in Iowa to hear directly from farmers and biofuels producers about the benefits of the RFS.”
Iowa Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, along with Grassley and other members of the Iowa state government and congressional delegation, wrote a letter to Obama, McCarthy, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging the EPA to hold a hearing on the RFS in Iowa. The letter was signed by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Republican Reps. Tom Latham and Steve King, and Democratic Reps. Bruce Baley and Dave Loebsack.
▪ Heitkamp letter to McCarthy
▪ Iowa letter
