Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and the Congressional Biofuels Caucus pressured President Joe Biden to prioritize homegrown, renewable biofuels instead of Russian energy sources. The letter comes after Congress banned the importation of Russian oil earlier this month. In their letter, the Members applauded the decision to ban imports of Russian oil and natural gas into the United States and argued that a renewed emphasis on renewable fuels would lower fuel prices for American consumers by more than $12 billion annually, generate substantial economic growth in rural communities, and significantly decrease American dependence on foreign oil producers like Russia.

The letter urges the President to direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow the summer sales of E15 this year and to reverse course on proposed retroactive reductions to 2020 and 2021 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO). Currently – and barring any action by Congress or the President – the summer sales of E15 in South Dakota and other states will be prohibited beginning on June 1, 2022 due to a D.C. Circuit Court decision on the Clean Air Act in July of 2021.

“To ensure that this ban – and future actions that the U.S. may need to take to defeat Russian aggression – is economically sustainable for the American economy and American people, we urge you to consider the following actions that would prioritize homegrown and renewable biofuels,” the Members wrote. “Taken together, these actions would significantly increase U.S. energy independence, lower prices at the pump and ensure the continued success of our sanctions on the Russian economy.”

“We thank these House members for encouraging President Biden to embrace domestic renewable fuels as a lower-cost, lower-carbon alternative to Russian oil imports,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “E15 is typically selling for 20-30 cents per gallon less than regular gasoline right now; and as revealed by a new nationwide survey, three out of four voters support increasing the availability of E15 as a strategy for reducing pump prices and providing relief to American families. If the Biden administration fails to act on the straightforward request made by these Representatives, the lowest-cost fuel available at the pump today will disappear on June 1 and drivers will face another unnecessary price hike.”

“Corn farmers appreciate the bipartisan leadership of the House Biofuels Caucus and the 29 House Members who joined this letter asking President Biden to prioritize renewable fuels, like ethanol, when it comes to lowering prices for drivers and increasing our domestic energy supply,” said National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Chris Edgington. “Throughout this month, E15 has been priced around 10 to 40 cents less per gallon than regular, or E10, making ethanol the low-cost and low-emission solution the country needs now. However, unless the Biden administration or Congress act soon, drivers will lose retail access to lower-cost E15 on June 1. We urge continued bipartisan cooperation to keep this money-saving choice available.”