Letter to Congress From U.S. Biofuels Leaders: Don't Mess With RFS

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sending a significant signal of industry unity to Capitol Hill, the leading advocates of the U.S. biofuels industry sent Congress a message today that urged lawmakers "to stand firm in the face of calls to waive or repeal the groundbreaking biofuels provisions included in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), including the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS)."

The message was detailed in a letter signed by Michael McAdams, president of the Advanced Biofuels Association; the Honorable Jim Greenwood, president and CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Organization; Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association; Brooke Coleman, executive director of the Advanced Ethanol Council; and Brian Jennings, executive vice president of the American Coalition for Ethanol.

The letter was delivered to leadership of the congressional committees now considering measures that could help or hinder the domestic biofuels industry, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and its ranking member, U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) as well as U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and its ranking member, U.S. Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK).

The group emphasized "the domestic biofuels industry is already creating jobs, helping to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil," and "now contributing more than 400,000 jobs and $53 billion in new activity to the nation's economy.  A recent report found that additional job creation from advanced biofuels production under the RFS could reach 807,000 by 2022."

The industry leaders wrote they are "committed to ensuring the U.S biofuels policy is implemented in a way that builds upon current technologies and fosters the development of new ones."

They cautioned lawmakers, "calls to reduce, waive or eliminate the RFS would send a chilling signal to markets at time when dozens of new biofuels technologies are traversing the so-called "Valley of Death" to first commercialization."

The leaders reminded Congress that their action can provide the market certainty that "is essential to securing the capital investments needed to bring new biofuels technologies to commercialization."

A full copy of the letter can be found at http://www.advancedbiofuelsassociation.com/news.php?id=72

SOURCE Advanced Biofuels Association