Ricketts Says EPA Is Out-Of-Touch With American Agriculture Over RFS Policy

By Kellan Heavican

A U.S. Senator says the Environmental Protection Agency is sending mixed signals to the agriculture industry over its biofuels policy.

Republican Pete Ricketts of Nebraska tells Brownfield the benefits of ethanol and biodiesel are clear, and EPA should’ve increased the Renewable Volume Obligations. “The RVO numbers themselves are disappointing, especially from an administration that wants to reduce carbon in the environment.”

Ricketts and Minnesota Representative Brad Finstad sent a letter to EPA asking the agency why only some members of Congress were briefed ahead of the public release of the Renewable Fuel Standard policy. “That’s also really puzzling considering by-and-large support for ethanol has been bipartisan.”

Ricketts says there’s been some investment in biofuels from the administration, but there’s plenty of room for additional support.  “We need to continue to promote biofuels and talk about why it’s so good for producers, it helps clean up the environment and why it helps our farmers and ranchers.”

Co-signers of the letter include U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and U.S. Representatives Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Mike Flood (R-NE), Mark Alford (R-MO), Adrian Smith (R-NE), and Dusty Johnson (R-SD).